Directorate General Control on well-being at work

This inspectorate mainly checks workers' well-being at the workplace. This covers a whole range of aspects concerning safety at work, health protection, psycho-social stress caused by work, ergonomics, hygiene at work, embellishment of the workplace, accidents at work and environmental measures taken by undertakings.

This inspectorate is also organised along regional lines (see the following webpages in that regard : https://emploi.belgique.be/fr/propos-du-spf/structure-du-spf/inspection…  and https://werk.belgie.be/nl/over-de-fod/structuur-van-de-fod/arbeidsinspe…) and works closely together with the network of prevention advisers and prevention services which assist employers in looking after their workers' well-being.

These inspectors of well-being at work have the same investigative powers as the other labour inspectors but they have additional options to take action to remedy certain hazardous or health-threatening situations, for example:

• They may prescribe measures intended to exclude any risk or nuisance which in their view constitutes a threat to the health and safety of the workers in the undertakings concerned;
   
• They have the right to demand that by a particular deadline, and immediately in case of immediate danger, changes should be made in order to remedy such risk or nuisance;
   
• They may temporarily or permanently prohibit the use of a room, workplace or dangerous machinery or installations and of particular production processes;
   
• If there is immediate danger, they may have any workplace immediately evacuated.

The employer may appeal against measures ordered by the inspector, but such an appeal does not have suspensory effect.