Regional Safety Representatives
The regional safety delegates (RVO) have been working with HSE on construction sites since 1981. They are safety delegates for employees who do not have their own safety delegate on the construction site – including one-person businesses.
The task of the Regional Safety Representatives is to contribute to improved safety and working environment for employees and one-man businesses in the construction industry. RVO makes unannounced visits to construction sites. All businesses within the industry are covered by the scheme.
The arrangement was established in 1981 based on the special working environment conditions present in the industry. The risk of health injuries and accidents is high. A constantly changing workforce within individual companies and frequent changes of work sites make safety efforts challenging for the companies. The presence of multiple employers and subcontractors on the same construction site further amplifies this effect. RVO's task is to assess the conditions at the temporary workplaces and to encourage increased self-initiative in the work environment area.
This is done by pointing out deficiencies, informing about the regulations, and providing tips for solutions to work environment issues. In the companies where no safety representative has been elected, the regional safety representatives (RVO) have the same duties and rights as an ordinary safety representative. Here, the RVO can halt the work when they believe there is an immediate danger to the employees' life and health. The regional safety representatives also have similar authority over sole proprietorships.
The regional safety delegates shall contribute to the election of safety delegates and to the establishment of working environment committees.
RVO considers it important and necessary to have a good collaboration with the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority. It is crucial to maintain a strong partnership with the union's various organizational units and the different national associations within the construction industry. RVO also has as a prioritized task to disseminate information at secondary schools offering construction trades and construction technical programs.