In the Norwegian construction industry, the safety representative (verneombud) plays a crucial role. This person ensures that health, environment, and safety (HSE) are safeguarded on site – and that companies comply with the requirements of the Working Environment Act.

But just as a safety representative needs the right information to do their job, companies also need strong digital tools that guarantee compliance, traceability, and safety across complex projects.

A safety representative is the employees’ elected representative for workplace safety and the working environment. The role is legally required, and the representative has the authority to stop work if there is a serious danger to life and health.

The main responsibilities are to:

• Ensure that safety rules are followed.
• Involve employees in decisions that affect the work environment.
• Act as a bridge between employees, management, and authorities.

In a high-risk industry such as construction, the safety representative is essential for creating a safe and sustainable work environment.

The construction industry is characterized by tight deadlines, many stakeholders, and complex regulations. For a safety representative, this can mean:

• Information chaos – documentation spread across multiple systems and locations.
• Lack of traceability – difficult to prove compliance when information is missing.
• Communication gaps – unclear or outdated data exchanged between contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers.

Even the most committed safety representative can face challenges without proper systems in place.

A safety inspection checklist (vernerunde-sjekkliste) is one of the key tools used by the safety representative in daily HSE work. During site inspections, the checklist helps identify risks, record observations, and document safety measures on construction sites.

When this process is digitalized, findings and actions can be followed up more efficiently, and information becomes available to all stakeholders. With structured data and digital systems such as Cobuilder Collaborate and Cobuilder Supply, documentation from safety inspections can be shared, analyzed, and stored in a traceable way.

This is where structured data and digital platforms play a key role. Cobuilder’s solutions make HSE and safety information accessible, reliable, and traceable – giving safety representatives a stronger foundation to succeed.

• Cobuilder Collaborate
  Enables clients and contractors to set clear HSE and product data requirements. Everyone works from the same standard, reducing errors and risks.
• Cobuilder Supply
  Ensures that manufacturers deliver Safety Data Sheets (SDS), technical documentation, and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) in a structured format. The safety representative can easily check if materials are safe and meet regulatory requirements.
• Cobuilder Connect
  Connects manufacturers, wholesalers, and contractors in one ecosystem, so safety-critical information flows seamlessly across the entire value chain.

When the responsibilities of the safety representative are combined with Cobuilder’s digital systems, both safety culture and regulatory compliance are strengthened.