Europe Adds Cobalt, PAK and 1,4-Dioxane to Its Workplace Exposure List

Workers across the European Union will gain binding protection against four more hazardous substances after member states signed off on the sixth revision of the bloc's carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances directive (CMRD). The Council of the EU adopted the updated rules in Luxembourg on 19 October 2026, clearing the final legislative hurdle.

The European Parliament had already backed the package on 6 October 2026, voting 499 in favour, 49 against, with 104 abstentions.

What the revised directive covers

At the heart of the overhaul are new occupational exposure limits for cobalt and inorganic cobalt compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 1,4-dioxane and isoprene. PAHs come with a seven-year transitional period, giving affected industries time to upgrade their safety measures before the limit bites.

New exposure limits for cobalt, PAHs and other carcinogens mean many employers will soon need to reassess how hazardous substances are handled on site. A free COSHH toolkit provides 43 ready-to-use assessment templates, checklists and toolbox talks so you can document controls properly and meet your legal duty to assess dangerous substances. Get the free COSHH Risk Assessment Toolkit

Welding fumes have also been added to Annex I of the CMRD. The current legal text sets no fixed numerical limit for them; the European Commission is nonetheless examining additional limits to sharpen future safety standards.

An estimated 1,700 lung cancer cases avoided

According to the Council's calculations, the stricter standards should deliver measurable health gains over the coming four decades: roughly 1,700 cases of lung cancer and some 19,000 other work-related illnesses are expected to be prevented.

Exposure to carcinogens on the job remains one of the biggest workplace health risks in the European Union.

Two years to transpose

The revised directive enters into force when it is published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Member states then have two years to write its provisions into national occupational safety and health law. Once those deadlines pass, employers must bring their workplace risk assessments, protective measures and technical extraction systems into line with the new requirements.

Updating risk assessments for new exposure limits is far easier when the templates are already in place. A free risk assessment toolkit offers 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists — covering everything from hazardous substances to fire safety and first aid — trusted by more than 37,000 businesses. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit