From 24 August 2023, European industrial and commercial users of polyurethane products must be trained in the safe use and certified. This applies to professional users of polyurethane adhesives, sealants and foams containing more than 0.1% monomeric diisocyanates. Sellers do not use the products directly, so they do not need training, OKNA.ua clarifies.
The relevant requirement is set out in European Commission Regulation 2020/1149 of 3 August 2020 ↗️.
Polyurethane sealants and foams are versatile and safe when used correctly. However, in their uncured state, they contain diisocyanates, which can cause sensitisation. If a person is sensitised, they can have a severe allergic reaction with respiratory effects (e.g. asthma) when they come into contact with the substance again. According to the Regulation, the annual number of new occupational diseases caused by diisocyanates exceeds 5,000 cases.
Training and certification are aimed at informing and avoiding unsafe handling of diisocyanates. The training covers the handling of open mixtures, personal hygiene, cleaning, disposal of empty containers, etc. A certificate confirms the successful completion of the training.
Employers and self-employed workers must undergo training at least every five years. The training platform is available at www.safeusediisocyanates.eu. The training is available in all EU languages. Ukrainian is officially included in the European Commission's translation system, but does not yet have the status of an official language.
Also, starting from 24 February 2022, manufacturers of polyurethane products with a monomeric diisocyanate content of more than 0.1% must place information on the packaging about the need for training.