New Chemical Agents Code of Practice published

5th April 2024

The Health and Safety Authority has today, Friday 5th April, published the 2024 Code of Practice for the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations (2001-2021) & the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances) Regulations (2024). 

These new regulations consolidate the 2001 Carcinogens regulations along with its amendments in 2015 and 2019. 

The 2024 regulations along with the Code of Practice have transposed Directive (EU) 2022/431 which is the fourth update to Directive 2004/37/EC (Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (CMD)). This Directive brings reprotoxic substances under its scope and introduces hazardous medicinal products (HMPs). Both the regulations and Code will not introduce any new or additional national measures other than what is required from Directive (EU) 2022/431.

The Directive revises the limit values for three key carcinogens: benzene, acrylonitrile and nickel compounds. The Biological Limit Values for lead have also been transferred from the Chemical Agents Directive to the CMR Directive. These binding occupational exposures limit values and biological limit values have been included in the 2024 Code of Practice.

Download the new Chemical Agents Code of Practice

ENDS.

For further information please email pressoffice@hsa.ie