The Occupational Health and Safety Act states that in companies with 10 or more employees, a working environment representative should be elected by the employees from among their number. The working environment representative is elected for a period of up to 4 years and represents all of the employees in matters of occupational health and safety.

The obligations of the working environment specialist are as follows:

1. to monitor the implementation of occupational health and safety measures in the workplace and to ensure that employees are supplied with personal protection equipment in good working order;
2. to participate in the investigation of occupational accidents and illnesses occurring in their area of work;
3. to immediately inform other employees and the employer or the representative of the employer of any risk situations or shortcomings in the working environment and to request that the employer rectify the situation or shortcoming as quickly as possible;
4. to be fully conversant with the mandatory guidelines and legal acts applicable to employees; and
5. to ensure that employees are being provided with the knowledge, guidance and training they require in the field of occupational health and safety.

The working environment representative must not be left in a disadvantageous position as a result of fulfilling their duties should a conflict of interests arise between the representative and the employer.

The employer shall organise and cover the costs of any training that working environment representatives require for the fulfilment of their duties and enable the representatives to carry out their duties during working hours.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act states that in companies with at least 50 employees the employer must convene a working environment council with an equal number of representatives appointed by the employer and elected by employees. The council is a cooperative body of representatives of both the employer and the employees which works to resolve occupational health and safety issues within a company. The council must have at least four members, who are elected for a period of up to four years.

The tasks of a working environment council are as follows:

1. to regularly analyse the working conditions in the company, to register any problems, to make proposals to the employer in regard to resolving them and to monitor the fulfilment of any decisions taken to this end;
2. to participate in the preparation of the company’s occupational health and safety development plan as well as in the preparation of reconstruction, repair, technological update and other plans;
3. to examine the results of internal audits of the working environment in the company and, where necessary, to make proposals in regard to the elimination of shortcomings;
4. to analyse occupational accidents and illnesses and other work-related illnesses and to monitor the implementation of measures by the employer to prevent them; and 
5. to assist in developing appropriate working conditions and procedures for female employees, underage employees and employees with disabilities.

Employers are responsible for organising and covering the cost of training for the members of a working environment council. Training should take place in working hours, during which these employees must be guaranteed their average salary.