What are CMR substances?
CMR stands for Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, and Reprotoxic substances. These are chemicals that can cause serious harm to human health, such as cancer, genetic damage, or effects on reproduction. Because many CMR substances have no clearly defined safe exposure limit, even very small amounts may involve increased risks. Common examples include certain solvents, heavy metals and pharmaceuticals, although many different types exist depending on their use.
Why are CMR substances particularly hazardous?
The risks related to CMR substances are often long-term. Effects such as cancer or genetic damage may take many years to develop and are rarely visible immediately after exposure. Mutagenic substances can affect the genetic material, which may lead to hereditary damage, and reprotoxic substances can affect fertility or fetal development in pregnant individuals.
This long-term and potentially severe impact is the main reason why CMR substances are handled with considerably greater caution than many other chemicals.
Legislation and regulation
Because even low exposure can be harmful, CMR substances are covered by specific European legislation. Two central regulations are the REACH Regulation and the CLP Regulation, which require classification, labelling, and appropriate handling of chemicals. These regulations also include requirements to assess whether a CMR substance can be replaced by a less hazardous alternative if technically possible.
What does this mean in practical terms at a workplace?
When CMR substances are used, employers must apply specific safety measures with the aim of reducing exposure as much as possible, preferably through technical solutions. Where possible, handling should take place in closed systems. If this is not feasible, measures such as local exhaust ventilation, protective equipment (gloves, protective clothing, respiratory protection), avoiding spills and splashes, and regular cleaning of surfaces should be applied. Spills and waste should be collected and stored safely in clearly labelled containers. Written handling instructions should be available, and if substitution is not possible, a documented assessment must show why replacement could not be achieved.
To track whether exposure may have caused health effects, employers must maintain exposure records for personnel who have worked with CMR substances. These records often need to be kept for many years, commonly up to 40 years for substances classified with hazard codes H340 (mutagenic) or H350 (carcinogenic), and at least 5 years for substances with H360 (reprotoxic).
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