1 / 16

RSI in The Netherlands

Symposium ‘RSI around the world’ Utrecht, March 8 th , 2008 RSI in the Netherlands Kineke Festen-Hoff Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management. RSI in The Netherlands. Overview 1. State of RSI in The Netherlands 2. Prevention of Occupational RSI

combest
Download Presentation

RSI in The Netherlands

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Symposium ‘RSI around the world’Utrecht, March 8th, 2008RSI in the NetherlandsKineke Festen-HoffFaculty of Technology, Policy and Management

  2. RSI in The Netherlands Overview 1. State of RSI in The Netherlands 2. Prevention of Occupational RSI 3. Covenants: an alternative to rules and enforcement? 4. Conclusions

  3. 1. State of RSI in the Netherlands • Dutch ‘RSI-epidemic’ from ca. 1995 – 2004: Favourable circumstances • Media attention • Favourable attitude law • Position of RSI-sufferers weaker since 2003 • Changes in social security-system • Scientific research inconclusive RSI still 20% of all registered occupational diseases !

  4. Registered RSI-cases 2000-2006

  5. RSI: a lasting disorder • High prevalence and high cost: - RSI: 20% of long lasting sick-leave (> 13 weeks); - MSD: 21% of disability benefits

  6. 2. Prevention of Occupational RSI • 2 Directives of the EU for RSI-prevention: - manual handling of loads - working with Visual Display Units (VDU) • Implementation in Occupational Health and Safety Act: - more concrete - wider scope • EU-plans about VDU-directive: Should we go into the debate?

  7. Evaluation of VDU-directive • 2006: evaluation of national VDU-regulations in 6 EU member-states • Dutch evaluation of the VDU Directive: - known by 61% of employers and 49% of employees - most aware of physical aspects (risk assessment, ergonomic requirements, work routine); - low awareness of other issues (information/training, eye-/eyesight-protection, mental strain)

  8. Problems to implement regulations • Compliance is hampered by: - rules not adjusted to technological developments (flexible workstation and laptop) - rule on info/training is too vague - reasons for not implementing work routine: - work doesn’t allow it/work pressure (employees) - difficult to control, even with software (employers)

  9. Effectiviness of regulations • Implementation: - reasonable: physical aspects (assessment, furniture) - poor: info/training, work routine, protection of eyes • Moreover: - good equipment not always used in proper way - regulations often used curative, not preventive

  10. Recommendations of stakeholders • On present regulations: - maintain Directive and Dutch implementation; - make some points more concrete; - technical rules in Appendix: - either frequent updating - or general rules with goals (‘doelvoorschriften’)

  11. Recommendations of stakeholders (2 To improve awareness and implementation all stakeholders suggest: - enhance responsibility of stakeholders: - precise elaboration of rules by employers- and employee organisations and Labour Inspectorate

  12. 3. Covenants on working conditions1999-2007 • Policy to strengthen responsibility and self-motivation in trades/professions (mid-level) • Partners: - employers’ organisation(s) in trade - trade unions - Ministry of Social Affairs • Goal: ‘translation’ of general rules to specific methods for the different trades 16 covenants on RSI

  13. Results of RSI-covenants • Mid-level (trade-organisation) - central point: knowledge and info gathered/spread - internet site on working conditions - checklist and questionnaire, tuned to profession/trade - tool kit (practices, solutions, methods) - folders, leaflets, papers • Micro-level (company) - more awareness/more measures

  14. Covenants instead of rules and enforcement? • Covenants were built on existing rules • Covenants are passed. Infrastructure and products? • Lots of knowledge at mid-level, but not always in companies (middle and small industries) • Some important trades: no covenant. No: rules and enforcement should be maintained

  15. 4. Conclusions 1. RSI: a lasting disorder with high prevalence and high cost. 2. To prevent RSI EU- and Dutch regulations should be maintained. 3. Responsibility and self-motivation of social partners should be encouraged, but are no alternative to rules and enforcement.

  16. END

More Related