Section 7 (11) of the German Hazardous Substances Ordinance transposes the binding limit values of the European Union into national law. The values in question are the atmospheric limit values stated in the table. The list was updated at the end of July 2022 by Directive (EU) 2022/431 (to be transposed into national law by 5 April 2024). The binding EU occupational exposure limit values must be adopted as minimum standards by the Member States. BOELV are not occupational exposure limit values (Arbeitsplatzgrenzwerte - AGW) in the sense of Section 2 (8) of the German Ordinance on hazardous substances (GefStoffV), below which acute or chronic harmful effects upon health need not generally be anticipated.
In response to a proposal by the Committee for Hazardous Substances (Ausschuss für Gefahrstoffe - AGS), the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) has issued other assessment criteria for numerous substances for which EU occupational exposure limit values exist. Additional measures are required where these criteria are exceeded. These national assessment criteria are also stated in the table. During the definition of measures and protective measures, consideration must be given to other aspects including the provisions and requirements of the relevant substance-specific Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS), where they exist.
Substances with EU binding occupational exposure limit values (as of July 2022):
Substance | EU directive | EU limit value | National assessment criteria | Source |
Acrylamide | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 0.1 mg/m3 | AC: 0.07 mg/m3 TC: 0.15 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Acrylonitrile | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 1 mg/m3 | AC: 0.26 mg/m3 TC: 2.6 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Arsenic acid and its salts, as well as inorganic arsenic compounds | 2004/37/EC 2019/983 | 0.01 mg/m3 (IF) | AC: 0.00083 mg/m3 (IF) TC: 0.0083 mg/m3 (IF) | TRGS 910 |
Asbestos | 2009/148/EC | 100.000 F/m3 | AC: 10000 F/m3 TC: 100000 F/m3 | TRGS 517, 519, 910 |
Benzene | 2004/37/EC 2022/431 | 0.66 mg/m3 | AC: 0.2 mg/m3 TC: 1.9 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Beryllium and inorganic beryllium compounds | 2004/37/EC 2019/983 | 0.0002 mg/m3 (IF) | AGW: 0.00006 mg/m3 (RF) 0.00014 mg/m3 (IF) | TRGS 900 |
Bisphenol A: 4,4'-propane-2,2-diyldiphenol | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 2 mg/m3 (IF) | AGW: 5 mg/m3 (IF) | TRGS 900 |
Bromoethylene (vinyl bromide) | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 4.4 mg/m3 | AGW: 4.4 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
1,3-Butadiene | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 2.2 mg/m3 | AC: 0.5 mg/m3 TC: 5 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Cadmium and its inorganic compounds | 2004/37/EC 2019/983 | 0.001 mg/m3 (IF) | AC: 0.00016 mg/m3 (RF) TC: 0.001 mg/m3 (IF) | TRGS 910 |
Carbon monoxide | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 23 mg/m3 | AGW: 35 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
Chromium (VI) compounds | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 0.005 mg/m3 (as chromium) | 0.001 mg/m3 (IF) | TRGS 910 |
Diesel engine exhaust emissions | 2004/37/EC 2019/130 | 0.05 mg/m3 (EC) | AGW: 0.05 mg/m3(EC) | TRGS 900 |
N,N-Dimethylacetamide | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 36 mg/m3 | AGW: 18 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
N,N-Dimethylformamide | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 15 mg/m3 | AGW: 15 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
Epichlorohydrine | 2004/37/EC 2019/130 | 1.9 mg/m3 | AC: 1.9 mg/m3 TC: 8 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
1,2-Epoxypropane (propylene oxide) | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 2.4 mg/m3 | AGW: 2.4 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
2-Ethoxyethanol | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 8 mg/m3 | AGW: 7.6 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
2-Ethoxyethyl acetate | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 11 mg/m3 | AGW: 10.8 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
Ethylene dibromide | 2004/37/EC 2019/130 | 0.8 mg/m3 | AGW: 0.8 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
Ethylene dichloride | 2004/37/EC 2019/130 | 8.2 mg/m3 | AC: 0.8 mg/m3 TC: 4 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Ethylene oxide | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 1.8 mg/m3 | AC: 0.2 mg/m3 TC: 2 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Formaldehyde | 2004/37/EC 2019/983 | 0.37 mg/m3 | AGW: 0.37 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
Hardwood dusts | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 2 mg/m3 (IF) | 2 mg/m3 (IF) | TRGS 553 |
Hydrazine | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 0.013 mg/m3 | AC: 2.2 µg/m3 TC: 22 µg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Lead and inorganic lead compounds | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 0.15 mg/m3 | TRGS 505 | |
Mercury and divalent anorganic mercury compounds including mercury oxide and mercury chloride (measured as mercury) | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 0.02 mg/m3 | AGW: 0.02 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
2-Methoxyethanol | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 1 ppm | AGW: 3.2 mg/m3 (1 ppm) | TRGS 900 |
2-Methoxyethyl acetate | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 1 ppm | AGW: 9.9 mg/m3 (1 ppm) | TRGS 900 |
4,4′-Methylene-bis(2-chloroaniline) | 2004/37/EC 2019/983 | 0.01 mg/m3 | AC: 10 μg/m3 (IF) TC: 410 μg/m3(IF) | |
4,4′-Methylenedianiline | 2004/37/EC 2019/130 | 0.08 mg/m3 | AC: 0.07 mg/m3 TC: 0.7 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 40 mg/m3 | AGW: 82 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
Nickel compounds | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 0.01 mg/m3 (RF) 0,05 mg/m3 (IF) | AC: 0,006 mg/m3 (RF) TC: 0.006 mg/m3 (RF) AGW: 0.03 mg/m3 (IF) | TRGS 910 TGRS 900 |
Nitrobenzene | 2004/37/EG 2022/431 | 1 mg/m3 | AGW: 0.51 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
2-Nitropropane | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 18 mg/m3 | AC: 0.18 mg/m3 TC: 1.8 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Refractory ceramic fibres | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 0.3 F/ml | AC: 0.01 F/ml TC: 0.1 F/ml Aluminium silicate fibres | TRGS 910 |
Respirable Crystalline silica dust | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 0.1 mg/m3 | 0.05 mg/m3 | TRGS 559 |
o-Toluidine | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 0.5 mg/m3 | Manufacture/use only in enclosed systems AGW: 0.5 mg/m3 | GefStoffV, Annex II (6) TRGS 900 |
Trichloroethylene | 2004/37/EC 2019/130 | 54.7 mg/m3 | AC: 33 mg/m3 TC: 33 mg/m3 | TRGS 910 |
Vinyl chloride | 2004/37/EC 2017/2398 | 2.6 mg/m3 | AGW: 2.6 mg/m3 | TRGS 900 |
AC = acceptable concentration
TC = tolerable concentration
EC = elemental carbon
RF = respirable fraction
IF = inhalable fraction
F = fibres
AGW = occupational exposure limit (GefStoffV Section 2 (8))
Directive 2004/37/EG
Amending directives for directive 2004/37/EG:
Division 1: Information technology, Risk management
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