Occupational Safety and Health

The company is responsible to ensure that the workplace meets the requirements for a healthy and safe working environment. Our team has extensive experience in advising on safety and health in the workplace.

Additionally, we have experience assisting companies in cases where a work-related injury has occurred or when the company has received an order or a fine from the Danish Working Environment Authority.

Which rules apply? 

The Working Environment Act establishes the framework to protect employees and ensure a healthy and safe working environment. The legislation regulates both the physical and psychological working environment. This means that employees are protected against heavy lifting, dangerous work processes, as well as harassment and bullying.

There are specific rules for certain industries which require special protection of employees due to risky working conditions in those industries. For example, the construction industry may have specific considerations for employees working in heights on construction sites, using special lifting and transport equipment, or who are exposed to higher-than-normal noise levels. These rules are stipulated in the Danish Working Environment Authority's guidelines for each specific industry.

Employer's duties 

According to the Working Environment Act, employers have a duty to ensure a healthy and safe working environment.

If there are recognized norms and standards for the particular industry, the employer must ensure that these are adhered to.

Employers have several general obligations under the Working Environment Act, including:

• Ensuring that work is planned and organized in a way that allows it to be carried out in a safe and healthy way
• The duty of effective supervision of work
• The duty of training and instruction in the work
• The duty to prepare a written workplace assessment (WPA)

Workplace Assessment (WPA) 

It is a legal requirement for companies with employees to prepare a Workplace Assessment (WPA) which covers all working environment conditions in the company. The WPA is a tool for companies, designed to allow them to work systematically and effectively with the company’s work environment. Even though it is the employer's responsibility to prepare a WPA, both employees and management have a duty to collaborate throughout the entire WPA process. It must be clearly stated who is responsible for ensuring that the company's action plan is implemented in practice. The WPA should be accessible to both management and employees.

Littler | Denmark can assist with:

• Advising the organization how to plan the work to meet the health and safety standards
• Drafting relevant workplace policies, including WPA policies, smoking policies, harassment policies, etc.
• Conducting WPA processes
• Representation in cases of violation of HSE rules
• Advising companies in connection with industrial injuries and occupational diseases