Climate, light, and noise in the workplace

Environmental factors in the workplace, such as light, noise, heat, and cold (physical factors, in Dutch), may influence the health of employees. Employers must be aware of these risks and adapt their health and safety policy accordingly.

Do you know about any (potentially) harmful environmental factors in the workplace? You must describe these risks to your employees in a risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E). In the action plan attached to the RI&E you indicate which measures you take.

Environmental factors at work

You need to take physical factors into account, both for work inside as well as for work outside:

• climate (cold, heat, draught, humidity levels, circulation of fresh air, sunlight)
• light
• noise
• vibrations
• optical radiation, non-ionising radiation (electromagnetic fields, chapter 6, section 4b) and ionising radiation