Responsibilities and duties in the line

The University Board approves overarching goals, strategies and priorities for HSE work, supervises through annual reporting so that these are followed up and ensures that resources are allocated to follow up on goals, strategies and priorities that are set; § 9-2 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. 

The Rector is responsible for ensuring that HSE duties assigned to the University Board are carried out; Act relating to Universities and University Colleges § 10-1 and Instructions for the Rector.

The department directors at UiT's University Academic Services (FAdm) take care of the day-to-day responsibility that is assigned to the Rector in this description. The Administrative director acts as a link between the departments in FAdm and the Rector.

The Director of the Financial and Organization Division (ORGØK) has the day-to-day responsibility for:

• UiT's overall HSE regulations
• Electronic systems used in HSE
• Central safety training
• Entering into main contract regarding occupational health services
• Preparation of an annual report on the organization’s HSE practice to the University Board
• Secretariat responsibility for the Working Environment Committee (AMU).

The Director of the Department of Property management (BEA) is responsible for the management, operation and maintenance of UiT's entire building stock, including fire protection and security. The department is also responsible for the planning and implementation of new building projects, operation of the buildings, outdoor areas, and postal service.

Boards at level 2 shall, in line with Statutory requirements, The Instructions for the governing bodies at UiT, UiT's strategic priorities and goals for HSE, UiT's HSE regulations and local challenges:

• Adopt the faculty's/unit's HSE goals and action plans.
• Ensure that the necessary funds are made available.
• Carry out annual internal control and manage HSE status.

In this context, a manger is the formal management position with responsibility for staff in the area. The manager is responsible for HSE work within his or her area of responsibility and shall, in line with Statutory requirements, Instructions for managers at UiT, UiT 's HSE regulations, strategic goals and local challenges, plan and implement measures for a fully satisfactory working and learning environment. 

Managers are obliged to undergo training in HSE work, cf. AML § 3-5. The training must be documented in writing. The training is personal and cannot be delegated. The manager's responsibilities and duties in HSE work are described in more detail in the guidelines for systematic HSE work.

UiT's HSE work has been chosen to be organized with various support functions distributed throughout the organization. Level 1 has academic leadership and specialist functions. The faculties have HSE advisors who support managers and employees in their work. UiT's overall academic community is expected to contribute actively to the institution's overall work so that common initiatives and priorities are achieved.

Persons who have been delegated HSE tasks involving directing or supervising of other employees or students (e.g. office manager, leaders of research group, subject group leader, HSE adviser, radiation protection coordinator, laboratory supervisor) shall ensure that HSE is taken into consideration when the tasks they have been delegated are being planning and carried out, cf. AML § 2-3(3) and UiT's HSE regulations.

These persons must have the necessary competence to ensure that the work is performed in proper manner with regard to health and safety, cf. Section 3-2(1b) of the AML. This training must be documented in writing.

An employee is anyone who performs work in the service of another; AML § 1-8 (1). This covers everyone who is employed at UiT.  If doubt arises about whether UiT is the employer of a person, this shall be clarified in each individual case and employer's responsibility shall be agreed in writing.

An employee has a duty to cooperate. This means that employees shall cooperate on the design, implementation, and follow-up of UiT's systematic HSE work. Employees should keep themselves updated about the working environment situation at their own workplace, show responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others, as well as take the initiative and participate in safety and working environment work at their workplace. Pursuant to AML § 2-3 and § 2-4, all employees shall:

• Use mandatory protective equipment, exercise caution and otherwise contribute to preventing accidents and injuries to health.
• Immediately notify the employer and safety representative and, to the extent necessary, other employees when he/she becomes aware of faults or defects that may involve danger to life or health, and one cannot rectify the situation.
• Interrupt work if he/she considers that work may not continue without involving danger to life or health.
• Ensure that the employer and safety representative is notified as soon as he/she become aware of harassment or discrimination at the workplace.
• Notify the employer of injuries or illnesses he/she suffers and which he/she believes are due to the work or conditions at the workplace.
• Cooperate on preparation and implementation of follow-up plans in connection with total or partial absence from work owing to accident, sickness, fatigue or the like.
• Participate in a dialogue meeting when summoned by the employer, cf. AML § 4-6(4).
• Obey instructions issued by the Norwegian Labour Inspection AuthorityProvide notification of blameworthy conditions in the organization.

While staying on university's property and during expeditions and field work (cf. coordination agreements, Regulations relating to systematic HSE work and regulations for field work and seagoing expeditions), people who are not considered to be employees have equivalent obligations as employees, cf. AML § 1-6.

Students are obliged to conform to the goals and plans that apply to HSE work at UiT, and which relate to them.

Work performed by students as practical training for teaching or research purposes shall be subject to AML provisions when the work is performed under conditions that may endanger risk to life and health. This applies, for example, to laboratory work, teaching in workshops and fieldwork/seagoing expeditions. In these cases, the students' rights and obligations in the systematic HSE work are the same as those that for employees, cf. AML § 1-6 and the Regulations on the application of the Working Environment Act to persons who are not employees, § 1.

For studies required to implement practical training, the faculty shall assess how the practical training provider takes care of considerations to health, safety and the environment and agree on how the follow-up of HSE work shall occur.

In other aspects of the study situation (reading rooms, auditoriums, computer labs, etc.), the Working Environment Act does not apply. Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 4-3 outlines how the physical working environment/learning environment for the students shall be designed. The Learning Environment Committee (LMU) at UiT supervises that UiT fulfils the provisions on the learning environment set out in Section 4-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges.

Doctoral students who have an employment contract with UiT are considered employees at UiT. For doctoral students registered at UiT but who have an employer other than UiT, the faculty shall in each case ensure that the employer's responsibility is clarified in writing, including how HSE is taken care of.