The Republic of Latvia Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 72 in 2001 Riga on 13 February (pr. Nr. 7, § 35) health and safety requirements when working with chemicals and chemical products in the workplace Issued pursuant to the law "on labour protection" in article 16, the chemicals and chemical products, article 11 of the law, the first paragraph and article 16 i. General questions 1. These rules shall lay down the requirements for the protection of workers from risks to their safety and health, working with chemicals and chemical products in the workplace If the risks arising or likely to arise from the working environment or with the work process-related chemicals and exposure to chemical products.
2. these rules apply to employment where the employee is or may be exposed to the chemicals and chemical products: 2.1 in accordance with the chemicals and chemical products are the statutory classification of dangerous chemicals or dangerous chemical products;
2.2. which their physical, chemical and toxicological properties, if they are in a work environment or is used, a threat to the health or safety of the employee;
2.3. who is the occupational exposure limit values must be specified (AER), the chemicals and chemical products in the air of the working environment, which throughout the lifetime of the employee does not cause his disease and disorders that are detectable with modern investigative techniques, — subject to the condition that the chemicals and chemical products to the staff of no more than eight hours of work per day or a maximum of 40 hours per week;
2.4. establish biological exposure indicators (BER) — the body of the employee take the chemicals and their metabolites concentration and chemical-induced biological effects indicators for employee's biological environment that determines the healthy employees who are exposed to chemicals and chemical products exposure occupational exposure limit values (OELS) level for a specified period of time.
3. For compliance with these rules is the responsibility of the employer.
4. Compliance with these rules is controlled by the State Labour Inspectorate. The individual control functions in accordance with the relevant regulations of the State environment inspectorate, state sanitary inspection and the Ministry of Defense.
II. obligations of the employer, when assessing the risk to the safety and health of employees 5. Employer finds the chemicals and chemical products in the working environment and assess the risks to workers ' safety and health laws in the order (hereinafter referred to as the risk assessment). The risk assessment, the employer shall take particular account of: 5.1 the chemical and chemical product safety data sheet information;
5.2. employee health testing results;
5.3. the preventive measures to be carried out or the results and forecasts;
5.4 other information about chemicals and the hazards of chemical products;
5.5. the chemical and chemical products, occupational exposure limit values (OELS) and occupational exposure assessment procedures of the working environment in the air according to the Latvian State standard EN 89:1998 "chemical occupational exposure limit values the work environment in the air";
5.6. the chemical and chemical products, biological exposure indicators (BER) and their evaluation order in the Latvian State standard LVS EN 689:1995 "work environment. Guidelines for chemical inhalation exposure assessment, compared with the limit values and measuring strategy ";
5.7. the quantities of chemicals in the workplace;
5.8. the specific working conditions and processes in the workplace, as well as the working environment of the existing chemical substances and hazardous properties of chemical products which occurs or increases the risk to the health and safety of employees in the appropriate working conditions and emergency situations;
5.9. the chemical and chemical products, the actual exposure level, type and duration;
5.10. other risk assessment (e.g. new chemical substances risk assessment or emergency risk assessment) results.
6. Risk assessment documentation the employer shall include a description of the risk indicates the actual and tolerable level of risk, and argues that the most significant risks are assessed according to these rules, chapters III and IV and in accordance with the internal monitoring of the working environment in the undertaking have been taken or are intended for the measures required for the elimination or reduction of risks.
7. Risk assessment updated not less frequently than once a year, as well as the provisions laid down in point 8.
8. the employer in addition to the assessed risk in the following cases: 8.1 the work environment inspection and measurement results are not satisfactory or found in the process, equipment or techniques failures;
8.2. an exceptional situation which caused or contributed to the accident, fire, explosion or dangerous chemicals or hazardous chemical products;
8.3. it is confirmed arodsaindēšan, or acute chemical-induced occupational risks;
8.4. you have received new information about the chemicals or chemical product safety for workers ' health, information about the possibility of fire or explosion, as well as hazardous chemicals or hazardous chemical product spills;
8.5. There have been significant changes in the work environment (for example, product composition, mineral or change of raw materials);
8.6. the introduction of new activities, modified production process (for example, equipment, technology and control processes).
9. This provision under point 8 of these cases before the assignment of the employee, the employer shall assess the risks of change and take the necessary preventive measures.
10. Risk shall also be assessed for the maintenance of equipment and other activities, if they are at risk to the safety and health of employees and to the employees likely to be exposed to the rule referred to in paragraph 2, the chemicals and chemical products.
11. If the work is related to a number of chemicals and chemical products, the risk shall be assessed in the light of all the work used in the chemicals and chemical products and total exposure of between and its impact on the safety and health of workers.
III. Prevention of Risks 12. Employer, involving health professionals or health and safety representative or a licensed professional risk prevention and reduction measures of work according to the laws and regulations. Risk assessment and information on the risk reduction measures in writing is available to employees and their trust in people.
