News item | 10/30/2023 | 00:00
The government wants no one to die anymore due to poor working conditions. This requires a trend break: a fundamental improvement in the way employers, employees and the government deal with working conditions. This is what Minister Karien van Gennip of Social Affairs and Employment writes in the Working Conditions Vision 2040, which has been sent to the House of Representatives. Now, approximately 4,000 people die every year as a result of their work.
All workers in the Netherlands have the right to work healthily and safely. We want people not to develop health problems as a result of their work, even after retirement. That is why good working conditions are important.
Minister Van Gennip: “It still happens too often that people in the Netherlands become ill or even die due to poor working conditions. Sometimes due to an accident, sometimes only years later because, for example, unprotected work has been carried out with hazardous substances. This has major consequences for thousands of employees and their families. Despite all the efforts of employers, employees and the government, we do not see these numbers decreasing. That is unacceptable to me. That is why we have set an ambitious goal: zero death. And a significant decrease in the number of occupational accidents and illnesses due to work. Everyone should come home from work healthy and safe. It is very important for this that we look at working conditions in a fundamentally different way.”
Bottlenecks
There are a number of bottlenecks when it comes to a healthy and safe workplace. For example, too little is invested in prevention. Moreover, not all employers have sufficient knowledge about the Working Conditions Act. Workers are not always in a position to discuss working conditions. Migrant workers and flex workers are particularly vulnerable in the workplace. In addition, there is too little attention in society for the value of healthy work.
Solution directions
In the Working Conditions Vision 2040, the cabinet presents a number of solutions. For example, the government is exploring how fines and rewards can encourage employers to invest in prevention. The government also promotes the preparation of a good Risk Inventory and Evaluation (RI&E), with measures to reduce risks. Currently, only half of employers have completed this legally required inventory, and of those half, 30% are missing important risks. To make it easier and more accessible for starting entrepreneurs, especially in SMEs, a starting RI&E will be created with prevention as a starting point. The initial RI&E must be supplemented to a complete RI&E to comply with the legal obligation. Furthermore, the responsibility of employers or clients and contractors (such as self-employed persons) when working in a chain is better regulated.
Ambition
The Social Economic Council has previously made recommendations about healthy and safe working, almost all of which the cabinet has adopted. The government sets out a strong ambition in the Working Conditions Vision. This is necessary, because absenteeism due to illness has increased from 4 to 5.7% since 2017. A significant part of absenteeism is work-related. In addition, there are around 100,000 occupational accidents every year resulting in absenteeism. More than ten people die every year due to their work. This requires a multi-year, broad range of actions. This requires a significant effort from the government, social partners and other stakeholders involved. The current government is working on this. At the same time, a number of actions require choices in implementation, which are up to the next cabinet.