REACH
REACH hazardous substances and chemicals legislation
The EU's REACH ordinance came into force in mid-2006. REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals. The ordinance will be implemented gradually as part of a process that will last until 2018, and it will effect around 30,000 chemicals (substances) which are marketed with an annual production volume of over one metric ton. REACH replaces around 40 EU Directives and Ordinances and is the most complex piece of legislation that the EU has ever drawn up.
The European Commission passed its strategy for a future chemicals policy in the form of a white paper back in 2001. The policy's aim was to protect human health and the environment, to improve competitiveness, and to provide better and more comprehensive information about chemicals. The public should in future be able to obtain information on these matters too. REACH means that all substances, depending on the annual volume produced in the EU or imported into the EU, must be registered and evaluated. Particularly alarming substances are subject to an official approval procedure. The new chemicals agency in Helsinki registers the substance and compiles all non-confidential information in a publicly accessible Internet database.
A variety of chemicals are used in the automobile production process and in its products. The term "chemicals" also encompasses metal alloys and plastics. Automotive industry companies distribute chemicals such as paints for repairing vehicles in workshops, and products and materials from non-European countries are imported into the EU so companies could also be considered importers. As no product or vehicle could be manufactured without substances, preparations, materials and articles, every company within the automotive industry is affected by REACH. Many companies are still not aware of all of the ramifications and potential problems. To this end, the VDA held an information event for its members, which was very well received.
The automotive industry is now well-equipped to face the challenges posed by REACH. For years now, data has been collated about the chemicals required during the manufacturing process or found in delivered parts. REACH will place demands on the automotive industry in three areas:
- Replacements for chemicals withdrawn from the market;
- Notification about substances in articles (products); and
- Communication within the supply chains.
There is a fear that several chemicals will soon not be available on the market. It is possible that the loss of several low-volume but key chemicals could impair automobile production or necessitate costly changes. Preventative measures should be taken well in advance and suppliers should be contacted.
As before, imported products are, for the most part, exempt from REACH inspections. They are only subject to an inspection when chemicals are released intentionally from said products or when these contain particularly critical substances. Fears are justified, however, that production sites in the EU will relocate to other countries where all chemicals are available and can be use at lower costs. The only positive aspects of REACH are improved communication within the supply chain and, presumably, improved information about materials. Otherwise REACH will likely prove to be a bureaucratic instrument that will undermine the European industry's long-term ability to compete.
Occupational safety
The automotive industry has been systematically improving industrial health protection. In-house management systems and optimized processes have been able to reduce the number of accidents per million hours worked by 75 percent over the past decade. The accident figures for the German automotive industry reflect the high level of occupational safety that has become standard on our industry's production sites. Industrial health protection has never been in as good a position as it is today. It is an integral part of the plants' operating philosophy. To ensure that it remains an active philosophy in future, existing safety solutions are being optimized. One example of such optimizations is the automotive industry's move to supplement the European DIN EN 619 standard with a standardized risk assessment for conveyor systems containing three defined risk groups. The aim of this additional assessment is to combine easy-to-implement safety measures which complement DIN EN 619 in one common safety concept, while taking economic needs into account. With regard for basic safety targets, this will lead to one and the same safety standard across the industry where comparable risks are posed. This safety concept will presumably be adopted in 2007 after approval is granted by the appropriate technical committee of the employer's liability insurance associations.
The intended production of hybrid vehicles changes industrial health protection strategies and measures. The use of high-voltage systems required by this technology poses electrical risks for workers; these can be counteracted by means of technical measures and organizational steps, such as staff training. This affects all involved in the assembly, maintenance, repair, service, and testing of these systems. The automotive industry has drawn up a uniform standard for training concepts and qualification modules that awaits approval from the respective employers' liability insurance associations.
