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Transcript of NEPSI Social Partner autonomous Agreement on … Social Partner autonomous Agreement on Crystalline...
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NEPSI Social Partner autonomous Agreement on Crystalline Silica
Dr M. Wyart-RemyCo-chair NEPSI Council, IMA-Europe Secretary General
EU-Israel Workshop on Issues Associated with Silica and Artificial Stone
EU-OSHA Offices – 28 January 2015
• Silica is a mineral commonly found in nature as sand
• Crystalline silica (one silica form) is used in a vast
array of industries
• For many years, it has been known that the inhalation of
fine dust containing a proportion of crystalline silica
(respirable crystalline silica - RCS) can cause lung
damage (silicosis)
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The grounds for an Agreement
The scientific debate: a secondary mechanism
Crystalline silica inhaled in the form of quartz or cristobalite from occupational
sources is carcinogenic to humans (group 1)
Coal dust cannot be classified as to its carcinogenicity to humans (group 3)
IARC Monograph 68, 1997
The main effect in humans of the inhalation of respirable silica dust is silicosis. There
is sufficient information to conclude that the relative risk of lung cancer is increased in
persons with silicosis (and apparently, not in employees without silicosis exposed to
silica dust in quarries and in the ceramic industry). Therefore preventing the onset of
silicosis will also reduce the cancer risk.
SCOEL SUM Doc 94-final, June 2002 (under review)
Crystalline silica in the form of quartz or cristobalite dust is carcinogenic to humans
(group 1). The most prominent mechanism of lung cancer works via inflammation
which results in macrophage activation and the sustained release of
chemokines and cytokines (i.e. silicosis mechanism)
IARC Monograph 100 C, 20113
The scientific debate: a variable hazard
In making the overall evaluation, the WG noted that carcinogenicity was not
detected in all industrial circumstances studied. Carcinogenicity may be
dependent on inherent characteristics of the crystalline silica or on external
factors affecting its biological activity or distribution of its polymorphs.
IARC Monograph 68, 1997
The different reactivity of different types of silica is confirmed by IARC (2011):
“the pathogenic potential of quartz seems to be related to its surface
properties, and the surface properties may vary depending on the origin of
the quartz” e.g. grinding procedure, the particle shape, the thermal treatment
and impurities.
IARC Monograph 100 C, 2011
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Pathogenicity factors to be controlled
RCS occurs when handling products, i.e. cutting, sawing, polishing
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Sand (quartz or cristobalite) grains Broken sand grains
External or intrinsic factors: e.g. free electron at the surface, crystallinity, etc.
Repair mechanisms also depend on factors influencing the particles ageing
process, e.g. free electron quenching by OH-, presence of metal ions (Al3+), etc.
respirable
Technical feasibility of measuring at the lowest OELs
copier conclusions des articles
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Prevention is the key
Silica dust exposure of a construction worker
sawing masonry brick without dust control or PPE
• Risk awareness
• Monitoring
• Implementation of measures
• Compliance and Surveillance
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Aggregates (UEPG), Cement (Cembureau), Industrial Minerals (IMA-Europe),
Mines (Euromines), Natural Stones (EuroRoc), Ceramics (Cerame-Unie),
Expanded Clays (EXCA, joined in 2009), Foundry (CAEF/CEEMET), Glass fibre (APFE),
Container (FEVE) & Flat Glass (GEPVP), Mineral Wool (EURIMA),
Mortar (EMO), and Pre-cast Concrete (BIBM)
with their Unions’ representatives (IndustriALL-Europe)
The Signatories
Signature of a Social Dialogue Agreement in April 2006
Today, 14 Industrial Sectors and their Trade Union
Agreement on Workers Health Protection through the
Good Handling and Use of Crystalline Silica and
Products containing it
Signed in 2006, it aims at
protecting the health of Employees
minimizing exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica
(RCS) by applying the Good Practices and
increasing knowledge about potential health effects of
RCS and about Good Practices
The objectives
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The Agreement Principles
Compliant with national and EU laws
Organise health surveillanceincl. Health Surveillance Protocol for Silicosis (Annex 8)
Provide information, instruction and training to the workforce
Monitor the application of the Agreement & Good Practices at site
