Evaluación de riesgos psicosociales y prevención del estrés laboral: Algunas experiencias holandesas

This article starts with some facts and figures about working life in Holland in order to place the recent developments m their appropriate national context (section 1). Next, the basic principles are described of the WCA, which is the cornerstone of the Dutch governmental and corporate policies to reduce psychosocial risks and job stress (section 2). A special section is devoted to the work of the OHSS' s and the key professionals they employ, including an entirely new profession: the so-called Work- and Organisational Expert (section 3). Furthermore, two job stress models are outlined that are being practically used as general frameworks for the assessment of psychosocial risks at work (section 4) and some examples of risk-assessment instruments are presented (section 5). Next, a general stepwise approach is described that is used in programs to prevent or reduce job stress (section 6), and an example of a suchlike program is presented (section 7). The article is concluded with some final, critical remarks and with a brief statement on the changed position of W&O psychology m the Netherlands (section 8).