PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVEMENT ON SCREENING ASSESSMENT OF HAZARDS CAUSED BY CHEMICAL SUBSTITUTE SUBSTANCES

Employers handling chemical products are liable to investigate substit ute solutions; which; are less harmful to health. They have to use the se substitutes if it is reasonably feasable and have to lay down the r esults of their examinations in writing. The TRGS 440 is the first gui dance for employers how to comply with these duties. In case they cann ot refer to technical rules or agreed-upon branch related solutions, a ssessment is possible by using the ''relative risk figure''. Calculati on of this figure includes all ingredients of a chemical product, thei r active potentials (W-factor, derived from the risk phrases) and thei r release potentials (F-factor, derived from vapour pressures). Thus, foreseeable workplace exposures are taken into account when estimating relative health risks. This article describes proposals to further im prove the catalogue of W-figures. Special attention was given to consi stency with existing regulations as classification rules for substance s, existing limit values and labeling rules for preparations.