Carry out an INITIAL RISK ASSESSMENT
Based on the results of personal DUST EXPOSURE MONITORING (Annex 2)
Implement Good Practices (Annex 1)
collective and if necessary personal protection measures
REPORT on the application of the Agreement to the Council from site
to EU level by consolidating Key Performance Indicators 9
The core: Good Practice Guide (GPG)
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• Section 1: Site information
Number of Employees on site
• Section 2: Exposure Risk
Number of Employees potentially exposed to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS)
• Section 3: Risk Assessment and Dust Monitoring
Number of Employees potentially exposed to RCS covered by Risk Assessment and
Dust Monitoring
• Section 4: Health Surveillance
Number of Employees potentially exposed to RCS covered by a generic health
Surveillance Protocol and by the Health Surveillance Protocol for Silicosis
• Section 5: Training
Number of Employees potentially exposed to RCS trained on the General Principles
of prevention and on the Good Practice Guide Task Sheets
• Section 6: Good Practices
Application of technical and organizational measures to reduce generation / dispersion
of RCS distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Section 7: Key Notes to be structured into Voluntary Questions:
Free text
Monitoring of key performance indicators
SDA Annex III
Online quantitative reporting on the
application of the SDA every two years
at site level by personal invitation:
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Reporting every second year
SDA article 7
Bipartite steering group,
30 full members and
30 deputies representing all signatories
Annual meeting
Analysing results, identifying improvements and
weaknesses, solving interpretation divergences and issues,
setting targets
Preparing the implementation Summary Report every two
years
NEPSI Council reports forwarded to the Commission
and the national authorities responsible for workers’ safety
The Executive Summaries are publicly available at www.nepsi.eu13
A bipartite NEPSI Council
SDA Article 8
• 464 786 Reported Employees
• 188 563 Employees potentially exposed to RCS (> 40 %)
• Number of Reported Sites: 6 268
It represents the total number of sites for which complete
data was provided including voluntary reporting
NEPSI 2014 Consolidated Report
2014 NEPSI Results (1)
NEPSI
2008
(total)
NEPSI
2010
(total)
NEPSI
2012
(total)
NEPSI
2014
(total)
Sites: 5,237 6,691 7,257 7,511
Reported Sites: 4,737 5,789 6,367 6,268
% of Reported
Sites:90.5% 86.5% 87.7% 83.4%
Reported
Employees: 427,875 462,215 498,583 464,786
Employees
potentially
exposed to
RCS:
173,875 190,269 202,251 188,563
Targets for 2014 NEPSI
Reported sites
(answer rate): 81%
Potentially exposed
employees:
41%
Risk assessment: 93%
Exposure monitoring: 72%
Generic health
surveillance:
89%
Health surveillance for
silicosis:
1% should still be covered
Training: 88% & 66%
(vs 85% and 61% in 2012)
24/
04/
NEPSI Employers
Improved
Stable
Stable
Stable
Improved
Improved
2014 NEPSI Results (2)
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Future NEPSI activities
A grant from the European Commission was requested to launch
a new awareness campaign on the Agreement and to further increase
participation, especially (but not only) in central-eastern Europe
Through:
- On-line multilingual webinars
- Renewal of the NEPSI website
- Launch of remaining translations
- Update of the reporting tool software
- Final Conference in Brussels
2-year project
Budget: € 158 000
+ continuous contacts with the construction sector
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Conclusions
The Agreement forces Employers and Employees to assess whether there
is an RCS exposure risk at work
Implementation is supported by a strict monitoring procedure and regular
contacts among NEPSI partners (annual Council and Bureau meetings)
Pushing factor: companies want to improve their performance year by year
Measures are pragmatic and well accepted at workplace level
The SDA promotion and dissemination is the strongest awareness
campaign ever developed on RCS exposure
The NEPSI Agreement guarantees commitment and an appropriate level
of protection, but should involve all concerned sectors
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Thank you for your attention
For more details please contact
NEPSI Secretariat
c/o IMA-Europe, Brussels
Tel: +322 210 44 10
Fax: +322 210 44 29
e-mail: [email protected]
visit the website: http://www.nepsi.eu
http://www.ima-europe.eu
Agreement
Good Practice Guide and its task sheets
Guidance on the SDA & on the reporting
10 Golden Rules
12 PIMEX Videos (training)
All documents available in 22
languages at www.nepsi.eu