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Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Safety (DECOS)

The Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Safety (DECOS) focuses on health risks. Its work includes assessing substances to which employees are exposed at their respective workplaces in terms of their toxic properties and effects on health. This work can lead to recommended values for professional exposure based on health expertise or proposals to assign hazard categories to carcinogenic substances or substances that are toxic to reproduction.

The advisory reports of this committee are drawn up in accordance with its own methodology in order to arrive at scientifically sound and useful advice from a policy point of view.

The committee has two subcommittees: the subcommittee on the Classification of Carcinogenic Substances and the subcommittee on the Classification of Substances Toxic to Reproduction.

This activity is a permanent part of the  Working Conditions domain.

Committee membership may differ for different advice cases. Because a permanent committee addresses more than one topic, potential conflicts of interests among members are re-evaluated at the start of each advisory process. The composition of the committee for a specific advice can be found on the last page of the advisory report.

Upon request of the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, the Health Council will develop a scientific assessment framework for the derivation of binding Occupational Biomonitoring Levels (OBL). For this purpose the council established the temporary committee Biological Limit Values on 22 March 2023.

Members

  • Prof. F.G.M. Russel, Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, chair
  • Prof. H. Bouwmeester, Professor of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research Centre
  • Prof. M.B.M. van Duursen, Professor Environmental health and Toxicology, Amsterdam UMC
  • Dr W. Fransman, Senior Scientist, TNO, Zeist
  • Prof. I.A. Kreis, Retired Physician-Epidemiologist, Royal College of Surgeans of England
  • Dr E.D. Kroese, Toxicologist, TNO, Zeist
  • Dr.A.L. Menke, Toxicological Pathologist, TNO Leiden Metabolic Health Research
  • Dr S. Peters, Assistant Professor, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht
  • Dr M. Rooseboom, Principal Toxicologist, Shell Product Stewardship, Shell Global Solutions International B.V.
  • Prof. G.B.G.J. van Rooy, Professor of Early detection and Prevention of Occupational diseases, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS) of the faculties Veterinary sciences and Medical sciences, Utrecht University
  • Prof. L.A. Smit, Professor One Health and Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht

Observers:

  • Dr R. Renirie, Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, The Hague
  • D. Theodori MSc, Social and Economic Council, The Hague

Scientific Secretaries:

  • Dr D. Boers, Health Council, The Hague
  • Dr R.H. Mennen, Health Council, The Hague
  • J.P. Schimming, Health Council, The Hague
  • L. Souhoka, Health Council, The Hague
  • Dr S.R. Vink, Health Council, The Hague