Latest update: 07/04/2020

Directive 2009/161/EU - indicative occupational exposure limit values

of 17 December 2009 establishing a third list of indicative occupational exposure limit values in implementation of Council Directive 98/24/EC and amending Commission Directive 2000/39/EC (Text with EEA relevance)

The Community indicative occupational exposure limit values are established as implementation of Council Directive 98/24/EC.

Member States shall establish national occupational exposure limit values for the chemical agents listed in the Annex, taking into account the Community values.

In the Annex to Commission Directive 2000/39/EC the reference to phenol is deleted and the new limit values are included in this Directive.

The Directive establishes values for a reference period of eight-hours time weighted average and also for a short term period of 15 minutes for the following 18 chemical agents:

N,N Dimethylformamide
Carbon disulphide
Methyl methacrylate
Methylacrylate
Vinyl acetate
Phenol
2-Methoxyethanol
2-Methyoxyethyl acetate
2-Ethoxy ethanol
2-Ethoxyethyl acetate
1,4 Dioxane
Ethylacrylate
Methylisocyanate
n-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone
Tertiary-butyl-methyl ether
Mercury and divalent inorganic mercury compounds including mercuric oxide and mercuric chloride (measured as mercury)
Sulphuric acid (mist)
Hydrogen sulphide

Skin absorption feature of certain substances is noted.

Limit value for Bisphenol A (inhalable dust) is repealed by, and new limit value is available in Commission Directive 2017/164/EU.

Read the full text of the consolidated version of the Directive (including later amendments)

Read the full text of the original Directive

National laws implementing this Directive

There are further lists on indicative occupational exposure limit values:

Further information on this topic