Companies that work with hazardous substances are obliged to identify the risks of these substances based on their properties, use and exposure. This is laid down in 'REACH', which stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It is a European regulation which is designed to protect people and the environment against the risks posed by chemicals.
Identify the risks of substances
REACH requires companies to identify the risks of substances based on their properties, uses and exposure and then take measures to protect people and the environment from those risks. It is also important that employers communicate the risks to employees, customers and consumers, so that they know how to handle these substances safely. With that in mind companies must provide safety data sheets to professional users of their products, as well as include safety and risk information on labels.
Which substances are covered by REACH?
REACH covers all chemicals, barring a few exceptions such as radioactive and waste substances. REACH not only covers the chemicals themselves, but also substances incorporated into preparations (mixtures of substances, such as paints) or in products (such as softeners in plastics).
Which companies are covered by REACH?
REACH applies to all companies that manufacture, import, distribute or professionally use chemical substances or preparations (mixtures of substances) in the European Union. Professional users include painting companies, the wood industry and manufacturers of products such as toner cartridges. Manufacturers, importers, distributors and users each have different roles and different obligations under REACH.
REACH supervision and enforcement
The Netherlands Labour Authority supervises compliance with REACH, together with the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) and the new Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). Each target group has an inspection service as its point of contact:
- Professional users: the Netherlands Labour Authority.
- Producers, importers and traders of preparations and consumer articles: Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.
- Producers, importers and traders of substances, preparations and articles for professional use: Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate.
Is your company safe?
As professional user of chemicals it is important to know whether your employees can work under safe and healthy conditions. You can assess the level of safety in your own company yourself using the Hazardous substances self-assessment tool (Dutch), developed by the Netherlands Labour Authority. The self-assessment tool allows you to look at your business through an inspector’s eyes. You can check in 4 steps whether health and safety is up to scratch in your company. The self-assessment tool helps you identify and assess the substances you use, implement appropriate measures and guarantee their effectiveness.
Working with hazardous substances
Working with hazardous substances in a way which is unsafe often leads to serious harm. The Netherlands Labour Authority publishes an e-magazine entitled Working with Hazardous Substances (Dutch) to encourage companies to implement effective measures. It also offers companies and sector organisations practical guidance on how to develop new measures and improve existing ones. Find out more about how to make working with hazardous substances within your company even safer.
Request for exemption of volatile organic compounds
If you want to apply for an exemption from the requirement to substitute glues and paints in indoor situations, you can use the glues and paints in indoor situations (Dutch) exemption form.