Safety and health of workers: protection against risk from explosive atmospheres

The Committee adopted the report on Bartho PRONK (EPP, NL) on minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers at risk from explosive atmospheres. The Council had adopted fully or partially six and rejected eight amendments proposed by the Parliament in the first reading. It had also made significant changes to the Commission proposal in order to focus on the provisions essential for the protection of workers. Mr. PRONK, however, felt that the common position considerably weakens the original text. Therefore, the Committee not only reinserted the amendments tabled by the EP in the first reading but also reintroduced slightly modified texts from the Commission's original proposal relating to employers' general obligations and the explosion protection document. In the retabled amendments, the Committee calls the Commission to draw up a vademecum setting out guidelines for complying with the minimum requirements of the directive. The Member States should inform companies of the provisions of the directive. The Committee also wants to specify the provisions on "explosion protection measures". �