13. The Risk of the safety and health of employees, the employer eliminates or reduces, respecting the following principles: 13.1. supply of jobs with the appropriate equipment, as well as provide the labour organisation, techniques and technological processes, which do not pose a risk to the safety and health of employees. If the risk cannot be eliminated entirely, the employer shall take the measures to reduce it;
13.2. ensure technological equipment and regular maintenance of the equipment;
13.3. limits the number of employees who work with chemicals and chemical products;
13.4. rectified the opportunities employees come into contact with chemicals and chemical products or minimize the duration and intensity of exposure;
8.4. ensure that premises only a particular task requires the chemicals and chemical products;
13.6. in planning and organising work processes: 13.6.1. provide the chemicals and chemical products, proper storage, taking into account their compatibility, explosion and fire;
13.6.2. separate chemical and chemical product warehouse of working premises;
13.6.3. eliminates the chemical leak, but if it happened, providing immediate measures to remove or reduce leakage effects;
13.6.4. chemicals and chemical products and wastes containing classification and labelling, as well as the safe and quick collection, storage, transport and disposal laws in the order;
13.6.5. delimit the jobs and apply legislation in certain warning signs and inscriptions;
13.6.6. elaborate actions in emergency situations;
13.6.7. employee recreation and municipal needs appropriate equipment spaces which do not contain chemicals and chemical products.
14. Risk Prevention and reduction principle of priority is as follows: 14.1. chemicals and chemical products, the prevention of risks or reducing the maximum work;
14.2. collective labour protection measures, preventing or reducing the risk of exactly the source;
14.3. individual labour protection measures if the chemicals and chemical products, the impact of exposure cannot be prevented under these rules 14.1 and 14.2. principles referred to.
IV. Occupational safety and health measures 15. If it is not possible to eliminate or reduce the chemical or the risk of chemical products, ensuring the provision of paragraph 13 of the principles referred to in the execution, carried out the following safety and health protection measures: 15.1. worker process and match the technical monitoring system;
15.2. appropriate work equipment, technology and materials and control of the working environment, to prevent or reduce the spread of dangerous chemical substances in the working environment;

15.3. the collective choice of measures and the introduction of directly at the source of the risk (for example, in accordance with the project and the calculation of General works and, if necessary, a local of ventilation leakage);
15.4. personal protective measures (including the use of personal protective equipment).
16. the employer shall provide employee health surveillance appropriate to the risks to which the employee is subject to the work process, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter VIII.
17. Assigning employees working with chemicals and chemical products, it is the responsibility of the employer to take into account the employee's professional education, experience, training, and level of training for health and safety at work.
18. The employer shall ensure regular determination of the concentration of chemical substances in the work environment and its comparison with occupational exposure limit values (OELS), as well as under the economic and technical feasibility of occupational exposure measures the actual value. The employer, on the basis of the laws, regulations and standards, as well as respecting the chemical or chemical hazards of the product and the quantity and nature of activities and the extent, determines how often the measured chemical concentration in ambient air. Control, the necessary measurements, always carried out when changing working conditions and the expected increase in risk.
19. Where it is established that exceeded chemical occupational exposure limit values (OELS), the employer shall immediately take the appropriate health and safety measures.
20. The employer shall ensure the employee's safety and health by taking certain chemicals and chemical products, physical, chemical and toxicological properties of risks, and take technical and organisational measures according to this chapter, as well as: 20.1. preventing the accumulation of flammable substances or chemically unstable substances (substances of different external factors affecting its properties do not maintain long lasting) presence in dangerous quantities and dangerous concentrations in the air of the working environment;
20.2. the work that is carried out with explosive chemicals and chemical products, and flammable and chemically unstable substances or mixtures thereof, comply with the fire and explosion safety rules, as well as prevent ignition sources being in these places of work;
20.3. provides first aid and take other measures to reduce the harmful effects to the health and safety of the employee, if a fire or explosion occurred in the inflammable substances, or other consequences caused by chemically unstable substances or mixtures thereof;
20.4. comply with laws and regulations relating to the use of equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres and protection system security.
V. emergency measures 21. The employer shall ensure the development of the action plan for the protection measures work, which work with chemicals and chemical products, in case of accident, distress or other emergency situation originates.
22. the theoretical and practical training, which also gives the knowledge of first aid in emergency situations, organizes not less frequently than once a year, taking into account the work of the chemicals used and the nature of the chemical products.
23. where an emergency situation, the employer shall immediately take measures for chemicals and chemical products, the harmful effects for the elimination or reduction of the normalisation of the situation and (such as disconnecting the equipment, personnel evacuation, fire, leakage control, localization, danger zone and abstraction), as well as inform the employees about the emergency.
24. In an emergency, hazardous zone may only be on DIY and liquidation of emergency consequences of limitation or in specially trained employees. Emergencies may take only the repairs necessary to eliminate emergency or limited in its effect, if these effects threaten human health or life.
25. Staff working in emergency dangerous zone, the employer provided with personal protective equipment, specialised safety equipment and work equipment. Protective equipment and work equipment used to emergencies for the complete and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Emergency dangerous zone banned to stay for persons without personal protective equipment.
26. The employer shall ensure alarm and emergency communication, to promptly inform each employee about the threats to his safety and health.
