The Cyprus presidency of the Council of the European Union has reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on updated rules designed to strengthen protection for workers exposed to hazardous substances that may cause serious illnesses, including cancer and asthma

The agreement relates to the sixth revision of the Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances Directive (CMRD), which updates EU occupational health and safety legislation by introducing stricter measures against workplace exposure to dangerous substances.

“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to ensuring a high level of protection for workers against serious occupational health risks. By introducing new occupational exposure limit values, we are ensuring that the Union’s legislative framework keeps pace with the latest scientific evidence and technological developments. This outcome will help create safer working environments for millions of workers across Europe and further strengthen the prevention of work-related illnesses,” said Marinos Moushouttas, Minister for Labour and Social Insurance, Republic of Cyprus.

The revised rules are expected to prevent approximately 1,700 cases of lung cancer and 19,000 other work-related illnesses over the next 40 years.

Under the proposed revision, the directive will introduce new occupational exposure limit values (OELs) for cobalt and its inorganic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 1,4-dioxane. It will also add welding fumes to the list of substances, mixtures and processes covered under Annex I of the directive.

As part of the provisional agreement, the Council and Parliament agreed to expand the scope of the directive by introducing an OEL for isoprene. The agreement also extends the transitional period for applying the new OEL for PAHs to seven years and expands the sectors eligible for this transition period to include all carbon and graphite manufacturers.

The revised framework will also introduce requirements for regular breaks for workers using personal protective equipment (PPE) and clarify rules governing PPE use in relation to existing legislation.

In addition, the agreement updates the definitions of 'carcinogen', 'mutagen' and 'reprotoxic substance' to reflect the inclusion of welding fumes in Annex I, recognising their potential reprotoxic effects. It also highlights the need for further guidance on welding fumes and notes that establishing occupational exposure limits alone does not completely remove risks to workers’ health and safety.

The provisional agreement must now receive formal approval from both the Council and the European Parliament. Once adopted, the legislation will enter into force following legal and linguistic review.

The CMRD establishes measures to prevent and control risks arising from exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances in workplaces across the EU. The directive requires the introduction of occupational exposure limits wherever possible.

Following an evaluation of EU occupational safety and health legislation in 2017, the CMRD has undergone several updates, with five revisions already adopted addressing more than 40 hazardous substances. The European Commission presented its proposal for the sixth revision on 18 July 2025.

Heat stress is a danger for workers exposed to high temperatures, particularly in the Gulf in the summer, when temperatures can top 50%

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures at work reduces productivity and increases the risk of injury, disease and death, with worker productivity dropping by 2–3% for every degree above 20°C. It can also lead to increased risk-taking and decreased concentration, leading to accidents beyond its direct impact.

Midday work ban

The six countries of the GCC all implement a midday work ban, which prohibits outdoor work in during the summer months, which is generally strictly enforced. Bahrain for example, prohibits outdoor work between 12pm and 4pm from 15 June to 31 August, conducting regular inspections and enforcement measures to safeguard worker wellbeing. In 2025, adherence to the regulation reached 99.96%, indicating growing awareness among employers, supported by regular inspections and enforcement measures designed to safeguard worker wellbeing.

Alba Summer S&H campaign

Many companies and government departments in the Gulf launch summer safety campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of heat stress and measures that can be taken to prevent it, such as increasing the number of breaks, adapting access to water, cool spaces and shade, and adapting the working hours.

Among those is Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), which has launched its annual plant-wide Summer Safety and Health (S&H) Campaign under the theme "Safety by Choice, Excellence by Habit."

The campaign is in alignment with Alba’s commitment to strengthening its safety culture and promoting the health and wellbeing of its workforce, particularly during the summer season, through a series of awareness activities and events. Employees, contractors and workers will receive valuable information and practical guidance on key topics, including heat stress prevention, proper hydration and summer safety best practices, delivered by both internal and external safety specialists.

Core organisational value

Speaking at the campaign launch, Alba’s chief executive officer, Ali Al Baqali, emphasised that safety at Alba is a core organisational value and a year-round commitment that underpins every aspect of the company’s operations. He noted that the Summer Safety and Health Campaign represents an important milestone in Alba’s journey towards safety excellence, providing an opportunity to renew awareness, strengthen safe behaviours and safeguard everyone throughout the most challenging period of the year.

Al Baqali also urged all employees to continue adhering to safety procedures to achieve a 10th consecutive summer without a single heat-related injury or illness, by staying well hydrated, remaining vigilant at all times and reinforcing safety as a conscious choice in every aspect of their work.

