Prevention

A continuous udate of the offered links cannot be guaranteed. Please refer to the hints at the respective websites.

Risk assessment
Five steps (pdf)
Five steps to risk assessment from the UK HSE
Guide (pdf)
A guide to risk assessent requirements from the UK HSE
http://www.baua.de/prax/neu_asg.htm
A guide to risk assessment from the German BAuA
TRGS 420 and related Branchenregelungen
German: Ermitteln und Beurteilen der Gefährdungen durch Gefahrstoffe am Arbeitsplatz: Verfahrens- und stoffspezifische Kriterien (VSK) für die betriebliche Arbeitsbereichsüberwachung (Umgang mit Arbeitsstoffen in Anlagen, Abfüllen, Kriterien für geschlossene Systeme, Gefährdungszahl, etc.)

Fundamentals on prevention from German Berufsgenossenschaften
BGV A1
http://www.hvbg.de/d/pages/praev/vorschr/aktbgva1.html

BGI 841 Prevention for SME (German)

Column Model/COSHH Essentials
The column model is part of the German TRGS 440 and offers an easy-to-handle guideline for risk assessments and substitution of dangerous substances. These are categorized according mainly to R-phrases into five grades from "very high risks" up to "negligible risks".
View or download under: http://www.hvbg.de/e/bia/pra/spalte/index.html
An electronic version (German only) can be found under http://www.aser.uni-wuppertal.de/497.htm.
COSHH-Essentials
A Tool similar to the German Column Model, provided by the UK HSE

Safetydatasheets (SDS)
Directive safety data sheets
Commission Directive 2001/58/EC of 27 July 2001 amending for the second time Directive 91/155/EEC (safety data sheets)

The following sites provide search facilities and databases for safety datasheets:
Germany: http://www.hvbg.de/bia/isi (not all SDS are available for the public)
Germany: http://www.eusdb.de/
Germany: http://www.zchl.uni-sb.de/z/zchl/pub/sicherheit/sdb
USA (these SDS do not comply with European standards!!): http://www.msdssearch.com/

Databases Substances and Preparations
The following databases provide classifications for certain substances:
GESTIS Substances database from BIA (Germany)
GISCHEM Preparations database for the chemistry sector by Chemie BG (Germany)
GISBAU Preparations database for the construction sector by Bau BG (Germany)
GISMET Preparations database for the metal sector by Metal BGs, under construction (Germany)
Toxikologische Bewertungen Database Chemie BG (Germany)
OEKOPRO Uni Dortmund (Germany), registration needed
VDA-list List provided by automobile industry with prohibited or to be declared substances
RISCOTOX Database on health and environmental risks of chemicals handled by companies (Spain)
ALTERNATIVES Documents on reduction or elimination of chemical risks, classified by substances, uses, processes
and sectors (Spain)
Assess and compare what you use Tool for the preliminary assessment of health and environmental risks of
products comparing the risks of different chemicals (Spain)
HSDB Hazardous Substances Database (Nat. Library of Medicine, USA)

Critical Substances
Sweden and Danmark published lists with substances, which could possibly be regulated in future or should be observed closely:
- KEMI Sweden: PRIO provides a list of chemicals which are prioritised for risk reduction measures (earlier called OBS-observation- list; examples of substances requiring particular attention): http://prio.kemi.se/templates/PRIOEngframes.aspx?id=970
- Danish List of undesirable substances (uonskede stoffer: En signalliste over kemikalier, hvor brugen på længere sigt bør reduceres eller stoppes): http://www.mst.dk/default.asp?Sub=http://www.mst.dk/udgiv/Publications/2000/87-7944-277-3/html/default_eng.htm
Endocrine disruptors:
EU information site: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/endocrine/index_en.htm
EU-Community strategy (including a list of substances): http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/docum/01262_en.htm

Best Available Technique
Working groups established by the EU develop reference documents for Best Available Technique (BREFs) for important industrial areas. The composition of those groups, the evelopment of their work and the finalised documents can be found under:
IPPC Office

Good Practice
Dangerous substances
Numerous examples, hints, guidelines etc. from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
Accidents
Numerous examples, hints, guidelines etc. from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

Last updated by Klaus Kuhl, 17.11.2007