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Company emergency response team (BHV)

Every company must arrange a company emergency response team (Bedrijfshulpverlening, BHV) so that employees and visitors are cared for properly in the event of emergencies. How you arrange the team depends on, for example, the nature and size of your company. General guidelines can be found in the Working Conditions Act (Arbowet).

Emergency response plan and evacuation plan

You must draw up an emergency response plan (company emergency plan) which contains precise details about the emergency response to be provided. The mandatory evacuation plan can be part of the emergency response plan.

Number of emergency response officers

You determine the number of emergency response officers based on the details in the risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E). The number of employees and the average number of visitors are especially important factors in this regard.

Read more about company emergency response:

Company emergency response in the forestry industry

The Board for forests and nature (Bosschap) publishes (Dutch-language) brochures and other documents about first aid, company emergency response teams and emergency response services for isolated workers in the forestry industry.

Company emergency response on construction sites

On construction sites (including temporary sites), contractors and subcontractors must jointly provide the emergency response team. Joint agreements relating to field of health and safety must be laid down in writing in the Health and Safety Plan. The head of the emergency response team is responsible for the presence and completeness of an emergency response plan. This plan must be in line with the Health and Safety Plan.

The Arbouw emergency response team CD-ROM is a resource which can be used when drawing up an emergency response plan for a construction site. This CD-ROM is available in Dutch only.

Please note: The definition of a construction site also includes a case where, for example, two or three of your employees are working at a private individual’s premises. A Health and Safety Plan is not mandatory in such a case.

Company emergency response in the retail sector

As a retailer, you can organise your company emergency response together with other retailers. There is then no need for every retail business to have its own trained emergency response officer present at all times. For more information, please contact the National Board for the Retail Trade (Hoofdbedrijfschap Detailhandel).

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