The employer shall ensure that a register is kept of employees exposed to certain harmful conditions. This is stated in the Regulations concerning the performance of work, Chapter 31.
The purpose of the register of exposed employees is for the employer to have a list of workers who are, may be or have been exposed to harmful conditions. The register shall also facilitate the tracking of these employees over the long term and document exposure that may entitle them to occupational injury compensation. The register may also be used for future risk assessments in order to implement exposure and infection control measures.
New registration method
In the past, different understandings of the requirements have posed challenges for the design of the registers. This has led to large differences between the companies in the processing and the quality of data.
Benefits of maintaining the register in accordance with the new guidelines:
- Standardised registration: The new guidelines ensure unified record keeping that promotes equality of treatment across the entire industry.
- Uses existing information: The registration utilises already available data by compiling existing personnel data and survey results, without the need for new activities.
- Simplified risk picture: The compilation of information in the register of exposed employees provides a clear and simplified risk picture that can be used when communicating about the chemical working environment risk to company management.
- Research purposes: Data may be used for research purposes, to help detect correlations between exposure and damage to health.