FAQs about election to the Health & Safety organisation at SDU

Health & Safety regulations demand that Health & Safety representatives are elected by and from among your colleagues if they are to carry out their function as a spokesperson for employees in their work with managers in the Health & Safety group. SDU has made a local agreement lokalaftale, which sets 3 years as the electoral period.

Employees working in the area covered by the Health & Safety group can stand for election as Health & Safety representative.
Election of Health & Safety representatives follows the rules for the election of union representatives. In other words, employees wishing to stand as Health & Safety representative must:

• be employed without management authority
• have been employed at SDU for at least 9 months
• not be employed as student or apprentice

Health & Safety representatives need not be members of a trade union, as is the case with a union representative.
Health & Safety representatives can easily be both Health & Safety representatives and union representatives, as long as the elections take place independently.

The rules for the election of Health & Safety representative can be found under §2 of Cirkulære om Tillidsrepræsentanter i staten mv.

Employees wishing to stand for election as Health & Safety representative state their intention to their departmental head, head of secretariat or area manager, who has initiated the local election. The coordination of the election may have been delegated to someone else, in which case that is the person to whom candidates should declare their intention.
If there is any doubt about the conduct of the election, the local manager or the current Health & Safety representative should be contacted.

Health & Safety representatives are elected by and from among the employees in the area covered by the Health & Safety representative. All employees in that area who do not have management authority can vote. This also applies to apprentices, part-time employees, temporary staff, replacement staff, supply staff and probationers.

The question as to whether someone is a manager is decided through an assessment of the manager’s function and tasks. It is not the work title as manager that decides whether someone is a manager as regards the rules set by Health and Safety legislation. Someone is, therefore, a manager even though they may take part in practical work, as long as a significant part of their time is taken up in managing or monitoring the work of others.

The election takes place among the employees in the area covered by the Health & Safety representative. There may be a group that covers an entire department or a unit in which there are several groups. The local election takes place in principle according to the following model, though there may be local adjustments:

1. The unit manager informs employees by email that it is possible to stand for election as Health & Safety representative for the period [Time period].  It must be clearly stated which criteria apply in order to be eligible, which Health & Safety group one can be elected to and how one can declare candidacy. In addition, it is important that the registered candidates are eligible for election before the election continues.
2. Candidates declare their candidacy to the head of department, head of secretariat or area manager. If instead they have chosen a local contact person, candidacy should be declared to him/her.
3. Election procedure:
   a. If there is only one candidate, the election is uncontested and that person is elected.
   b. If there is more than one candidate, it is a contested election.
4. Election procedure is agreed locally and with due regard to the dangers of infection. The election might, for example, take place by sending vote by email to the acting Health & Safety representative, the union representative or someone else.
5. In the event of a tie, the candidate can be chosen by drawing lots.
6. Unit managers make sure that the election is approved by the dean (the chairman of FAMU) and then the health & Safety Group must be informed.
7. The unit manager inform the Health & Safety Department of the approved election result by sending an email to arbejdsmiljoe@sdu.dk

After the completion of the election:

• The elected Health and Safety representative receives confirmation once their election has been approved by management.
• Newly elected Health & Safety representatives are requested to inform their union (if applicable) of their election with a view to receiving information and support from them.
• Newly elected Health & Safety representatives take part in standing for election and voting for Health & Safety representatives to subsequent elections to Departmental Health & Safety Committee and the Central Health & Safety Committee (only every third year ) or if one representative has left the Committee.
• Elected Health & Safety representatives apply to attend the obligatory Health & Safety Course.  

The electoral period is from 1. January 2021 up to and including 31 December 2023.

The Main Health & Safety Committee have decided that the electoral period must be extended to 31 July 2024 do to adjustments of the stratigic guidelines for health & safety co-orporation.  

Health & Safety representatives are protected from dismissal and from other adverse effects on their working conditions in the same way as are union representatives in the relevant or corresponding area. The situation of Health & Safety representatives may not be worsened as a result of activities associated with their duties. The rules concerning Health & Safety representatives follow rules for union representatives agreed contractually for the area in question. The rules for union representatives can be seen on Cirkulære om Tillidsrepræsentanter i staten mv.

Normally, it is not possible to step down from a position as Health & Safety representative during the electoral period. Nor can colleagues dismiss their Health & Safety representative – the election means commitment from both sides. If the Health & Safety representative’s occupation in the area where they have been elected ceases, then their position as Health & Safety representative also terminates.

