Week of the RI&E: is it in order at your place?

From June 12 to 16, it is the Week of the RI&E. During this week, government, occupational health and safety experts, consultants, trainers and branch organizations throughout the Netherlands draw attention to the RI&E. RI&E stands for risk inventory and evaluation. With an RI&E you identify all occupational risks within your company or organization, so that you can get to work eliminating or reducing these risks.

You may have heard the term RI&E before, but not know exactly what it is or what it entails. In this blog, therefore, we will tell you all about the subject of RI&E.

The numbers

The RI&E is there for a reason. Did you know that in 2022, 57 employees were killed in industrial accidents? This number has been between 50 and 70 for years. Moreover, 196 thousand employees had an accident at work, which resulted in one or more days of absence for 100 thousand employees. Every year, about 4,000 (former) employees die prematurely as a result of unhealthy working conditions. That's 11 people a day. In total, about 5% of the total burden of disease in the Netherlands is attributable to unfavorable working conditions

Furthermore, it is estimated that about 13,000 workers become disabled annually as a result of unhealthy work. The financial damage of unhealthy work cannot be precisely quantified. With a high degree of certainty, it is at least 10 billion. But it could also be 20 billion or more.

RI&E mandatory for every employer with staff

In 1994, the Occupational Health and Safety Act stated that an RI&E is mandatory for every employer who employs staff. Don't have an RI&E? Then you could face a hefty fine. For small companies, the fine for not having an up-to-date RI&E is €450 and €300 for not having an action plan. For companies of 500 employees or more, the amounts rise to €4500 and €3000, respectively.

Why is an RI&E so important?

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers must ensure the safety and health of their employees. An RI&E is required by law and forms the basis for a good occupational health and safety policy. Once you have identified the risks, you set to work on a plan of action to eliminate or reduce them. If you don't start working on the risks right away, numerous claims can arise on laudable insurance policies.

An example

You own a company and think you are complying with the Occupational Health & Safety Act by conducting an RI&E. The RI&E report reveals several areas for improvement: loose power lines, lack of signage to the emergency exit and an emergency exit blocked by a waste container. However, you think it can wait and do not take immediate action.

A few weeks later, a short circuit occurs in the business, causing a fire. An employee and visitor are injured. Multiple business casualty insurance policies such as buildings, inventory, premises liability and employers' liability insurance can sue you for negligence, possibly resulting in claims being denied. As an employer, you could have prevented the fire and personal injury if you had immediately resolved the points in the RI&E report.

RI&E can reduce absenteeism

Did you know that an up-to-date RI&E can help employers reduce absenteeism? It helps identify and manage risks in the workplace, which can have positive effects such as:

1. Prevention of accidents and injuries.
2. Health protection.
3. Improving the work environment and work culture.
4. Promoting safety behaviors.

However, an RI&E by itself is not enough to reduce absenteeism. It is important that employers take the risks it reveals seriously and take action to implement and notice the recommended measures. It is also important that the RI&E is regularly reviewed and updated so that it remains current and new (absenteeism) risks can be addressed.