Role and tasks of the Danish WEA

Arbejdstilsynet – the Danish Working Environment Authority (WEA)– is the Danish state body responsible for occupational health and safety and inspects working environment conditions in Denmark.

The Danish Working Environment Authority also inspects whether foreign companies have notified the Register of Foreign Service Providers (RUT) about their service and that the notification is accurate and complete. The Danish Working Environment Authority also functions as the Danish liaison office and coordinates the tasks of informing foreign employers and employees about the regulations for working in Denmark.

The Danish Working Environment Authority is present throughout Denmark, including three regional inspection centres in Copenhagen, Kolding and Hadsten. There are approximately 630 employees in the Danish the Danish Working Environment Authority; approximately 300 of those are inspectors.

What does Arbejdstilsynet do?

Company health and safety problems in Denmark must be resolved through cooperation between employers and employees. The overarching goal of this is to limit work-related accidents, illnesses and attrition in the Danish labour market.

The main strategic activities of Arbejdstilsynet, inspection, communication and regulation, are therefore concentrated on motivating and supporting companies in their own health and safety efforts.

Inspection of the workplace

The Danish Working Environment Authority inspects companies and offers guidance on health and safety conditions in Denmark. Inspections and guidelines are based on the Danish Working Environment Act. Inspections are often carried out without prior notice.

If the Danish Working Environment Authority discovers, during an inspection, that a company is in breach of the legal requirements, the Danish Working Environment Authority will serve notice that the company must ensure that the law is upheld. In certain circumstances, Arbejdstilsynet can also prohibit further work until the health and safety issue has been resolved. The Danish Working Environment Authority also has the option of issuing fines if there is a violation of clear and universally known regulations.

The Danish Working Environment Authority can choose to re-visit following an inspection to check that a company has complied with the improvement notice from the previous visit.

Inspections always take place in combination with dialogue and guidance to ensure that companies understand why the Danish Working Environment Authority has determined that health and safety regulations have been breached and how to work on resolving the issues.

Communication and guidance

The Danish Working Environment Authority communicates information on health and safety and working environment regulations so that companies can themselves prevent or resolve their own health and safety issues. This is done, in connection with inspections, through guidelines and on Arbejdstilsynet’s website:

Work Environment in Denmark (English)

Regulation on health and safety

The Danish Working Environment Authority also contributes to ongoing drafting and adaptation of the regulations on health and safety so that they are targeted, up to date and easy to understand and implement for companies.