Technical Working Environment management is committed to establishing and overseeing conditions that promote health, comfort, and operational efficiency for all personnel throughout the entire facility lifecycle. This includes careful consideration of layout and design to ensure a safe and optimal functionality that comply with laws and regulations. This field is integral to every stage of a project, including the Concept phase, Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), and final execution. At its core, the technical working environment places the wellbeing of individuals at the forefront. It ensures that, during both operation and maintenance, workers’ tasks are fully considered in the final design. By adopting this approach, risks are not only identified but also managed proactively, safeguarding those working within the facility.
Typically, depending on project scope, these factors are covered:
-
Ergonomics (arrangement/layout/access),
-
Human Factors
-
Chemical substances
-
Noise & vibration
-
Biological agents
-
Illumination
-
Indoor climate
-
Outdoor operations
-
Radiation
-
Psychosocial & organisational conditions
-
Visual display units
-
Job hazard
.png)
Working Environment Advisory throughout the project lifecycle or asset operation to ensure that design solutions promote a safe and healthy workplace, minimise exposure to harmful factors (e.g., noise, vibration, chemicals, ergonomics), and comply with standards and regulatory requirements.
Risk-Based Workshops for identifying working environment hazards in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary setting such as Working Environment Health Risk Assessment (WEHRA) and Chemical Health Risk assessment (CHRA), enabling early integration of human factors and ergonomics into design decisions.
Performing Working Environment Analyses and Inspections to establish the risk profile by assessing exposure to physical, chemical, and psychosocial factors, benchmarking against acceptance criteria, and recommending mitigation measures
Technical Working Environment risk related studies
and typical deliveries
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
PROGRAM
The Working Environment Programme is a structured plan to manage health and working environment risks throughout all project phases. It outlines objectives, activities, responsibilities, and documentation to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and integration into the project’s HSE framework. The programme promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and systematic risk assessments, such as WEHRA, CHRA, and WEAL, to secure safe and healthy working conditions.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
AREA LIMITS (WEAL)
WEAL defines the maximum permissible exposure levels for working environment factors such as noise, vibration, lighting, and climate (air changes and temperature) in different areas of a facility. These levels are typically framed in concept- and study phase. It provides clear acceptance criteria to ensure that design and operational conditions protect personnel health and comply with regulatory requirements.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
AREA CHARTS (WEAC)
WEAC is a documentation tool in the form of a document containing charts for each room and each area on the facility. Areas that have the same working environment conditions may be represented by a single, typical WEAC. This chart provides an overview of the working environment requirements applicable to the specific area or room, covering factors such as noise, vibration, lighting, radiation, and climate (including air changes and temperature). It directly relates to WEAL (Working Environment Area Limits) by ensuring that each classified area complies with the defined acceptance criteria and exposure limits set by WEAL in the study phase. Opposed to the WEAL, the WEACs will include predicted values and as-built measurements. Additionally, any non-conformities in the specific area. The WEACS are intended to be regarded as live information during all phases of the project. WEACS are typically initiated in FEED phase and are updated through execution phase and finally completed with as-built measurements. This ensures that once an area is categorised, its design and operation can be verified against the correct acceptance criteria, creating a clear link between classification and compliance.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT HEALTH RISK
ASSESSMENT (WEHRA)
WEHRA is a structured assessment used to identify, evaluate, and manage potential health and working environment risks which are introduced to a facility and its personnel. This assessment is conducted in all project phases and includes the important end-users. It focuses on major hazards such as ergonomics/Human Factors, chemical substances, noise, vibration, biological agents, illumination, climate, radiation, psychosocial, and recommends mitigation measures based on a hierarchy: eliminate or substitute hazards first, then apply technical and organisational controls, and use personal protective equipment as a last resort.
CHEMICAL HEALTH RISK
ASSESSMENT (CHRA)
A Chemical Health Risk Assessment (CHRA) is conducted to identify, evaluate, and control chemical health risks to an acceptable level across all activities involving exposure to hazardous chemicals. This assessment ensures that risks are systematically identified, assessed, and managed in a proactive manner throughout operations. Typically, a CHRA is implemented in several phases during a project. Early identification enables organizations to address hazards and risks introduced by new chemicals, such as those associated with new equipment, thereby facilitating the creation of effective, safe, and healthy workplaces, and minimizing the need for modifications during subsequent operations.
The CHRA process takes the form of a structured workshop involving experts such as occupational hygienists, who provide specialized knowledge and insights to enhance the identification and management of chemical health risks.
3D-model of working environment design
3D-model verification of working environment design should be carried out regularly throughout the design development process. During these reviews, the project team uses 3D models to assess whether the design meets working environment requirements related to for example layout and access, and to recommend modifications where necessary. This approach enables early identification of risks and opportunities for improvement, ensuring that layouts support safe and efficient operations. All findings are documented for follow-up and to drive continuous improvement of the working environment.
OUTDOOR RISK ASSESSMENT
An outdoor risk assessment evaluates hazards for tasks performed outside on the facility, considering factors like weather, exposure time, and frequency. Each activity is scored to determine its overall risk level and prioritise mitigation measures. This ensures compliance with safety standards and reduces risks from environmental conditions.
HSE-Checklist equipment packages, new areas and physical inspections
The HSE checklist in NORSOK S-002 is designed to ensure that suppliers and contractors systematically address working environment requirements during design, procurement, and delivery. This checklist ensures all critical HSE aspects, ergonomics, noise, chemicals, and layout, are addressed before equipment is accepted, reducing risk and ensuring compliance. The checklist is also used for inspection of new areas on a facility or during physical inspection of new equipment.
Working Environment Status Report
The objective of the Working Environment Status Report is to give a summary of the various working environment activities that have been undertaken during the execution phase. The report shall reference working environment analysis and reports conducted in the project phase.
