The world is full of environment, health and safety regulations, with new ones being added every day. Most of these requirements focus on manufacturing operations, but a surprising number of regulations apply to offices and other non-manufacturing, lower-risk operations! Check in with us once a month for our new blog series: EHS Global Moments, where we highlight a country-specific EHS regulation applicable to non-manufacturing operations, organized by place, topic, or theme.
In the Netherlands, risk assessments are mandatory for all employers with operations in the country (except for self-employed people or companies without staff). This mandate (Dutch Working Conditions Act, Article 5) is similar to the proactive risk management approach defined in ISO 45001, and it helps Dutch companies maintain a comprehensive inventory of hazards at their facilities. Here are the details about this unique regulation:
- All employers with operations in the Netherlands must conduct a workplace risk assessment (known as a risk inventory and evaluation, or RI&E).
- The RI&E must document the “likelihood of a hazard occurring, the effects from the hazard, the frequency of which workers are exposed to the hazard, and any occupational accidents that have occurred in the past.”
- The RI&E must include a Plan of Approach (PVA) stating the measures the employer will take related to the identified risks and the time-frame in which these measures will be implemented.
- Every employer is required to send their completed RI&E to the employment agency and ensure that the document and its contents are available to all employees.
- The RI&E is expected to be updated every three to four years, and it must be altered to account for any changes in working methods and conditions or organizational changes.
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