For each substance, a number of identifying details are given, including the ISO substance name and its CAS number.
In order to make the databank as accessible as possible to users, where possible the English names of substances and commonly used synonyms are also given.
Public or private
Whether the substance belongs in the private (i.e., company) [Privaat] or public (i.e., government)[Publiek] domain of the Dutch OEL system is indicated in the shaded area in the top right corner. (For an explanation of the OEL system in the Netherlands, see
The Dutch OEL system.)
In this databank, the following substances are categorised in the public domain:
- All substances for which a statutory OEL has been or will be established (including carcinogens for which there is no safe threshold);
- All substances that are being or have been dealt with by the Scientific Committee for Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) of the European Commission, and for which no statutory OEL has yet been established;
- All substances within the Classification of Carcinogens and Classification of Reproductive Substances Working Programmes.
All other substances fall within the private domain.
Fields
For each substance, a number of fields have been completed. The content of these fields depends on whether the substance in question falls within the public domain or the private domain.
Werkprogramma
The year in which the substance was included in a general Working Programme is indicated by the last two digits (e.g., 04 means 2004). If the substance was dealt with in a special programme, the name of that programme is shown, abbreviated as follows:
- EU The European Commission’s Scientific Committee for Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL)
- Cc Classification of Carcinogens
- Cr Classification of Reproductive Substances
- H Reassessment of Administrative OELs (this programme was completed in 2006).
GR/ SCOEL OCR d.d.
The date upon which either the draft report (OCR) of the Dutch Health Council (GR) or draft recommendation of the SCOEL was published
GR/ SCOEL publ.nr.
The publication number of the final advisory report of the Health Council (GR) or SCOEL
Start ABB d.d.
The date upon which the feasibility study for the proposed OEL started (grassroots consultation). Click through to view the letter (in PDF, in Dutch only) sent to the trade organisations, Occupational Health & Safety Services, and other organisations who registered an interest in the substance in question or who have a need for information about it.
Reactie voor d.d.
The deadline for receiving contributions (information, reports) to the feasibility study
Grenswaarde advies d.d.
The date of publication of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment’s advisory report. Click through to view the advisory report (in PDF, in Dutch only).
Staatscourant / persbericht SZW
Official publication of the OEL in the Dutch Government Gazette (Staatscourant), including reference, or in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment’s press release regarding the OEL
Invoering per d.d.
Date on which the OEL came into force
Grenswaarde
The OEL, expressed in mg/m3
|
2 OELs |
If two OELs are mentioned, the first is TGG-8u (8-hour time-weighted average), the second is TGG-15 min (15-minute time-weighted average). |
|
C |
Indicates a ceiling OEL |
|
H |
Indicates absorption through the skin |
Onderbouwing
The sources of the evidence on which the OEL is based:
|
GR |
Dutch Health Council (Gezondheidsraad) |
|
EU |
SCOEL |
|
GB |
Great Britain |
|
D |
Germany: either DFG (similar to the Health Council’s Expert Committee on Occupational Standards) or AGS (similar to the Subcommittee) |
|
S |
Sweden |
|
ACGIH |
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (USA) |
Classification
The decision of the Health Council regarding the classification of carcinogens or substances that negatively affect reproduction
Beoordeling meetmethoden The evaluation of the Methods of Measurement Working Group concerning available measurement methods, including the classification of the substance according to the Group’s evaluation model
Algemene opmerkingen Miscellaneous remarks
As a result of the introduction of the new OEL system on 1 January 2007, a number of OELs has expired, i.e., they are no longer statutory. The substances in question now fall within the private domain. In fact, these expired OELs remain meaningful in practice. If they are health-based OELs, they can be used as the basis for the establishment of private OELs. For this reason, the various fields have been completed for these substances. Under ‘Algemene opmerkingen’, it is noted that the OEL in question expired as of 1 January 2007.
Users of the databank must themselves determine whether an expired OEL is a health-based OEL. The databank indicates whether the expired OEL is less strict (i.e., higher) than the recommendation of the Health Council or SCOEL.