Follow-up and safeguarding of employees
Requirements relating to the physical and psychosocial working environment. Responsibility, organisation and participation
The Norwegian Working Environment Act and associated regulations impose a number of requirements relating to the physical and psychosocial working environment. The main requirement is that the working environment shall be fully satisfactory based on both an individual and overall assessment of working environment factors that may affect the physical health and welfare of employees.
The working environment shall be fully satisfactory
Furthermore, the Norwegian Working Environment Act also sets out rules relating to responsibility, organisation and participation. The employer is responsible for ensuring compliance with the requirements. However, the act also sets out requirements for individual employees. All employees are, for example, required to use mandatory protective equipment and to report any cases of harassment in the workplace they become aware of. The safety officer acts as the employees’ representative in matters relating to the working environment and will, among other things, actively contribute to the work on internal control systems. Enterprises above a certain size are required to appoint a health and safety committee. The health and safety committee must consist of representatives of the employer and employees alike and shall work to ensure a fully satisfactory working environment.
The employer is also required to ensure that systematic health, safety and environment work is carried out at all levels of the enterprise (internal control). This work must be carried out in collaboration with employees and employee representatives.
The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority is responsible for ensuring compliance with rules and for providing guidance on the requirements that are imposed. The authority may also carry out inspections, issue fines and stop unlawful activities.
The act imposes requirements for the senior executive of the enterprise, safety officers and members of the health and safety committee to complete specific training.
Follow-up on absence due to illness and adaptation
The Norwegian Working Environment Act and the Norwegian National Insurance Act also impose a number of requirements relating to follow-up and adaptations for employees with reduced capacity for work. Among other things, the employer is required to draw up a follow-up plan in consultation with the employee. This work must be initiated as soon as possible and must be followed up in accordance with the specified deadlines.
What do we do?
- advise employers on the content of requirements relating to the physical and psychosocial working environment
- advise employers on the organisation and implementation of safety work
- advise employers on internal control work
- assist employers when following up on allegations of breaches of working environment requirements, for example in the event of whistleblowing
- deliver courses for managers, safety representatives and health and safety committee members
- assist employers in connection with inspections
- assist employers on matters relating to challenging follow-up on absence due to illness