What the law says
- All companies with employees must complete a written risk assessment (APV).
- The APV has to be in writing.
- There are no requirements about what methods and tools should be used to complete the risk assessment, but you must work through the following steps:
- Identify and map out current health and safety conditions.
- Describe and assess any health and safety issues found.
- Include absence due to illness caused by existing health and safety conditions.
- Prioritise the various health and safety issues and work out an action plan.
- Establish guidelines for how to follow up on the action plan
- The employer must include the Health and Safety Organisation or the employees in APV planning, preparation, completion and follow-up.
- The Health and Safety Representative or another employee representative must sign the APV.
- The employer must ensure that the APV is available to employees, managers and the WEA (Working Environment Authority).
- If the company does not have the resources necessary to complete the APV, the employer must seek assistance to complete it.
- An APV needs to be completed at least every three years, or when there is any major change at the workplace that affects the working environment.
What can the employer do
- Use the insights from previous APVs.
- Uncover any health and safety issues through online surveys, round table discussions, interviews or discussions during branch meetings.
- Consider the degree of anonymity. Anonymity can make it difficult to uncover and follow up on specific issues or problems but can also help encourage honest answers.
- Remember that special attention must be paid to the working environment for pregnant employees - this can be done via the APV in general or by looking at the specific situation in question.
- All issues described in the APV must be addressed and suggestions for how to solve them must be put forward and acted upon.
- Make sure that any relevant Health and Safety Committees or Groups are involved in the work with the APV.
- Decide how you are going to inform and motivate management and employees during the APV process.
- Work out a schedule and follow up on it as you go.
- Make sure that employees know what an APV is and where they can find written and electronic versions. This also applies to temporary staff.
What can the individual person do
- Contribute actively to the APV process.
- Inform a Health and Safety Representative or a manager if you experience any health and safety issues.
Legal basis
- Bekendtgørelse om lov om arbejdsmiljø: § 15 a (in Danish only)
- Bekendtgørelse nr. 1234 om arbejdets udførelse: Kapitel 2 a - Arbejdspladsvurdering (in Danish only)