Code of Practice 2026 Chemical Agents & Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances

This Code of Practice is effective from 9th April 2006 and replaces the 2024 Code of Practice for the Chemical Agents and Carcinogens Regulations.

The revised Code of Practice for the Chemical Agents & Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances Regulations supports the transposition of EU Directive (EU) 2024/869 of 13^th March 2024 which introduces new limit values for lead and diisocyanates. The limit values have different transition periods.

Summary of updates:

• Update to the Occupational Exposure Limit for inorganic Lead and its compounds. It is now 0.03 mg/m³(Inhalable fraction). It also has the notation “Non-threshold reprotoxic substance”
• Update to the Biological Limit Value for inorganic Lead and its compounds. See Lead and its compounds - Health and Safety Authority
• Update to the Occupational Exposure Limit for Diisocyanates (measured as NCO )
• From 9th April 2026
• 0.01mg/m³ (8 hour) and 0.02 mg/m³ (STEL)
• From from 31 December 2028.
• 0.006mg/m³ (8 hour) and 0.0012 mg/m³ (STEL)
• The notations “Skin” and “Dermal and respiratory sensitisation” also apply
• See See Diisocyanates Monitoring
• Corrections from Erratum Notice for 2024 COP.
• Schedule 4 now includes mutagenic substances, mixtures and processes as well as substances and mixtures released by the processes

Layout of the Code of Practice

Schedule 1 contains a list of all EU Commission derived occupational exposures limit values (OELVs). It has been updated to include OELVs and Notations for Lead and Diisocyanates.

Schedule 2 contains a list of Advisory OELVs derived from non-EU sources. Some items (diisocyanates) have been removed as they are now in Schedule 1.

Schedule 3 lists possible changes including substances under review at EU Level and a HSA review of all of Schedule 2.

Schedule 4 lists carcinogenic and mutagenic substances, mixtures and processes as well as substances and mixtures released by the processes. Previously it was only carcinogens.

Schedule 5 contains information on Health Surveillance and Biological Limit Values. The BLV for lead has been updated. See Lead and its compounds - Health and Safety Authority