The European Commission’s guidance on the safe management of hazardous medicinal products (HMPs) at work is now available in 24 EU languages.
The guidance sets out practical measures to protect healthcare workers from occupational exposure to hazardous drugs, including chemotherapy agents, across every stage of handling, from procurement through to preparation, administration, cleaning and waste management. Central to the guidance is the hierarchy of controls, a well-established occupational safety principle that prioritises engineering measures over reliance on personal protective equipment alone. The guidance was developed for the Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, in collaboration with EU-OSHA, DG SANTE and DG GROW, and first published in 2023.
The EBN has called for the guidance to be translated since its publication, so that healthcare workers and employers across every member state can access and apply it in their own language. This is a welcome step forward, supporting more consistent implementation of protective measures under the Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances Directive (CMRD).
The guidance can be downloaded in all available languages via the EU Publications Office.
