Undesired incidents relating to health, safety and the environment for students

Undesired incidents relating to health, safety and the environment for the students can, for example, refer to injuries, accidents and near-misses on HVL premises, injuries during placements and injuries in labs.

We encourage all students to report any undesired incidents, so that the necessary measures can be implemented to prevent, detect and correct faults and omissions. All such non-conformance represents a potential for HVL to make improvements, and therefore we’re happy to receive as many reports as possible.

In case of student injury

In this context, injury refers to any injury suffered by a student on HVL premises, during teaching or placements.

Injuries that occur on HVL premises must be reported electronically to HVL by the student themselves.

The student can also report the incident to the NAV office in the municipality where the student lives. If the injury occurred during teaching, use NAV form (NAV 13-10.01).

The Student Welfare Organisation offers various support schemes to help with doctors, transport and treatment, as well as counselling with a psychologist, priest, or others. Check their website for more information.

Injury during placements

If an injury occurs while a student is on placement, the workplace has employer’s responsibility and the student has the same rights as the workplace’s other employees. The workplace follows up with the student according to their own guidelines for handling such cases.

The practice site's injury report form is to be filled in as soon as possible detailing the time, any witnesses, the course of events, what damage has occurred etc. This injury report form is delivered to the workplace’s management. The workplace then informs the educational institution of what has happened, and how it was followed up.

In the event of student injury during a placement, students are covered by the National Insurance Act's provisions for benefits in the event of occupational injuries. Per Chapter 13 of the National Insurance Act, the employer, the institution or the injured party is obliged to send an injury report to NAV as soon as possible when a student suffers bodily injury or illness that may entitle them to occupational injury cover (use the form NAV 13-07.05).

Injuries that occur during placements must be reported to HVL by the student themselves (Reporting injuries to HVL via post@hvl.no).

Injury during laboratory work

In general, the Working Environment Act does not apply to students, but there are exceptions. Per the Regulations on the application of the Working Environment Act to persons who are not employees, section 1, students at teaching or research institutions, when they perform work as part of practical training, and the work takes place under conditions that may endanger their lives and health, are regarded as employees in relation to the Working Environment Act, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 18 and 19, with the exception of section 19-2.

Accordingly, students are protected by the law in physics, chemistry, workshop and manual crafting classes, but not during other classroom teaching. As a consequence of this, and in connection with exception management, the same procedure/measures must be implemented for students as for employees in the special rooms in the case of:

  • injuries, accidents and near misses
  • fire and fire outbreaks
  • contamination
  • missing or insufficient protective equipment
  • drafts, noise, poor lighting

Injury insurance

Students at state universities and colleges are not insured through your educational institution, but are covered by the National Insurance Scheme provided that they are members of the National Insurance Scheme. This means that they are covered for occupational injuries for occupational injuries that are inflicted on the teaching site during the teaching period.

If students desire comprehensive coverage in the event of an injury, they must arrange their own, private insurance. It is the student’s responsibility to notify their own insurance company in the event of an injury.

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