Wood preservatives used as biocidal products are underlying an authorisation process according to Regulation (EU) No. 528/2012. In Germany, Division 4 of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) - Hazardous Substances and Biological Agents - is responsible for the evaluation of human health risks in workplaces. Therefore, worker exposure to the respective wood preservative is assessed. This publication describes the regulatory procedure for exposure assessment which is followed when applicants do not provide specific measurement data for certain application techniques during the authorisation process. If so, models and assumptions are used which have been agreed within the European member states and published in several European and national guidelines. For equal treatment of applicants throughout Europe this approach should strictly be complied with. The procedure described provides the requisite for a transparent and comprehensible exposure assessment and is useful for the applicant`s compilation of documents for product authorisation. Applicants or industrial associations may improve the evaluation data with systematically conducted studies. In the case of planning a study, Division 4 of BAuA offers support.

This article was published in "Gefahrstoffe - Reinhaltung der Luft" 74(2014) Issue 5, pp. 192-200 (www.gefahrstoffe.de).

Please download the complete article "Wood preservatives - Exposure assessment for the professional user from the perspective of the risk assessment unit for occupational safety" (in German only).