Questionnaire 3 - HCB

OELVs 2 - Companies - Task 3 (HCB)


RPA Ltd (United Kingdom), together with FoBiG (Germany), Triskelion (the Netherlands), Milieu (Belgium), and EPRD (Poland) have been contracted by the European Commission (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) to supportthe evaluation of a possible amendment of Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work (hereinafter referred to as the CMD).

Please note that this study is different to the RPA’srecent studythat related to the European Commission’s proposal to establish new or revised OELVs for a priority list of 13 chemical agents[1] published in May 2016.
The objective of this study is to assess the impacts of some of the potential changes to the CMD, which could include, amongst others,the establishment of Occupational Exposure Limit Values (OELVs)for trichloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, beryllium and inorganic beryllium compounds, 1,2- dibromoethane, 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane, and 4,4’-methylenedianiline (MDA), and Biological Limit Values (BLVs) for beryllium and inorganic beryllium compoundsand 4,4’- methylene-bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA). In addition, the studyevaluates the extent of exposure to hexachlorobenzene and the impacts of a potential inclusion of some Process Generated Substances (PGSs) into Annex 1 of the CMD.
The subject of this questionnaire is exposure to hexachlorobenzene (HCB).
Separate questionnaires have been developed for a) potential OELVs for the chemical agents, b) Biological Limit Values (BLVs), and c) Process Generated Substances (Diesel Engine Exhaust Emissions, Engine oils, Rubber process dust and fumes). These questionnaires are available here.

The deadline for completion of the questionnaire is 20th September 2016. If you have any questions about this survey or the study more generally, please contact Daniel Vencovsky ( or +44 (0)1508 528 465).
Responses to this questionnaire will be handled in the strictest confidence and will only be used for the purposes of this study. In preparing our reports for the Commission (which, subsequently, may be published), care will be taken to ensure that specific responses cannot be linked to individual companies. If you have specific concerns about how your views will be treated, you can contact us and we will be happy to discuss your concerns.

[1] See and

Background information

1) Please provide the following details:

First Name: ______

Last Name: ______

Company Name: ______

Email Address: ______

Telephone Number: ______

In which country is your organisation based?

( ) Austria

( ) Belgium

( ) Bulgaria

( ) Croatia

( ) Cyprus

( ) Czech Republic

( ) Denmark

( ) Estonia

( ) Finland

( ) France

( ) Germany

( ) Greece

( ) Hungary

( ) Ireland

( ) Italy

( ) Latvia

( ) Lithuania

( ) Luxembourg

( ) Malta

( ) Netherlands

( ) Poland

( ) Portugal

( ) Romania

( ) Slovakia

( ) Slovenia

( ) Spain

( ) Sweden

( ) United Kingdom

( ) Other

Please specify the country in which your organisation is established: : ______

2) What size is your company?For enterprise size definitions, please refer to the following link:

( ) Micro enterprise (less than 10 persons employed)

( ) Small enterprise (10-49 persons employed)

( ) Medium-sized enterprise (50-249 persons employed)

( ) Large enterprise (250 or more persons employed)

Occupational exposure to HCB

3) Which of the following activities does your company undertake? Please also indicate if occupational exposure to HCB may occur whilst undertaking these activities.
Company activity / Occupational exposure to HCB may occur
Production of chlorinated solvents (tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride) / [ ] / [ ]
Production of other chlorinated compounds / [ ] / [ ]
Use of chlorinated solvents or chlorinated compounds / [ ] / [ ]
Pesticide production / [ ] / [ ]
Pesticide use / [ ] / [ ]
Pulp and paper production / [ ] / [ ]
Wastes and sewage sludge incineration / [ ] / [ ]
Magnesium production / [ ] / [ ]
Secondary aluminum production / [ ] / [ ]
Non-ferrous casting / [ ] / [ ]
Cement production / [ ] / [ ]
Fuel combustion / [ ] / [ ]

4) What is the concentration of residual HCB in the chemicals and/or pesticides your company uses and/or produces?

______

______

______

______

5) Which exposure pathways are your employees most commonly exposed to HCB via? (Please choose all that apply)

[ ] Skin contact

[ ] Inhalation

[ ] Ingestion

[ ] Other - Write In: ______

[ ] Other - Write In: ______

6) How many people at your company are occupationally exposed to HCB and at what concentration?

Number of workers exposed:: ______

Concentration (please specify unit):: ______

Duration and frequency of exposure (please specify unit):: ______

Please describe the activity/process during which exposure: : ______

7) What measures does your company currently implement to reduce/prevent occupational exposure to HCB? Please also include any measures taken to reduce/prevent the formation and emission of HCB

______

______

______

______

8) Please estimate the cost (in €) of the measures identified in your response to the previous question. Please also state whether these measures are undertaken to prevent occupational exposure to other chemicals and/or risks within your company.

One-off (investment) cost (in €): ______

Additional operating costs (€ per year): ______

Measures undertaken to prevent other exposure: ______

9) What are the main barriers or difficulties in minimising/preventing occupational exposure to HCB?

______

______

______

______

(untitled)

10) Are you aware of any position papers, evaluations, or other relevant sources of information that would be useful for estimating the extent of exposure to HCB? If so, please specify how the consultants could gain access to such studies (Internet links, author name and affiliation, etc.).

______

______

______

______

11) Would you be willing to take part in a follow up telephone interview?

( ) Yes

( ) No

12) If you have not done so already, please provide you name and contact details:

First Name: ______

Last Name: ______

Company Name: ______

Email Address: ______

Phone Number: ______

Thank You!