27. the employer periodically, but not less frequently than once a year (if the intended change in working with chemicals and chemical products, — a month before them) provide assistance, fire and rescue services with the following information on action in emergency situations: 27.1. warning about the dangers of the job and the particulars of the relevant chemical and chemical characteristics of the products, which could harm the health of the employee: cause of injury or occupational disease, the production as well as temporary or permanent health disorder that gets immediately or later in life develops, or does impact on the health of the offspring;
27.2. Description of the measures to be taken to define this rule 27.1. the damages referred to threats;
27.3. the necessary precautions;
27.4. details of specific risks that may occur during an emergency situation, and the action plan, prepared in accordance with the labour protection laws and requirements.
Vi. Consultation, information and training 28. Employer shall cooperate and consult with employees or their fiduciaries in the following cases: 28.1. organisation of labour protection measures;
28.2. the chemical and chemical product concentration in the air of the working environment, as well as making the microclimate parameters and other measurements.
29. the employer shall provide the employee and employee trust people work for adequate training and the necessary information on the relevant measures for the protection of the work, to each employee the skills to protect themselves and other employees in the workplace, as well as provides access to the following written information: 29.1. on risk assessment carried out in accordance with the provisions of chapter II, subject to any changes in the workplace that can cause changes in the risk assessment data.
29.2. the measures for the prevention and reduction of risk and risk assessment on changes to the data.
29.3. the chemicals and chemical products in the workplace, their concentration in the air of the working environment, safety and risk to human health, as well as chemicals and chemical products, occupational exposure limit values;
29.4. the safety data sheet supplied by the chemicals and chemical products, in accordance with the characteristics of chemicals and chemical products act;
29.5. the actions and measures in emergency situations.
30. the employer shall provide the information set out in this chapter, review and updating, taking account of changes in the working environment and the laws or received new information on chemical substances and chemical characteristics of the products.
31. the employer according to the requirements of the laws and ensure chemical packaging, containers and the labelling of pipelines and security marks and labelling, workplace compliance with the packaging, the container or the contents of the pipeline.
VII. the prohibitions and restrictions of chemical substances and chemical products, manufacture and use of working places, as well as performing other actions with those 32. special restrictions and prohibitions that apply to transactions with certain hazardous chemicals, governed by laws on hazardous chemicals and the use of dangerous chemical products and trade restrictions and bans, except in the following cases: 32.1. scientific research, test and analyses;
32.2. the chemical and chemical products, by-products or production waste, recycling or disposal;
32.3. the chemicals and chemical products as the production and use of intermediate products in a single, continuous process.
33. in paragraph 32 of these provisions in certain exceptional cases, transactions with certain hazardous chemicals permitted, subject to compliance with the provisions of paragraph 34 of the claim and the employer before the work is prepared and submitted by the controlling bodies: 33.1. the grounds for the derogation;
33.2. the calculation of the use of chemicals and chemical products per year;
33.3. the action (reaction) descriptions that use the chemical or chemical product;
20.8. estimated number of employees;
33.5. the safety and health of employees in risk prevention or reduction of technical measures and other measures.
34. the chemicals and chemical products may be produced and used only when production and use occurs in a closed system (system that does not allow employee's direct contact with chemicals or chemical products), from which the chemicals output only if it is necessary to control the process or service the system.
VIII. health surveillance of employees

35. the employer shall provide each employee's health examination if: 21.8. Although one employee diagnosed with disease or changes in health condition may be associated with chemicals or chemical products;
35.2. the work environment may contribute to the employee's illness or adverse changes in health condition.
36. the health inspection carried out in the order laid down in the law on compulsory health checks, and their results are taken into account in developing a plan for the protection of specific jobs.
37. Before appointment in chemicals and chemical products, the employer shall inform the employee about the required health checks.
38. An employee has the right to become acquainted with the chemicals and chemical products, exposure data, as well as with occupational exposure and health checks or personal data to medical person.
39. If a health inspection found that a disease or disorder arising from employee exposure to chemicals or chemical products or has exceeded the biological exposure index (BER): 24.3. the certified occupational physician informs the employee and the employer of preventive inspection results and provide guidance on the necessary treatment measures and health further investigation;
24.4. the employer shall review the provisions referred to in paragraph 5 risk assessment and measures which prevent or reduce the risk according to the provisions of chapters III and IV;
39.3. the employer after the treatment on the advice of the person pursuant to chapter IV of these regulations shall take measures for the elimination or reduction of the risk, or provide the employee other work, which he is not exposed to the risk, and regular medical examinations for the workers who work with chemicals and chemical products.
40. If the company is liquidated, employees of chemicals and chemical products, occupational exposure and health checks the data stored in accordance with the requirements laid down in the laws and the documents for archive storage.
IX. Closing questions 41. Regulations shall enter into force by 1 April 2001.
42. This rule 20.4. subparagraph shall enter into force on July 1, 2003.
Prime Minister a. SMITH Welfare Minister a. POŽARNOV the entry into force of the provisions of the April 1, 2001, but that rule 20.4. point — with July 1, 2003.