Following a pilot project ran between 2017 and 2018, the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) provides the scientific opinions underpinning the establishement of occupational exposure limit values to protect workers from hazardous chemicals .

Occupational exposure limit values (OELs) are derived within two legal frameworks that form an integral part of the EU’s mechanism for protecting the health of workers: the Chemical Agents Directive (Directive 98/24/EC) and the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (Direcive 2004/37/EC). 

ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assesment evaluates the relationship between the health effects of a given hazardous chemical agent and the level of occupational exposure, taking into account the latest available scientific information, and adopts a scientific opinion. The opinion, subject to a two-month public consutltation, is the first step of the process of establishing OELs.

The members of the RAC are nominated by the Member States but appointed in their individual capacity as scientists by the Management Board of ECHA for a renewable term of three years.

Activities and documents

Click on the links below to access specific documents directly:

• RAC webpage
• ECHA: understanding CAD and CMD
• Mandates, opinions, background documents and other documents
• SCOEL and RAC Joint Task Force