New Codex on well-being at work

At the beginning of June 2017, ten Royal Decrees - which together constitute the new “Codex on well-being at work” - were published in the Belgian Official Journal. This Codex brings together the many implementing decrees that have been issued since 1993 on the well-being of employees at work in one clearly organised and readable code. Its objective is to make the well-being legislation more accessible.

No substantive changes were made to the implementing decrees: the new Codex does not contain any additional or modified obligations for employers with regard to well-being at work.

The Codex is composed of ten books, which correspond to the ten published Royal Decrees:

• book I: General principles
• book II: Organisational structures and social consultation
• book III: Workplaces
• book IV: Work equipment
• book V: Environmental factors and physical agents
• book VI: Chemical, carcinogenic and mutagenic agents
• book VII: Biological agents
• book VIII: Ergonomic stress
• book IX: Collective protection and individual equipment
• book X: Work organisation and special employee categories

The new Codex on well-being at work can be consulted on the website of the FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue in a handy pdf document.

The Codex already entered into effect on 12 June 2017, but a transitional period of 2 years has been provided (12 June 2019). During this period, references in documents that were drafted in the context of the now-repealed royal decrees to provisions of those decrees shall remain valid.

Thanks to this generous transitional period, you as an employer have the time to check whether your company is using documents and forms that refer to the repealed royal decrees and adapt them as necessary. Contact us if you’d like our help in doing so.

For more information on this topic or for further assistance, you can consult Sébastien van Damme (author) and Sara Cockx (author and unit head).