The physical working environment is everything you can see, hear and measure: premises, machines, noise, light, indoor climate, heavy lifting and substances. The law has many concrete requirements here, and the most important are in chapter 4 of the Working Environment Act (arbeidsmiljøloven) and in the regulations.
General requirements
The Working Environment Act (among others section 4-4) requires that the workplace, the equipment and the working methods are satisfactory. Some conditions you should have under control:
- Premises and workplaces: enough space, good order, safe walkways, escape routes, first aid equipment and fire protection.
- Indoor climate: ventilation, temperature and air quality.
- Light: good lighting for the tasks.
- Noise and vibration: measurement and measures when the level can harm hearing or health.
- Machines and equipment: properly guarded, maintained and used only by people who have been trained.
- Rest and welfare facilities: break rooms, toilets and changing rooms.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics means fitting the work to the person, and not the other way round. Poor ergonomics causes muscle and skeletal complaints, which are among the most common causes of sickness absence.
- Heavy lifting and manual work: use aids, split up the load, train good technique and alternate between tasks.
- Office work: height-adjustable desk, a good chair, screen at the right height and breaks from sitting.
- One-sided, repetitive work: variety and micro-breaks.
- Home office: you also have a responsibility for the working environment when an employee works from home. The home office regulations (hjemmekontorforskriften) have some special rules. Agree what you will do about equipment and follow-up.
The law sets no single weight limit for lifting. You must assess the risk in each case: weight, frequency, working position and who does the work.
Chemicals and hazardous substances
Many businesses use chemicals, from cleaning products to solvents. You must:
- Survey which substances are used, and make an overview, often called a chemical register (stoffkartotek).
- Get safety data sheets (SDS) from the supplier and keep them easy to reach.
- Assess the risk for the employees, in use, storage and waste.
- Replace hazardous substances with less hazardous ones when possible.
- Put measures in place: extraction, closed systems, labelling and protective equipment.
- Give the employees training.
The regulations have their own limit values for how much of some substances employees can be exposed to.
Training
Under section 8-1 of the regulations on organisation, management and employee participation, the employer must make sure that employees who use equipment, handle substances or are exposed to risk have received the necessary training. The training must:
- be repeated when needed,
- be given in a language the employees understand,
- take particular account of young people under 18.
The regulations have their own training requirements for some high-risk work, for example work with asbestos, scaffolding, forklift trucks and cranes.
Remember
- Physical conditions must be satisfactory. Survey noise, light, climate, lifting and substances.
- Ergonomics: fit the work to the person.
- Chemicals: overview, safety data sheet, risk assessment and training.
- Training must be given in a language the employees understand.