From 2021 the Roadmap on Carcinogens will start running twelve challenges to gain further impact, all to help prevent workers from getting exposed to carcinogens.
For the period 2020-2024 the Roadmap has established the following four goals:
- Creating awareness through Europe among businesses and workers on the risks of exposure to carcinogenic substances and the need for preventive actions.
- Providing help to businesses and workers in preventing exposure to carcinogens on the work floor and minimize its effect on the workforce.
- Engaging industry and sectors and increasing the involvement of relevant parties to multiply our efforts throughout Europe.
- Targeting innovation to bridge the gap between research findings and businesses’ needs.
Executing the 12 challenges will all contribute in reaching these goals. Every challenge is run by a team from the Roadmap partners. And often they will need others to succeed. We therefore invite Roadmap friends and relevant organisations from all over Europe to step in and help. Please contact the corresponding challenge-leader, which is listed in the detailed challenge description, or send your idea’s in an email to the Roadmap management at info@roadmaponcarcinogens.eu.
Pillar 1 Creating awareness
The Roadmap wants to draw attention to the actual risks with better and more detailed data on the exposure situation (Challenge 1.1 – Better Data) and try to develop concepts on how to sensitise the youngest already during school time and education (Challenge 1.2 – Education is Key).
The challenges
Pillar 2 Providing help
This pillar is about helping businesses by providing examples of successful substitution and innovation (Challenge 1.2 – Substitution) as well as basic, general protection guidelines for dealing with carcinogens (Challenge 2.2 – General Guidance on Risk Management). In order to ensure that risk reduction measures are introduced at workplaces, companies should be specifically made aware of funding opportunities that could help investing in appropriate measures (Ch2.3 – Funds for businesses).
The challenges
Pillar 3 Mobilising stakeholders
Many organisations play a part in the prevention of exposure to cancer causing agents. The roadmap wants to seek cooperation and mobilise those important stakeholders if needed. Cross-industry and sectoral organisations play a significant role to their members in raising awareness, in assisting businesses as well as in developing specific practical guidance (Challenge 3.1 – Engaging industry and sectors). The same holds for occupational prevention organisations (Challenge 3.2 – Involving occupational prevention organisations). Further, enforcing bodies need to assess compliance (Challenge 3.3 – Cooperation with inspection) and workers need to be aware of their responsibility and accordingly adjust their behaviour (Challenge 3.4 – Empowering workers).
The challenges
Pillar 4 Targeting innovation
Innovations need to be targeted to meet workplace demands. Substitution strategies, material innovations (to replace a carcinogen) and technological developments (to promote safe handling and use) need to be adapted to the conditions of the workplaces and be safe(r) by design (Challenge 4.1 – Bridging the gap). A better understanding of how and where process-generated carcinogens occur (Challenge 4.2 – Process-generated carcinogens) and to come up with practical solutions is another important project to undertake (Challenge 4.3 – Safe working procedures).
