GUIDE TO EU LEGISLATION AND 'ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE EUROPEAN PM INDUSTRY

摘要

European industry has had to accommodate an increasing flow of legislation designed to harmonise operating and employment conditions in EU member states. The trend has been particularly marked in environment legislation, as a result of the Maastricht Treaty having enshrined the goal of 'sustainable development' for European Commission (EC) environmental policies and objectives. This has led directly to widespread revision of legislation for health and safety in the workplace, where the emphasis is more and more on the longer term, holistic improvement of health brought about by improved working conditions, rather than the enumeration of specific 'accidents'. The EC's objectives have also generated Regulations (legislation directly applicable to EU member states) and Directives (binding legislation implemented by the parliaments of individual member states) relating to classification of substances hazardous to health, IPPC (integrated pollution prevention and control), EMAS (environmental management systems), packaging and waste disposal, and recycling (e.g. the End Of Vehicle Life Directive). In some areas, for example the classification of hazardous substances, broader international harmonisation is occurring under the auspices of OECD. Suppliers (ultimately senior management) are held responsible for the correct classification and labelling of their products, in addition to safe manufacture and transport - and, under the proposed REACH Regulation, for the provision of data on health and environmental effects of substances and preparations. Manufacturers will also be required, for liability purposes, to preserve records on products for extended periods.