No L 327/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 12. 80 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 27 November 1980 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work (80/1107/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commis- sion (1), drafted following consultation with the Advi- sory Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health Protec- tion at work, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (°), ' Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Commuittee (°), Whereas the Council resolution of 29 June 1978 on an action programme of the European Communities on safety and health at work (*), provides for the harmonization of provisions and measures regarding the protection of workers with respect to chemical, physical and biological agents; whereas efforts must therefore be made towards approximation, while the improvement is being maintained, of the laws, regula- tions and administrative provisions of the Member States in accordance with Article 117 of the Treaty ; Whereas certain differences are revealed by an exami- nation of the measures taken by Member States to protect workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work ; whereas, therefore, in the interests of balanced develop- ment, these measures, which directly affect the func- (') O] No C 89, 5. 4. 1979, p. 6. (2) O] No C $§9, 10. 3. 1980, p. 73. (}) O] No C 297. 28. 11. 1979, p. 5. () O] No C 165, 11. 7. 1978, p. 1. tioning of the common market, should be approxi- mated and improved ; whereas this approximation and improvement should be based on common princi- ples; Whereas the said protection should as far as possible be ensured by measures to prevent exposure or keep it at as low a level as 1s reasonably practicable ; Whereas to this end it is appropriate that the Member States should, when they adopt provisions in this field, comply with a set of requirements, including in parti- cular the laying down of limit values; whereas an initial list of agents may be adopted in this Directive for the application of further more specific require- ments ; whereas the Member States will determine whether and to what extent each of these require- ments 1s applicable to the agent concerned; Whereas provision should be made, within the time limits set by this Directive, for the implementation, in respect of a limited number of agents, of provisions to ensure, for the workers concerned, appropriate surveil- lance of their state of health during exposure and the provision of appropriate information ; Whereas the Council will lay down the limit values and other specific requirements for certain agents in individual Directives ; Whereas certain technical aspects concerning the specific requirements established in the individual directives can be reviewed in the light of experience and progress made in the technical and scientific fields ;