If, as a Health &Safety representative, you wish to resign from your post, you must contact the Health & Safety team at arbejdsmiljoe@sdu.dk. The health and safety team will then contact the person concerned with a view to clarifying the options for leaving the profession.

No, it is not possible to choose a deputy.

The unit manager’s task is to initiate the election. The manager can encourage the group of colleagues to have themselves represented in Health & Safety work by, for example, informing them about wishes for a future collaboration on Health & Safety and about examples of current and future tasks. The manager must nor influence a particular election by, for example, encouraging or singling out individuals to stand as Health & Safety representatives. In addition, it is the unit manager’s task to pass on the result of colleagues’ choice to the Health & Safety team.

The working environment organization is an internal organization of the collaboration on working environment. The occupational health and safety organization consists of appointed supervisors and elected occupational health and safety representatives.

The work environment organization works continuously with the daily and strategic work environment tasks. The tasks consist of uncovering and solving existing work environment problems and preventing new ones from arising.

Below, under "Roles and tasks in the work environment organization", it is possible to read more about who handles the various tasks in the work environment organization.

The work environment organization at SDU consists of 84 work environment groups, each of which consists of an elected work environment representative and a designated supervisor. The work environment groups are organized according to the line management structure, and have the task of handling the daily tasks in the work environment organization. Due to the complexity of their organization and the nature of the working environment, some units have been given the opportunity to set up local working environment committees. This means that the head of the unit is the chairman of the committee and must delegate the position of supervisor in the work environment group to a daily manager.

The strategic / coordinating tasks of the working environment organization are handled by the Main Working Environment Committee with support from the main areas' working environment committee; The Faculty Working Environment Committees or Joint Administration Working Environment Committees. 

You can see a principle sketch of SDU's work environment organization on SDUnet.

Health & Safety Groups at SDU. 

The working environment group is responsible for the daily tasks concerning safety and health. It can i.a. be in relation to chemicals, ergonomics, well-being, m.m. The working environment group must continuously contribute to preventing the occurrence of working environment problems, and if the problems arise, they must participate in solving them.

The main tasks of the working environment group are:

• to conduct the annual working environment discussion,
• to organize the co-operation and the work environment work,
• to include occupational health and safety considerations in planning,
• to carry out workplace assessment (APV) and risk assessment,
• to monitor working environment conditions through rounds, observations, dialogue, etc.,
• to participate in the investigation and notification of occupational injuries,
  and to take care of local work environment considerations of importance to the students' physical and mental study environment.
  
  

It is possible to read more about the work environment groups' tasks in the Guidance on the work environment group and on HR's service page on work environment.

The working environment group is responsible for the daily tasks concerning safety and health. It can i.a. be in relation to chemicals, ergonomics, well-being, m.m. The occupational health and safety group must continuously help to prevent occupational health and safety problems from occurring and if they arise from participating in solving them.

The work environment representative participates together with the supervisor in the work environment group to ensure a good work environment and to prevent work environment problems. The work environment representative is available to management and colleagues in matters of work environment. You are not responsible for the working environment as a working environment representative, but participate as the management's sparring partner and colleagues' mouthpiece in the collaboration on working environment.

Local work environment committees are set up in large areas where work environment work is more complex. The local work environment committee at SDU has the task of supporting the work environment group's local work environment work, which involves

• to plan and determine local procedures for the work of working environment groups,
• to control the level of occupational health and safety and the efficiency of occupational health and safety work,
• to contribute to the working environment groups being able to solve their tasks,
• to be a liaison between the work environment groups and the rest of the work environment organization, and to take care of local work environment considerations of importance to the students' physical and mental study environment.

If the work environment representative is elected into a work environment group in a unit with a local work environment committee, the elected member automatically becomes a member of the local work environment committee.

The faculty work environment committees in the individual main areas support the main work environment committee's overall management and coordination of SDU's work environment work. The committees are organized under the faculties and joint administration and participate in the respective collaboration committee meetings.
The work of the faculty work environment committees relates to the planning, management and coordination of the work environment work with regard to:

• health and safety issues of economic impact for the main area
• matters of principle for the area,
• physical working environment,
• control of the working environment level of the main area and the working environment work of the working environment groups,
• and cases of relevance to the main area in which the Danish Working Environment Authority is involved

The faculty work environment committees consist of the head of the main area, a work environment representative and a work leader from the area's work environment groups. However, the Faculty Work Environment Committee at NAT, TEK and SUND has two work environment representatives and two supervisors.

