This Directive, which is the fourteenth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC, lays down minimum requirements for the protection of workers from risks to their safety and health arising, or likely to arise, from the effects of chemical agents that are present at the workplace or as a result of any work activity involving chemical agents.

The requirements of this Directive apply where hazardous chemical agents are present or may be present at the workplace, without prejudice to the provisions for chemical agents to which measures for radiation protection apply pursuant to Directives adopted under the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community.

For carcinogens at work the provisions of this Directive shall apply without prejudice to more stringent and/or specific provisions contained in Council Directive 90/394/EEC of 28 June 1990 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens (sixth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)15.

The provisions of Directive 89/391/EEC shall apply fully to the whole field referred to in this Article, without prejudice to more stringent and/or specific provisions contained in this Directive.

As far as the transport of hazardous chemical agents is concerned, the provisions of this Directive shall apply without prejudice to more stringent and/or specific provisions contained in Directive 94/55/EC16, in Directive 96/49/EC17, in the provisions of the IMDG Code, IBC Code and IGC Code as defined in Article 2 of Directive 93/75/EEC18, in the provisions of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterway and of the Regulation for the Carriage of Dangerous Substances on the Rhine as incorporated in Community law and in the technical instructions for the safe transport of dangerous goods issued, at the date of entry into force of this Directive, by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.