Protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work (CMD4 Directive) - EONS

It is estimated that more than 120,000 people in Europe annually get cancer because of occupational exposure to carcinogens, with cancer being the leading cause of work-related deaths. Nurse-led research has associated workplace exposures to hazardous drugs with both acute and chronic health. EONS Cancer Nursing Index 2020© found major risks related to both patient and occupational safety. Among the most serious risks reported by cancer nurses across Europe were lack of training and guidelines for handling cytotoxic drugs and even worse, nurses in many countries reporting exposure to these drugs during pregnancy and breast feeding. Furthermore, nurses report risks of negative consequences if asking for alternative duties during pregnancy/breast feeding.As it is not always possible to research the impacts of cytotoxic materials on healthcare worker health and reproductive functions, EONS, with the support of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), calls upon European Institutions to utilise the Precautionary Principle by including hazardous medical products and reprotoxic substances in Annex 1 of the CMD4 Directive. Read the EONS-EPSU-ETUC Open Letter here.