The main working environment committee covers all SDU's geographical units and activities in Denmark. The committee consists of four health and safety representatives, four management representatives and the rector as chairman. There are also two student observers on the committee, and SDU's work environment consultant acts as the committee's daily manager of safety work.

The main work environment committee plans, manages, advises and informs about, and controls SDU's work environment work. Under this, the Main Working Environment Committee has the task of:

• participate in planning and assessment,
• carry out the annual working environment discussion,
• participate in determining the size and composition of the health and safety organization,
• coordinate with other companies in the same workplace,
• advise on solving work environment issues, and on how work environment is integrated into the university's strategic management and daily operations,
• establish principles for adequate and necessary training and instruction and advise on competency development plan,
• ensure that causes of occupational injuries are investigated and cause recurrence to be prevented,
• register SDU's work environment problems,
• control the work environment work,
• prepare a comprehensive overview of occupational injuries annually,
• ensure continued monitoring of compliance with safety regulations,
• ensure that the safety groups are informed and guided about the work,
• stay informed about safety and health regulations
• and to prepare a plan for the work environment organization, and that the employees are made aware of this.

Examples of tasks in the Main Working Environment Committee can be found in minutes from the Main Working Environment Committee.

Once the election of occupational health and safety representatives has been approved by the management, it is recommended that:

• you report the election to your union,
• you sign up for the compulsory work environment training as soon as possible.

You are encouraged to report your choice to your union, where you have the opportunity to attend relevant courses and get help and guidance in your role as a work environment representative. Contact your union for more information on how to report your choice and what options they can offer you.

The choice of course location is made by the individual manager in consultation with the newly elected work environment representative. The compulsory work environment training must be completed within the first 3 months of the work, and a copy of the course certificate must be sent to the Work Environment Office at arbeidmiljoe@sdu.dk.

The working environment office records your course certificate on your personnel case.

If it is not possible to participate in a course every three days, you can complete a training course externally.

When you join, you and the work environment manager must hold a meeting as soon as possible. Here you will be introduced to the tasks, and you can agree on what should happen first. At the meeting, you also discuss cooperation and roles in the work environment group.

The working environment office recommends that you:

• read SDU's Guide to the work environment group, where you get an overview of roles and tasks in the work environment group,
• informs you in the APV mapping and the time and action plan for your area, as well as in the working environment group's annual discussion,
• and reads the Danish Working Environment Authority's guide for Universities and Research.

As a newly elected occupational health and safety representative, you have the right to receive an offer of supplementary occupational health and safety training corresponding to 2 days in the first year of your work as a occupational health and safety representative and 1.5 days each of the following years of your work. It is possible to pool the offers, eg that one year is held 3 days, and the following year no training days are held.

As a member of the Working Environment Organization, you are entitled to the supplementary working environment training, but it is up to the individual member whether you want to accept the offer. The offer must be in writing, for example by agreement in connection with the annual work environment discussion or in an email.

Every year, SDU holds various offers of supplementary work environment training, including half a day at the annual general meeting of the Work Environment Organization. The current offers will be added to SDU employee courses on an ongoing basis.
It is also possible to participate in educational courses outside SDU. See i.a. The Danish Employers' Association's offer of supplementary working environment training.

If you want to get an overview of the Working Environment Organization and the working environment work at SDU, you can go to:

• The working environment organization to find information about the working environment organization's structure and tasks. Here you can e.g. access Guidance on work environment organization to get an introduction to the work environment group's function.
• Work environment groups To see overviews of current work environment groups at the five faculties and in the administration.

You can find more information about and good advice for work environment work on the following pages:

• SDU's portal for working environment
• The Danish Working Environment Authority's (AT) directories (only in Danish)

You always have the opportunity to contact the Working Environment Office at påarbejdsmiljoe@sdu.dk or directly to the Working Environment Manager Merete Skov Habermann (6550 4333) or the Working Environment Consultant Luise Thuesen Marling (6550 2910)

It is possible to find information about the organization of the working environment at SDU in the Local Agreement on the organization of the working environment work at the University of Southern Denmark.

If further information is required about the work environment organization at SDU and / or the election to the work environment organization, the local management or the local work environment group can be contacted. At SDUnet, it is also possible to read more about the work environment organization.

If there are special elective technical questions that require a principled decision, you can contact the Working Environment Office, HR serviceat arbejdsmiljoe@sdu.dk.