The French system for the prevention of occupational risks
The French system for the prevention of occupational risks comprises of:
- the Ministry of Labour, which draws up and implements French occupational health and safety policy and manages cooperation with the social partners in the Conseil d’orientation sur les conditions de travail (COCT) :Steering Committee on Working Conditions.
- the social security bodies, which contribute towards occupational risk prevention in the area of industrial accidents and occupational diseases. Exclusively financed by employers’ contributions, the system is managed by the social partners. It is supported by the Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie des Travailleurs Salariés (CNAMTS) : National Health Insurance Fund for Salaried Workers and Caisses Régionales d’Assurance Maladie :regional health insurance funds.
- scientific, operational and medical bodies responsible for preventing, anticipating, spreading awareness of, and managing occupational risks. The main body is the Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail : French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety , which helps to improve knowledge of occupational risk prevention. The Agence nationale pour l’amélioration des conditions de travail : National Agency for the Improvement of Working Conditions, offers advice to companies and takes action in the operational area of occupational risk prevention.
- Lastly, occupational medical services are provided by occupational health officers whose exclusively preventive role lies in ensuring there is no deterioration in the health of workers owing to their work
In a nutshell:
In France, the company head is solely and personally responsible for employee safety and health. The occupational accidents and diseases prevention system is a dual system in France:
• State authorities on one side, and
• Social Security on the other.
In France, trade unions and employer organizations are at the center of the prevention system.
• State authorities on one side, and
• Social Security on the other.
In France, trade unions and employer organizations are at the center of the prevention system.
Young workers
In France a young worker is an employee who is under 18 years of age. A young worker’s employment must not be hazardous to his/her health or development or hinder school attendance. A young worker must be provided with particularly careful guidance and supervision.
When a young person takes part in work based learning it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that the work does not require more exertion or responsibility than can be considered reasonable with respect to the young worker's age and strength. The employer must always provide particularly careful guidance and induction training for young workers.
Young workers aged under 16 must not be assigned to perform hazardous work, not even under supervision. Work is considered hazardous for a young worker if it is such that in it a young worker himself/herself or, through his/her job duties, another person may be at particular risk of an accident or loss of health. The employer must consult the occupational health care service in evaluating health hazards for young workers caused by the work itself and working circumstances in especially harmful and hazardous work.
A young person doing his work based learning may perform hazardous work that is necessary as part of his/her education, if that work is performed under the direction and immediate supervision of a work mentor. It must be possible to perform the work safely. Particular attention must be paid to ensuring that the tools and protective equipment are suitable and safe for the young worker to use Before the hazardous work is initiated, the appropriate Occupational Safety and Health authority must be notified. The prior notice must be submitted to the OSH Division at the Regional State Administrative Agency of the workplace. The prior notice shall be submitted by the organizer of the vocational education together with the employer when the hazardous duty is performed during the vocational education, for example during a period of on-the-job-training. However, organizers of basic education have no liability to make a prior notice. The notice to the OSH authority must be completed when the conditions affecting the safety change substantially. Moreover; the teacher responsible for work based learning shall inform the guardian of a young worker about the hazardous work and the grounds for it in advance.
When a young person takes part in work based learning it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that the work does not require more exertion or responsibility than can be considered reasonable with respect to the young worker's age and strength. The employer must always provide particularly careful guidance and induction training for young workers.
Young workers aged under 16 must not be assigned to perform hazardous work, not even under supervision. Work is considered hazardous for a young worker if it is such that in it a young worker himself/herself or, through his/her job duties, another person may be at particular risk of an accident or loss of health. The employer must consult the occupational health care service in evaluating health hazards for young workers caused by the work itself and working circumstances in especially harmful and hazardous work.
A young person doing his work based learning may perform hazardous work that is necessary as part of his/her education, if that work is performed under the direction and immediate supervision of a work mentor. It must be possible to perform the work safely. Particular attention must be paid to ensuring that the tools and protective equipment are suitable and safe for the young worker to use Before the hazardous work is initiated, the appropriate Occupational Safety and Health authority must be notified. The prior notice must be submitted to the OSH Division at the Regional State Administrative Agency of the workplace. The prior notice shall be submitted by the organizer of the vocational education together with the employer when the hazardous duty is performed during the vocational education, for example during a period of on-the-job-training. However, organizers of basic education have no liability to make a prior notice. The notice to the OSH authority must be completed when the conditions affecting the safety change substantially. Moreover; the teacher responsible for work based learning shall inform the guardian of a young worker about the hazardous work and the grounds for it in advance.
Key legislation
Labour Code, Book III: Representative employee institutions
Labour Code, Fourth Part: Health and safety at work
Third national occupational health plan (2016-2020).
Labour Code, Fourth Part: Health and safety at work
Third national occupational health plan (2016-2020).
For further Information
Second European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2016
Safer and healthier work at any age Country Inventory: France, by Marc Loriol, Lise Oulès and Elena Fries-Tersch, EU-OSHA,, 2015
For more information on the national context see OSH system at national level – France by Philippe Jandrot, OSH Wiki https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/OSH_system_at_national_level_-_France
L. Fulton (2018) Health and safety representation in Europe. Labour Research Department and ETUI (online publication). Produced with the assistance of the Workers' Interest Group of the Advisory Committee for Safety and Health at Work (of the EU Commission). Online publication available at http://www.worker-participation.eu/National-Industrial-Relations.
Safer and healthier work at any age Country Inventory: France, by Marc Loriol, Lise Oulès and Elena Fries-Tersch, EU-OSHA,, 2015
For more information on the national context see OSH system at national level – France by Philippe Jandrot, OSH Wiki https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/OSH_system_at_national_level_-_France
L. Fulton (2018) Health and safety representation in Europe. Labour Research Department and ETUI (online publication). Produced with the assistance of the Workers' Interest Group of the Advisory Committee for Safety and Health at Work (of the EU Commission). Online publication available at http://www.worker-participation.eu/National-Industrial-Relations.