The Working Environment Act – Obligations for Clients in the Building and Construction Industry

In the building and construction industry, clients bear a particular responsibility when it comes to the working environment. The Danish Working Environment Act sets out specific requirements and roles that all clients must comply with – not only to protect those working on site, but also to ensure an efficient building process and to avoid possible sanctions. Here, you’ll find an overview of your key responsibilities as a client.

The client as responsible for health and safety

A client is anyone who commissions and finances construction work – in Danish named bygherre. This means a client can be an individual, a company, or an organisation – public or private – behind a given construction project. As the client, you play a central role in organising health and safety on-site. Already at the design stage, you are responsible for integrating health and safety into the planning process. This includes preventing hazardous or inappropriate working conditions from the outset, for example by choosing safe methods, materials, or schedules during the initial planning phase.

Special duties for larger construction sites

Danish occupational safety and health regulations imposes special duties on the client if more than one company is working simultaneously or sequentially on the construction site. In such cases, the client is required to appoint an Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator – both for the design phase and the construction phase. This coordinator must ensure that safety measures are planned, coordinated, and continuously monitored.

The client may appoint anyone who has completed the mandatory training and holds the necessary qualifications to act as an Occulpational Safety and Health Coordinator. This could be someone within your own organisation or an external consultant. At Human House, we have experienced consultants who have acted as external safety and health coordinators on a wide range of construction sites. 

Furthermore, the client is required to draw up a written plan for safety and health (PSS) at the construction site. This plan must be tailored to the actual conditions and risk activities on site, and it must be accessible to all parties involved in the project.

Connecting link between authorities and contractors

The client must also ensure that the requirements and instructions from the authorities regarding health and safety are conveyed to all relevant parties, such as contractors and advisers. In addition, the client must see to it that all participating companies comply with the plan and that any risks are properly addressed and minimised.

What happens if the requirements are not met?

Arbejdstilsynet (The Danish Working Environment Authority) monitors whether the client’s health and safety responsibilities are fulfilled. If Arbejdstilsynet determines that conditions in the working environment do not meet legal standards, this can lead to enforcement notices, fines, or in the worst case, a stop to the work. However, the consequences of neglecting the health and safety obligation can be even more serious: it can result in accidents, sickness absence, and lost resources – harming both employees and the project’s bottom line.

Client responsibility ensures safety and efficiency

As a client, you are obligated to create optimal conditions for health and safety and the working environment on your construction projects. This means ensuring that safety is considered from day one, appointing and supporting a safety and health coordinator, preparing the required plans, and following up to make sure regulations are observed in practice. By taking responsibility for complying with the Working Environment Act, you contribute to a safer, more efficient, and professional construction process – while also preventing accidents and fostering wellbeing.