Section 7-1. Obligation to establish working environment committees

(1) Undertakings which regularly employ at least 30 employees shall have a working environment committee on which the employer, the employees and the occupational health service are represented. Working environment committees shall also be formed in undertakings with between 10 and 30 employees when so required by any of the parties at the undertaking. Where working conditions so indicate, the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority may decide that undertakings with fewer than 30 employees shall establish a working environment committee.

(2) Working environment committees may appoint sub-committees.

(3) Notices shall be posted at the workplace giving the names of the persons who are members of the committee at any given time.

(4) The employer and the employees shall have an equal number of representatives on the committee. Representatives of the employer and the employees shall be elected alternately as chairman of the committee. The representatives of the occupational health service on the committee shall have no vote. When votes are equally divided, the chairman shall have the casting vote.

(5) The Ministry may issue regulations with further provisions concerning working environment committees, including their composition, election and terms of office. The Ministry may issue rules providing that on specified conditions other cooperative bodies in the undertaking may act as the working environment committee.