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The year 2019 was rich in EHS regulations! What were the must-know EHS topics? What's new and what's changed? Take 5 minutes to browse through this summary of the must-have topics of 2019, which will continue to make headlines in 2020: asbestos detection prior to construction work, Occupational Exposure Limit Values(OELVs), energy-efficient renovation of commercial buildings and the creation of a new ICPE heading.
Summary: the framework for pre-construction asbestos detection (RAT) for buildings
The decree of July 16, 2019 on asbestos spotting specifies the conditions under which asbestos spotting before work (RAT) must be carried out in built-up buildings.
This RAT is mandatory for elements or buildings constructed before July 1, 1997.
Other application decrees will be published for different sectors. The decree for structures and equipment is due on July 1, 2020.
Chemical risks: monitoring Indicative Occupational Exposure Limits (VLEP)
Two European directives have added occupational exposure limit values for certain substances:
On June 5, 2019, Directive 2004/37/EC of April 29, 2004 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens was amended to add 5 new ELVs (notably for cadmium and its inorganic compounds).
On October 24, the new (EU) directive no. 2019/1831 established a fifth list of occupational exposure limit values (OELVs). As a reminder, these values are indicative, and it is up to the Member States to refer to them in order to define their own national OELVs.
For the future, here's what the European Commission has in mind:
- include hazardous drugs in the list of substances subject to VLEP by June 30, 2020
- introduce a combination of air and biological ELVs for cadmium by July 11, 2022
Summary for energy-efficient renovation of commercial buildings
Decree no. 2019-771, which sets out obligations to reduce energy consumption in tertiary buildings, known as the "tertiary decree", was published on July 25, 2019 and came into force on October 1 of the same year.
The buildings concerned are: parts of buildings or groups of buildings with a tertiary activity (market activity or not) existing on November 24, 2018, and with a total or cumulative floor area equal to or greater than 1000 m².
To achieve these objectives, you have a number of options: carry out renovation work, install efficient equipment and active management and control systems, change the way equipment is operated, or modify the behavior of building occupants.
The draft decree on obligations to reduce energy consumption in service-sector buildings is open to public consultation until January 25, 2020. This decree specifies the methodology for implementing the provisions of the Tertiary Sector Decree. Publication is expected in 2020.
The creation of the 1978 heading for facilities classified for environmental protection (ICPE)
Decree no. 2019-1096 of October 28, 2019 amending the nomenclature of installations classified for environmental protection has created the 1978 heading: IED installations and activities using organic solvents.
This heading is specific to installations and activities listed in Annex VII of Directive no. 2010/75 of 24/11/10 on industrial emissions (known as the IED Directive), using organic solvents. 20 activities are concerned, and all are subject to the same declaration regime (for example: printing on rotary offset presses with thermal dryers, surface cleaning using volatile organic compounds (...), dry cleaning, adhesive coating, etc.).
In addition, the Order of December 13, 2019 relating to the general requirements applicable to facilities subject to the declaration regime under heading no. 1978 was published in the Journal Officiel on January 17, 2020. It defines all the provisions applicable to ICPEs subject to this new heading.
To keep abreast of the latest regulatory developments, and to keep you informed of your rights and obligations, we now send you a monthly summary feed.
Read on for the annual review of EHS themes at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021.