• 1- How much will you be paying per employee?
• 2- How does the system of prevention units work (only for category A/B/C+ companies)?
• 3- What are the basic services available to category C- and D companies in exchange for the mandatory fixed contribution?
• 4- What if you require services other than the ones included in the basic package (category C- and D companies) or after the allocated number of prevention units has been used up (category A, B or C+ companies)?

The latest detailed version of the tariff lists can be consulted on MyMensura.

In the past, employers had to pay higher fees to the external department for workers at a higher risk for workplace injuries or illness (mainly labourers) than for those less at risk (mainly white-collar workers). You will be paying the same minimum amount for every employee, whether the employee is under health surveillance or not.

However, the minimum contribution may differ from company to company. 5 fee categories will be used. How much each organisation needs to pay will depend on the following criteria:

• Their main activity (based on NACE coding).
• The number of people employed.

The table below lists the minimum contributions payable for each employee, based on the number of people employed by the company, and the company’s fee category.

For those employees not registered in the system for a full calendar year, you will need to pay one twelfth of the mandatory fee for every month the employee has at least worked one (half a) day. Also, you will need to pay the full annual fee if your external department has already provided a personalised service to the employee in question.

The latest detailed version of the tariff lists can be consulted on MyMensura.

• Category A companies: companies with an internal level 1 prevention advisor
• Category B companies: companies with an internal level 2 prevention advisor
• Category C+ companies: category C companies with an internal level 1 or 2 prevention advisor

A system of prevention units is introduced for companies with their own internal, fully-trained level 1 or 2 prevention advisor (category A, B or C+ companies). Your mandatory fee will be converted into prevention units.

These prevention units can then be used to acquire the services of an external department for prevention and protection in the workplace. However, certain weighting factors must be taken into account: whereas the services of a prevention advisor use up one prevention unit, the services of an occupational health physician will use up 1.25 prevention units for the same length of time, while the services of a nurse or assistant prevention advisor will use up 0.75 prevention units.

Prevention units are to be used primarily for ‘priority services’, such as:

• health surveillance,
• psychosocial guidance (stress, burnout, aggression and trauma).

Then, the prevention units can also be used for ‘recommended services’, such as:

• ergonomics,
• safety,
• environmental care,
• industrial hygiene and toxicology,
• health promotion (preventive medical exams and lifestyle advice).

Want to keep going with your current annual health surveillance programme? Then you will have less funds available to invest in more pressing health-related needs of your company, such as promoting the overall well-being of your workers in their current job positions, providing training, offering advice for a healthier lifestyle, etc. Discuss your options with your external department for prevention and protection to get the most out of the services available.

• Category C- companies: companies with fewer than 200 employees and an internal level 3 prevention advisor (basic level). If your company has fewer than 200 employees and an internal level 1 or 2 prevention advisor, then it is considered a category C+ company on a par with category A and B companies.
• Category D companies: companies with fewer than 200 employees where the role of internal prevention advisor is performed by the employer.

Category C- and D companies without a level 1 or 2 prevention advisor can make use of a range of basic services provided by an external department for prevention and protection in exchange for the mandatory fixed contribution.

The basic package covers many different areas, such as:

• active participation in risk assessments and the development of a policy plan,
• health surveillance services,
• assistance and counselling following serious occupational accidents,
• spontaneous consults,
• tasks related to psychosocial aspects: as soon as the requesting party consents to mediation, the external department will contact the employer to set up a meeting, and the services provided will be charged accordingly,
• …

For services other than those included in the basic package (C-/D) or after you have used up the allocated number of prevention units (A/B/C+), the external department will charge you separately in accordance with the fee schedule for additional services.

These are statutory minimum rates.

Mensura will keep you up to date with the latest developments and how these may affect your company’s policy on health and wellbeing.

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