Occupational accidents in the Netherlands: incidence, mental harm, and their relationship with psychosocial factors at work

Abstract

This study investigated the incidence of mental harm due to occupational accidents and the relation between psychosocial factors at work and the occurrence of occupational accidents in the Netherlands for the construction industry and health and welfare sector. Analyses revealed that occupational accidents in the construction industry more often involved physical harm, whereas accidents in the health and welfare sector relatively more often resulted in mental harm, in comparison to other sectors. Results showed that psychosocial factors were associated with occupational accidents in both sectors. For the construction industry, high time pressure and exposure to violence and harassment by colleagues or supervisors were associated with occupational accidents. For the health and welfare sector, low autonomy and exposure to violence and harassment by colleagues or supervisors or by people outside the organization were associated with occupational accidents. The present paper stresses the importance of also taking psychological consequences and psychosocial factors at work into account in assessing the occurrence of occupational accidents.

Keywords:

• occupational accidents
• safety
• psychosocial factors at work
• mental harm
• psychological consequences

View correction statement:

Erratum

Acknowledgements

The NWCS is performed by TNO and Statistics Netherlands with support from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.

Note

Notes

1. Significant effects on factors other than psychosocial factors are referred to in Table 5.