Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about Regional Safety Representative (RVO), scope and the fee.
You can find contact information to your regional safety representatives here
About the scheme and scope
What is the scheme’s background?
The scheme was established by the government in cooperation with the social partners in 2012
The objective of the scheme is to ensure that health, safety and working environment conditions in the hotel, restaurant and cleaning industry comply with the Working Environment Act and applicable regulations. The scheme includes businesses within accommodation, food service and commercial cleaning
The scheme of regional safety representatives is organized as a foundation with a three-party Fund Board as the responsible entity. The Fund Board is comprised of two representatives at the industry level from the employer side (NHO Service and Norwegian Hospitality Association), two from the employee side (Norwegian Union of General Workers and Norwegian United Federation of Trade Unions) and one from government (Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority).
For whom is the scheme?
All businesses that are obliged to have a license to serve food and/or alcohol, and those who have applied/should have applied for approval to sell cleaning services (Renholdsregisteret), are included in the scheme.
The range of application for this scheme is regulated in the Regulations concerning organization, management and employee participation, § 6-1
This applies to companies with or without employees
Who has signed us up for the scheme?
This is not a scheme in which companies can optional in or out. Companies that are registered within the industries in the Brønnøysund Register Centre. It applies to companies with primary and secondary industry code (NACE code) in accommodation (55), food service (56) and cleaning (81.2).
Companies with food service/ alcohol serving licenses or those that have applied for approval for cleaning are included in the scheme
The legal basis for the scheme and the fee is regulated by two sets of regulations under the Working Environment Act: Regulations on organization, leadership and participation. Chapter 6, § 6-1 and Regulations relating to administrative schemes under the scope of the Working Environment Act. Chapter 14, § 14-3
About Regional Safety Representative (RVO)
What is the scheme’s background?
The scheme was established by the government in cooperation with the social partners in 2012
The objective of the scheme is to ensure that health, safety and working environment conditions in the hotel, restaurant and cleaning industry comply with the Working Environment Act and applicable regulations. The scheme includes businesses within accommodation, food service and commercial cleaning
Who are the Regional Safety Representative (RVO)?
The RVO have broad experience from the accommodation, food services and the commercial cleaning service. They are co-located with the Labour Inspection Autority’s regional offices, but operate independently of the Labour Inspection Authority’s activities.
At the start in 2013, we were 12 regional safety representatives. In autumn 2017, the scheme was strengthened by the employment of 4 new regional safety representatives Today we are 16 regional safety representatives, which have an office location in; Oslo (6), Moss (2), Skien (1), Kristiansand (1), Bergen (2), Trondheim (2) og Tromsø (2)
You can find contact information to your regional safety representatives here
What do the Regional safety representatives (RVO) do?
Regional safety representatives shall:
• Contribute to the establishment of safety representatives.
• Step into the role of safety representative, as needed
• Contribute to securing a unitization agreement for health, environment and safety work in work places with several employers in the same space.
• Make sure the safety representatives in the business functions as intended
• Provide advice and guidance to safety representatives and management about issues concerning health, environment and safety.
• Contribute to strengthening HES routines and making sure that existing safety representatives function as intended.
• Provide advice and guidance to the business and its safety representatives regarding health, environment and safety in the workplace.
The focus of this scheme is on small and medium sized businesses that do not have their own safety representatives.
About the Fee
Who needs to pay?
The fee must be paid by anyone who runs a company within accommodation, food service and commercial cleaning.
- Businesses that have /should have applied for a license to serve food and/or alcohol.
- All Businesses that have applied/should have applied for approval to sell cleaning services.
The range of application for this scheme is regulated in the Forskrift om administrative ordninger på arbeidsmiljølovens område §14-3.
What is the legal basis for the fee?
The legal basis for the scheme and the fee is regulated by two sets of regulations under the Working Environment Act:
Regulations on organization, leadership and participation. Chapter 6, § 6-1
The range of application for the fee is regulated in the Forskrift om administrative ordninger på arbeidsmiljølovens område §14-3.
How much do I pay?
For sole proprietorships (without employees), the fee is NOK 250.
For businesses that are established this tax year, the fee is NOK 250.
For businesses with a primary industry code (NACE-code 55, 56 and 81.2) and several employees, the fee is calculated from 0.045 % of gross salaries/wages from the previous year (same basis as the payroll tax). The minimum amount you have to pay is NOK 250.
For businesses with a secondary industry code (NACE-code 55, 56 and 81.2), or businesses listed in other industries (but that do business in the accommodation, food service or commercial cleaning industries), the fee is calculated from 0.045 % of gross salaries/wages for the employees who work in accommodation, food service or commercial cleaning. The minimum amount you have to pay is NOK 250.
If the business is only active during parts of the year, you pay the minimum fee of NOK 250. Businesses with no activity at all, are not obligated to pay the fee. Please contact the secretariat if your business has no activity this year.