As one of Alba’s flagship annual safety initiatives, the Summer S&H Campaign highlights the importance of continuous awareness, personal accountability and proactive risk management in industrial workplaces. The Campaign also plays a vital role in promoting safe behaviours, reducing heat-related incidents and fostering a culture where safety is embraced as a shared responsibility and an enduring daily practice. The company’s comprehensive health and safety initiatives are designed not only to prevent incidents but also to promote a culture of accountability and continuous improvement among employees and contractors alike.

Alba’s proactive approach has had results. Last year the company reported it had completed its ninth consecutive summer season without a single heat-related illness or injury, attributing this to its robust awareness campaigns, hydration programmes, and continuous monitoring of working conditions.

The offshore marine contracting industry should place greater emphasis on preventing serious injuries and fatalities by identifying high-consequence hazards before they result in tragedy, according to the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), the international body 

The latest Annual Safety Statistics report from the IMCA, which covers more than 1.02 billion working hours submitted by 167 contractor members, reveals that, while injury rates continue to improve, the number of fatalities has risen. Injury rates alone cannot therefore provide a complete picture of risk, with fatal accidents a continued threat across the offshore marine contracting industry.

Key messages

Key messages from the 2025 data include:

Injury rates improved

Contractor members reported 268 lost-time injuries and 996 total recordable injuries during 2025. This represents a fall in Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) from 0.30 to 0.27 and a fall in the Total

Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) from 1.10 to 0.98. While this is good news, these indicators do not always show where fatal or life-changing harm could occur.

Fatalities rose

Fatalities rose from three to seven (four of which are offshore), representing an increase in the Fatal Accident Rate (FAR) from 0.30 to 0.69. Reported fatal incidents included an electrocution, a fall from height and a mooring incident involving a parted rope, while details of four additional fatalities were not provided. This reinforces the need to look beyond headline injury rates and focus more directly on serious injury and fatality prevention. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on identifying high-consequences hazards before they result in tragedy, rather than relying on traditional performance measures.

Line of fire remained the leading cause of LTIs

Line of fire remained the most common cause of LTIs in 2025 and a recurring serious harm concern. This needs to be broken down into the work situations where people are exposed to harmful energy. These include lifting and rigging, mooring, moving equipment, dropped objects, stored energy, suspended loads, and tasks where hands or body parts are placed in hazardous positions. The key issue is not only awareness, but whether work is planned and controlled so people are not placed in the path of harmful energy. This includes hands-free working, exclusion zones, tag line use, lifting control, equipment design, communication, supervision, and stop-work confidence.

Safety observation reporting fell significantly

The Safety Observation Frequency Rate (SOFR) fell from 482.1 to 387.1 observations per 200,000 hours worked, down by around 20%. The reasons remain unclear and could include changes in reporting behaviour, participating companies or reporting systems. However, the IMCA believes companies should focus less on the volume of observation cards submitted and more on whether observations generate meaningful learning, practical improvements and stronger safety conversations.

Serious incidents continue to occur during familiar activities

Many of the industry’s most serious incidents continue to occur during familiar activities rather than exceptional operations, reinforcing the importance of effective planning, supervision and risk management every day.

Areas requiring attention

The IMCA identifies several recurring areas requiring continued attention, including:
• line-of-fire hazards
• lifting and rigging operations
• dropped objects
• mooring and snap-back zones
• working at height
• electrical safety
• routine day-to-day tasks.

Priorities for future safety

The findings will now directly shape IMCA’s future safety programme, with priorities including:
• strengthening serious injury and fatality prevention,
• improving understanding of line-of-fire risks,
• investigating the decline in safety observations,
• encouraging wider industry participation in safety reporting, and
• strengthening the link between Safety Flashes, guidance and practical action.

The IMCA helps the report will help companies identify serious risks earlier, strengthen critical controls and share learning across the offshore marine contracting industry.

Mark Holmes, safety and security manager at IMCA, said, “Every fatality represents a person, a family and a workforce affected by loss. While the continued improvement in injury rates is encouraging and reflects the hard work of our Members, these figures demonstrate that serious harm risks remain present despite improving injury statistics.

“Safety performance should no longer be judged primarily by injury frequency rates, but by how effectively companies identify and control the hazards most likely to result in death or life-changing injury.
“Every contractor, supervisor and worker has a responsibility to recognise serious risks before they become tragedies. The goal remains the same: everyone working in our industry should go home safe and well.”