Forty people died in work-related incidents in the Netherlands in the first six months of this year, a sharp rise that puts the country on track to exceed the 52 recorded in all of 2024, the labour inspectorate told public broadcaster NOS.
Rob Paumen, head of working conditions at the inspectorate, said the increase was worrying and not easily explained. “In recent years, the number of fatalities seemed to be stabilising,” he said.
The number of serious injuries reported after workplace accidents also rose, from around 2,400 in 2023 to more than 3,200 last year.
This rise may be linked to a greater willingness among employers to report incidents, Paumen said. Reporting is legally required when a worker dies, suffers permanent injury, or is hospitalised, though the inspectorate estimates that 50% to 70% of serious incidents still go unreported.
Last month two people died and two others were injured during a cargo unloading operation in Rotterdam’s Waalhaven. Steel plates fell in the hold of a ship during the incident, which remains under investigation.
Most fatalities occurred in sectors with known risks such as construction, agriculture, transport and industry. “The first two sectors in particular rely heavily on migrant workers,” a spokesman for the FNV trade union federation said.
“They are more often victims of workplace accidents. They tend to do low-paid, temporary and unskilled work in higher-risk environments, often without proper training,” he said. “Language barriers also mean they don’t always understand safety instructions.”
Last year the inspectorate published a report showing foreign workers who have only been in the Netherlands a few weeks are more often involved in work-related accidents than their Dutch colleagues and longer-term labour migrants.
The Stichting Arbeidsongevallen, which supports victims and relatives, said staff shortages were another likely factor. “There is pressure to get things done quickly, and that leads to more accidents,” said chairman Klaas Zwart.
