HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) cards in Norway are mandatory identification for workers in specific sectors to ensure safety and compliance.
These sectors include building and construction, cleaning services, and manual car care, wheel changes, and wheel storage. Both Norwegian and foreign workers must have these cards.
As many of these sectors utilise labour from abroad, it's very important for new employees to understand what these cards are, and why they're important. Read on for the information you need.
What is an HSE Card?
An HSE card identifies the worker and their associated company. It confirms that both the company and the worker are registered in the required public registers.
The card must be visibly worn at work and includes the employee's name, photo, and company name.
Employers are responsible for ensuring their employees have valid HSE cards. They are the property of the employer. Also, when an employee leaves their job, the employer must destroy the HSE card.
Sectors Requiring HSE Cards
In Norway, HSE cards are essential identification tools for workers in specific industries to ensure compliance with workplace health and safety regulations.
The requirement for these cards extends across three primary sectors: building and construction sites, cleaning services, and manual car care, wheel changes, and wheel storage.
Building and Construction Sites
The requirement for HSE cards applies universally to all work conducted in the building, construction, and installation sectors. This includes not only traditional construction work but also any related installation tasks.
The mandate is comprehensive, covering both employees and employers. It also extends to self-employed individuals who are directly involved in the work.
Read more: Construction Jobs in Norway
The cards serve as a crucial means of verifying that all personnel on-site are properly registered and compliant with the necessary public safety standards. According to the Working Environment Act, the construction client or safety representative can ask to see the HSE card.
Exemptions to the requirements include workers only replacing and maintaining production facilities or machines outside construction sites, workers in fixed, permanent establishments like shipyards and prefabricated house factories, and workers performing snow plowing on roads outside construction sites.
Cleaning Services
In the cleaning services sector, HSE cards are mandatory for all workers employed by companies providing cleaning services. This includes a wide range of roles within these companies, ensuring that every individual involved in the cleaning operations is accounted for.
The requirement is not limited to the cleaning staff alone; it also encompasses company owners and general managers.
Moreover, self-employed individuals, including sole traders who do not employ others, must possess an HSE card. The same applies to spouses of these sole proprietors who are involved in the business.
This comprehensive coverage ensures that every individual who might be engaged in cleaning work is properly documented and compliant with health and safety regulations.
Manual Car Care, Wheel Changes, and Wheel Storage
Since July 1, 2022, the sector encompassing manual car care, wheel changes, and wheel storage has also been subject to the HSE card requirement.
This relatively recent addition mandates that all individuals working within this industry must hold valid HSE cards. This includes employees directly engaged in manual car care and related services.
Additionally, company owners and general managers who are involved in these operations are required to have an HSE card. Self-employed individuals working in this sector, as well as spouses of sole proprietors actively participating in the work, must also comply with this requirement.
The introduction of this mandate ensures that safety and compliance standards are upheld across all facets of the car care industry, providing a consistent framework for health, safety, and environmental practices.
The requirement for an HMS card does not apply to companies that have approval from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.
Exemptions to HSE Card Requirement
Certain individuals do not need an HSE card, especially those in non-operational roles or not directly engaged in the specific activities requiring the cards. In addition to specific industry exemptions listed above, the following are also exempt:
Students: Primary and upper secondary school students placed in businesses for practical training are not employed by the business. They cannot obtain an HSE card and must carry confirmation from their school.
NAV Placements: Individuals on placement measures financed by NAV are not employed by the company. They cannot get an HSE card and must bring confirmation from NAV.
Refugees in Training: Refugees in work training or practice through an introduction program are not employed by the business. They cannot obtain an HSE card and must bring confirmation from the municipality.
The confirmation must include the name, date of birth, organisation number of the host company, and the deployment period, serving as documentation during inspections.
Ordering HSE Cards
Employers must order HSE cards. Authorised personnel in companies registered in the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities can order HSE cards through hmskort.no using their electronic ID.
The process includes managing existing cards and delegating ordering responsibilities. New cards cost NOK 129.50, plus MVA (VAT).
