Volunteers are entitled to safe and healthy working conditions just as much as paid employees.

The employer's responsibility

The Working Conditions Act stopped being fully applicable to volunteers on 1 January 2007. Instead, the obligations of employers in respect of volunteers who work for them are set out in Article 9.5a of the Working Conditions Decree (Dutch).

Serious risks

Measures still need to be put in place wherever volunteers are exposed to serious risks. Examples include:

  • renovation and building work
  • work involving hazardous substances
  • work carried out in noisy conditions
  • work which exposes the volunteer to a risk of falling
  • demanding physical work

Vulnerable groups

Additional regulations also apply to 2 vulnerable groups:

  • young people under the age of 18
  • women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

Supervision

The Netherlands Labour Authority is responsible for monitoring compliance with the Working Conditions Act and the Working Conditions Decree and should be contacted whenever volunteers are thought to be at risk because an organisation is failing to implement the necessary safety measures.