NS reports on physical accidents using the Total Recordable Rate (TRR). This covers all occupational accidents resulting in absenteeism or otherwise, per million of hours worked. The TRR fell from 4.5 in 2019 to 3.4 in 2020 . This decrease can be attributed to NS's occupational safety policy, with its management focus on risk inventory and evaluation, a top 5 of risks plus improvement action plans, critical occupational safety processes, periodic consultation between management and staff and among staff members themselves, reporting and dealing with hazardous situations, and accident investigation. The NS Executive Board and management are closely involved in the company's occupational safety policy, and have periodic meetings to discuss progress based on the occupational safety dashboard.
Hazardous materials
In the past year, as part of the hazardous materials programme the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) conducted research into working conditions related to the use of Chromium-6 in the past. The results of this study will become available in 2021.