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Roles and responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities

At Aalborg University, we are committed to always complying with occupational health and safety legislation. Everyone who works or studies here has duties and responsibilities that support a safe and healthy working environment. On this page, you can find out what this means for you in your role – whether you are a manager, employee, student, or guest. You can also read about how the Danish Working Environment Authority supervises our occupational health and safety efforts, and what that entails in practice.

Roles and responsibilities

At Aalborg University, we are committed to always complying with occupational health and safety legislation. Everyone who works or studies here has duties and responsibilities that support a safe and healthy working environment. On this page, you can find out what this means for you in your role – whether you are a manager, employee, student, or guest. You can also read about how the Danish Working Environment Authority supervises our occupational health and safety efforts, and what that entails in practice.

What is my responsibility?

Your legal responsibility for safety and health depends on the role you hold at the university – for example, whether you are a manager or a regular staff member. 

The Working Environment Section has prepared a guide that explains this in more detail: Roles and Responsibilities in the Working Environment.

It is quite a long document, but if you have any doubts about your legal responsibilities, it is highly recommended, that you read it.

The table below provides an overview of the responsibilities.

Role under WE- legislation Role holder at AAU Type of liability Possible sanction
Employer Aalborg University (legal entity) Strict (objective) liability Fine
Company manager AAU Executive Management Subjective liability Fine or imprisonment
Supervisor Staff members in management roles (+50 % of the time)* Subjective liability Fine or imprisonment
Employee Non-managerial staff members* Subjective liability Fine or imprisonment
Non-employee Students, guest researchers and others Subjective liability (user liability) Fine or imprisonment

*Staff members with or without managerial responsibilities may, at AAU, have task-related responsibilities on behalf of AAU as employer – for example, ensuring training and instruction, supervising work, or otherwise ensuring safe working conditions for others. This may apply to, for instance, laboratory technicians, supervisors, project managers, and health and safety representatives. However, this does not mean that they assume AAU’s legal employer responsibility.

Inspections by the Danish Working Environment Authority (Arbejdstilsynet)

It is in Aalborg University's interest to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Danish Working Environment Authority at all departments.

Through this dialogue, AAU's departments receive valuable input that helps ensure the ongoing working environment efforts have the right focus and lead to satisfactory results for the benefit of all AAU employees.

Therefore, inspections by the Working Environment Authority are welcome at AAU.

Good advice about inspections

To get the most out of supervisory visits, it is important that all managers and employees understand the role and working methods of the Danish Working Environment Authority, and that they are as prepared as possible when the Authority arrives.

The Work Environment Section has prepared a guide where you can read more about the Working Environment Authority – how you can prepare for supervisory visits, and what responses you can expect from the Authority.

Når Arbejdstilsynet kommer på besøg 2024 (in Danish)

If you would like the assistance of the Working Environment Section in preparing for your visit or participating during the actual visit, you are welcome to contact AMS at: arbejdsmiljoesektion@adm.aau.dk.

Links to materials from the WEA

The Danish Working Environment Authority’s website
Here you can find laws, executive orders, EU directives, and guidelines on the working environment. Not everything is translated into english.

Workplace Denmark
This is a website where several Danish authorities, including the Danish Working Environment Authority, provide information about working conditions, health and safety, and tax matters in Denmark. Here you can find useful information to help guide your international colleagues.