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Health and safety and working conditions

Good working conditions in your organisation are important. They allow your employees to do their jobs safely, healthily and with motivation. In addition, healthy and motivated workers are more productive than sick or unmotivated workers. It is, therefore, also in your interest to have well-functioning policies on working conditions. It will save you high sick leave and substitution costs and insurance premiums.

With a good approach to working conditions, you can combat physical illnesses and accidents, as well as work-related stress, also known as psychosocial workload. This is good for employees and employers. Prevention is better than cure and/or having to pay damages.

What can you do about health and safety?

You are required to make policies on working conditions (Occupational Health and Safety Policy). This is required under the Working Conditions Act. If you fail to do so, the Netherlands Labour Authority can take action and even impose a fine.

You need to identify the health and safety risks in your company. You do this with a Risk Inventory and Evaluation (RI&E). You must also indicate in an action plan what measures are needed to counter the risks you have identified.

The works council, the prevention officer(s), the occupational health and safety service, the health and safety catalogue, emergency response officer(s) and the company doctor can play a role in setting up a good health and safety policy.

In your health and safety policy, prevention plays an important role. The Netherlands Labour Authority has identified 4 focus areas that will help prevent accidents and sick leave in your organisation:

Question and answer

Healthy and safe working self-inspection

Is your health and safety policy in order? Use the Healthy and safe working self-inspection tool (Dutch) to find out.

Reporting working conditions

You can report inadequate working conditions to the Netherlands Labour Authority.