Abroad|09/11/16

THE NETHERLANDS: occupational diseases in figures

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According to the Dutch Centre for Occupational Diseases (Nederlands Centrum voor Beroepsziekten, NCvB), the number of new cases of occupational diseases fell 5% in 2015 compared with previous years, standing at 191 cases per 100,000 workers. 

Usually, these new cases concern mental disorders, disorders of the locomotor apparatus and hearing loss due to noise, including in the five economic sectors where the overall incidence is highest: construction, finance, transport and storage, industry and education.

While permanent work disabilities are mainly due to cancers and lung conditions, chronic sick leaves are due mainly to:

  • mental disorders (mostly job burn-out and post-traumatic stress syndrome);
  • disorders of the locomotor apparatus (in particular MSDs affecting the shoulder or arm and epicondylitis (tennis elbow).

In more than 70% of reports, it turns out that the industrial doctor gives no technical or organizational advice to prevent risks. It is regrettable that possible improvements in working conditions are missed in this way.

The report was written by the NCvB (of the Amsterdam university teaching hospital) at the request of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. It summarizes the number and type of occupational diseases recorded and their distribution by sector and occupation in the Netherlands. The report also describes some recent scientific and social breakthroughs in the area of occupational diseases.

NCvB Report (in Dutch)

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