OSH policies in the Netherlands
- 1. OSH policies The Netherlands Jan Michiel Meeuwsen
- 2. Key figures The Netherlands 7.3 million employees 2.9 million at large companies (> 250 employees) 4.4 million at small- and medium companies (< 250) 1.5 million self-employed professionals 600.000 companies 4% absenteeism 20,000 employees with a work-related disease each year Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 3. Dutch Occupational Health and Safety Service System (Arbodienst) Dutch: Arbodienst A service provider offering professional support in the area of working conditions These services are private enterprises, but must comply with certain legal requirements Most of them are external services Some larger companies have internal services (KLM, SHELL) Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 4. Dutch Occupational Health and Safety Service System Expertise in four disciplines Industrial medicine (Occupational Health Physician) Industrial safety (Safety expert) Industrial hygiene (Occupational hygienist) Organisation science (Occupational- and organizational expert) Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 5. Registration of Work-related Diseases The Netherlands Centre for Occupational Diseases (NCvB) registers and reports occupational diseases via the national notification and registration System and a number of specific surveillance projects. 20.000 work-related diseases are reported and registered Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 6. Top 3 Work-related Diseases 1. Back and neck pain 2. Hearing loss/damage 3. Psychosocial stress About 90% of all work related diseases. However, occupational deaths: 3000/year are related to exposure to dangerous substances 75% after they stopped working Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 7. Risque professionelle versus Risque social Risque professionelle Social benefit depends on the cause of the disease (distinction between occupational or non-occupational disease) Risque social (The Netherlands) Social benefit does not depend on the cause of the disease (No distinction between occupational or non-occupational diseases) Both systems have advantages and disadvantages NL: Occupational risks should be considered as a risk of society at large that should be covered by employers and/or social security schemes No debate about the definition of an occupational disease Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 8. Work-related diseases versus Occupational diseases (WHO definitions) Occupational disease is any disease contracted primarily as a result of an exposure to risk factors arising from work activity. Work-related diseases have multiple causes, where factors in the work environment may play a role, together with other risk factors, in the development of such diseases. Netherlands: because of risque social system only work-related diseases are relevant Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 9. Work incapacity in the Netherlands First two years Employer is responsible for costs (70% of the wage, possibly insured by private insurance companies) Why? Incentive for employers and insurance companies for an active policy to prevent absenteeism After two years Labour Capacity Act (WIA) benefit (through statutory premium collectively paid by employers and employees depending on sector) Why? Incentive for employers and sectors to keep an interest in preventing employees from becoming entitled to such an income compensation for another three years Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 10. Work-related healthcare: Policy in Progress Challenges: Not enough new occupational physicians in training Lack of cooperation between occupational physician and public healthcare Work-related diseases are often not recognized and reported Limited focus on prevention at the workplace Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 11. Compensation Occupational Diseases Policy in Progress Challenges Going to court as an employee with an occupational disease is expensive and lengthy Judges have no medical knowledge to determine causality between occupation and disease Possible solution: an independent institution with expertise in causality between occupations and diseases Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands
- 12. Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands OSH infrastructure compilation of players/stakeholders in a country plus their network relations contributing to and influencing the state of occupational safety and health at shop floors in the organisations where people work
- 13. Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands Players in OSH infrastructures the national government; respective ministries The inspections authorities (either safety or health Social partners Occupational safety and health services Research institutes Associations of OSH professionals Insurance companies
- 14. legislation enforcement OSH services Employers organisations Trade Unions Publishers Research institutes Government Inspection authority Organisations; their managers and workers influencing, advice collective bargaining regulation, certification advice promotion, public information issuing, disseminating assignments, research programming disseminating results Jan Michiel Meeuwsen OSH policies The Netherlands