Artificial Optical Radiation

The HSE has responded to recent newspaper articles (August 5th Telegraph) concerning the European Union directive on artificial optical radiation. The Government is under a legal obligation to introduce the directive, which sets limits on the amount of visible light that employees can be exposed to, by April next year.

CA has already looked at the directive, and although the limits mean few companies will have to take any practical measures to reduce light exposure*, there remained a concern that the regulation might require companies to produce largely unecessary risk assessments or other paperwork.

The HSEs recent letter to the Telegraph is reassuring in this respect:

 "While this Directive aims to protect those workers who are over-exposed to artificial light, such as lasers, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is proposing new regulations to meet the Directive which will have minimal implications for British businesses."

"Businesses will not be faced with onerous burdens, the regulations will simply complement the high standards of protection that UK workers already benefit from, while also drawing on existing legislation. This means most employers will not have to do anything more than they currently do."

"Businesses can rest assured that HSE will be preparing guidance for the small number of high-risk businesses who may have to review their risk assessments."

 

* Typically an employee would have to be only a meter away from a 2kW theatrical light source for an entire working day to reach the sort of limits set by the directive.

Write a comment

Name:
Email:
Subject:
Comment: *