The organisation of Health and Safety

The Working Conditions Law (in Dutch: Arbeidsomstandighedenwet) stipulates that every employee has the right to a safe and healthy workplace. Employers have a duty to ensure good working conditions (arbo), in consultation with employees. Within the Maastricht University (UM), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) and Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN), the occupational hygienist and prevention officer have various areas of attention for this purpose.

The main task is to support the employer in taking care of daily health and safety and provides support to all employees and students of FHML-FPN when working at UM. 

The Health and Safety officers have knowledge of the organisation's occupational risks and the preventive measures to be taken. They are expert employees within the company who advise on working conditions. The occupational hygienist focuses mainly on factors that can cause health damage in the longer term. Think, for example, of working in noise, or working with hazardous substances. The occupational hygienist (AH) can also support with questions about ergonomics or climate. In addition, Health and Safety manages the hazardous chemical registration system SOFOS360 and offers administrative support in the implementation of the opium-law dispensation at FHML. The AH and prevention officer also advise on renovations and refurbishment to comply with legal regulations and guidelines. Finally, the prevention officer provides training for the Armico’s and the AH gives instruction to (laboratory) employees, students and third parties. For biological safety, UM has appointed the Biological Safety Officer (BSO). 

Health and Safety is involved in drawing up the Risk Inventory and Evaluation (RI&E) and the associated plan of action. They also play an important monitoring role in implementing the measures arising from the action plan. In doing so, they advise and cooperate with the works council and ARBO committee Randwyck.