Transcript TUE ppt versie 0.3

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Occupational Safety and Health
(OSH) in buildings for
professional use
Ir. Trees Klaver
Occupational Health and Safety Department
(Arbo- en Milieu Service Organisatie)
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OSH Legislation, Guidelines and
Standards
• EU-directives concern safety, health and
welfare of employees
• For the Netherlands they are included in:
– Law on working conditions (“Arbo-wet”)
– Implementation of the law on working
conditions (“Arbo-besluit”)
– Legislation concerning Working Conditions
(“Arbo-regeling”)
– Guidelines for Working Conditions Including
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Standards (“Arbo-beleidsregels”)
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Netherlands resources on
OSH Legislation & Guidelines
• Arbo-informatiebladen
• Arbo-themacahiers
(only available in Dutch)
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Resources on
OSH in offices
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Resources on
Indoor Conditions
and Health in
Professional
Environments
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OSH in New,
Renovated and
Existing
Buildings for
Professional Use
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Noise
Control
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A lot of information is available,
so
why do so many
problems occur??
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Causes of problems (1)
• Design phase
– Building regulations 
OSH regulations !!
– Little attention for OSH
– OSH is often considered a luxury and
is consequently subject to budget
cuts
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Causes of problems (2)
• Design phase
– Design influences safety during
building phase and maintenance
– Maintenance is often overlooked
– Aesthetics is preferred over
functionality
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Causes of problems (3)
• During use
– Rooms used in an different way than
planned
– Wrong use of building / installations
– Not sufficient maintenance
– Ageing of the building
– Changing insights
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Building code (“Bouwbesluit”)
1. Refers to new and existing buildings
2. Implements minimal safety, health
and usefulness requirements
OSH code (“Arbobesluit”)
1. Refers to new and existing working
environments
2. Optimal OSH (working conditions)
for workers and others involved
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Building code (“Bouwbesluit”)
3. Commissioner / owner responsible
4. Performance requirements, seldom
technical means
OSH code (“Arbobesluit”)
3. Employer responsible
4. Optimization of OSH, seldom
minimal standards
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Building code (“Bouwbesluit”)
5. Ministry: Housing (VROM)
6. Supervising organisation:
Community administration (Fire
department, Building inspectorate)
OSH code (“Arbobesluit”)
5. Ministry: Social Affairs and
Employment (SZW)
6. Supervising organisation: OSH
inspectorate (“Arbeidsinspectie”)
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An example
In the Netherlands approximately 50%
of the office workers experience
insufficient or bad indoor air quality
Source: AI-blad 7 “Kantoren”, SDU, 2e druk, 2000
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Causes of indoor discomfort in offices
• 50% organisation and behaviour
– wrong use of building / building services
– insufficient or wrong maintenance
• 50% bad design
– wrongly designed building services
– wrongly chosen building and finishing
materials
Source: AI-blad 7 “Kantoren”, SDU, 2e druk, 2000
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DONT’S in problem solving
•
•
•
•
Immediately think about solutions
Aim at a quick fix
Make things worse
Perform one rebuilding after
another
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DO’S in problem solving
• Objectify complaints
– Try to find the complaint behind the
complaint
– Registration of complaints
– OSH is sometimes misused
• Thorough systematic investigation
• Enquire with the occupants
• Consult experts
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OSH Risk Management Process
1. Thorough investigation of risks and
possible solutions
2. Prioritization
3. Construction of an improvement
program with timetable
4. Implementing the improvement
program
5. If necessary repeat (1) to (4)
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OSH Prioritization
• High: immediate danger
• Medium: possible exposure or
detriment after prolonged exposure
• Low: possible but unlikely situations
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Prioritization by Housing Services*
TU/e
1. Safety / health
2. Legislation / standards
3. Research / education
4. Resulting damage
5. Aesthetics / comfort
* Dienst Huisvesting
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Subjects
• Lay-out of working places (*)
• Hazardous chemicals / biological
agents / airborne dust
• Physical factors (*)
• Machinery and equipment /
specific tasks
• Safety and health signs
* See next slides
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Lay-out of working places (1)
• General regulations: order and
neatness, hygiene
• Provisions for emergency situations
• Effective working places
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Lay-out of working places (2)
• Lay-out requirements
• VDU work / sedentary work
• Recreational facilities and other
provisions
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Physical factors
• Indoor climate including ventilation
• Lighting and daylight
– No view requirement anymore
– Daylight is obligatory in most cases
• Noise and sound
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Why bother?
Good working conditions:
conditions allowing for optimal output of
workers and thus contributing to the
economic aim of the organisation they
are a member of
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OSH and productivity (non creative work)
OSH for the Office
Environment
Increase in Work Decrease in
Productivity
Absenteeism
No Air pollution
3-7%
-1.5%
Sufficient Ventilation
1-2%
-0.5%
Adjustable
2-3%
-0.5%
Rooms with  4
2-4%
decrease
All of the Above
10-15%
-2.5%
Source: Praktijkgidsen Arbeidshygiëne “Arboadvisering bij nieuwe
huisvesting, nieuwbouw, renovatie en huren”, J.L. Leijten en J.H. Tan,
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Kluwer, Alphen aan den Rijn, 2002
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Improvements afterwards
=
Suboptimal results at a multiple
of the costs
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Occupants sometimes
have to live 20 /30 /40 /…
years with the choices
of the architect
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So…
Prevention is better than cure!
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