Occupational health and safety training at Aarhus University

Mandatory training within three months after you have been elected

If you have been elected or appointed as an occupational health and safety representative or an occupational health and safety manager, you will have to complete mandatory occupational health and safety training within three months after entering the occupational health and safety organisation. This will provide you with the necessary knowledge about the work environment, and about preventive, systematic and targeted methods to promote a safe and healthy work environment.

Supplementary occupational health and safety training every year

In addition to mandatory occupational health and safety training, occupational health and safety representatives and occupational health and safety managers must be offered two days (15 hours) of supplementary occupational health and safety training during the first year after their election. Moreover, in subsequent years, they must be offered 1½ days (11 hours) of supplementary occupational health and safety training.

Scope and time

As a general rule, the offer will expire if it is not accepted.
It is possible to agree to combine two years’ supplementary course activity into a total of three days of training. However, this does not apply to the supplementary training which must be offered during the first year after election.
The two days of supplementary training which must be offered during the first year after the election must be offered and scheduled to begin within the first nine months after the completion of the mandatory occupational health and safety training.
In subsequent years, the 1½ days of supplementary training, which must be offered, must be offered and be scheduled to begin within the same year.
If you agree to combine two years of supplementary training, written documentation of this agreement is required for the Danish Working Environment Authority e.g. in the form of minutes, emails etc.

Documentation

The employer (department level (Aarhus BSS, ST, HE)/school level (Arts)) must be able to document in writing to the Danish Working Environment Authority that supplementary occupational health and safety training has been offered.
The type of documentation is voluntary, e.g. minutes of meetings, emails or other.

Competency development plan

Each year, the employer (department level (Aarhus BSS, ST, HE)/school level (Arts)) must ensure that a competency development plan for supplementary occupational health and safety training is prepared for occupational health and safety representatives and occupational health and safety managers in the occupational health and safety organisation.
The plan can be one overall plan for all the members of the occupational health and safety organisation, or it can be one plan for each member.
For example, the plan can be prepared in connection with the annual work environment dialogue.

Content of supplementary training

The employer and the members of the occupational health and safety organisation must discuss next year's competency development plan during the annual work environment dialogue. In the event of disagreement, the employer will decide what the plan should contain.
Ordinary occupational health and safety organisation meetings, the annual work environment dialogue and, for example, a course in setting up a machine are not considered as supplementary occupational health and safety training.
Training must be relevant in relation to the tasks and functions of the members of the occupational health and safety organisation, and ensure continuous and targeted upgrading of competencies within the occupational health and safety organisation.

Occupational health and safety representatives and occupational health and safety managers at AU must arrange this themselves with their respective managers and sign up for the internal or external supplementary courses to help their efforts to improve the work environment. The Faculty/Administration Occupational Health and Safety Committees (FAMU/AAMU) should discuss the competencies needed to address the challenges faced by employees, e.g. in connection with workplace assessments (WPA).

Proposals for supplementary training

AU HR collaborates with several authorised occupational health and safety advisers offering supplementary training, and AU HR itself offers some training programmes.

Crecea courses (in Danish) (expenses are paid locally)
Joblife courses (in Danish) (expenses are paid locally)
Arbejdsmiljøcentret courses (in Danish) (expenses are paid locally)
AU HR courses on work environment and wellbeing

Occupational health and safety training and courses