Det Nationale Forskningscenter for Arbejdsmiljø (National Research Centre for the Working Environment)

Mission

NRCWE’s mission is to carry out research, communicate research-based knowledge and provide training and education that enables the development of a safe and healthy working environment in Denmark.

Vision

NRCWE’s vision is to produce and communicate high-quality research results of relevance to both stakeholders and partners and for the development of Danish society at large.

Goals

The NRCWE carries out research at the highest international level in order to:

• provide counselling within its core scientific areas;
• communicate research-based knowledge to workplaces, authorities, the social partners and health & safety consultants;
• educate researchers and provide lecturing and supervision for students at universities within its core scientific areas;
• perform tasks for the authorities;
• perform development tasks with a clear societal objective.

Long-term impact goals

The NRCWE has three long-term impact goals for 2014-2018.

1. The working environment challenges of tomorrow and new potential risks at Danish workplaces and in cooperating countries are to be identified, explored and addressed.
2. NRCWE’s working environment monitoring and research-based knowledge contribute to achieving the goals in the strategy for working environment efforts until 2020, including the three reduction targets.
3. NRCWE’s own research and knowledge retrieval constitute an important platform for Danish knowledge accumulation and for working environment regulation and enforcement in Denmark and the EU within the psychosocial, biological, physical and chemical areas, accidents and nanosafety.

Research

NRCWE’s scientific core areas are currently:

• psychosocial working environment
• musculoskeletal disorders
• nanosafety and toxicology
• accidents, prevention and safety culture
• working environment monitoring
• the relationship between the working environment and the labour market, focusing on labour market inclusion and retention, absenteeism, working capacity and related issues.

Research communication

NRCWE publishes its research results in international scientific magazines and systematically publishes research results targeted at players in the working environment sectors, i.e. workplaces, the authorities, social partners, consultants and other professional users of research-based knowledge. In addition, NRCWE arranges presentation and information meetings for its stakeholders.

Broad communication

NRCWE’s communication of research findings to a wider audience is embedded in the Working Environment Information Centre (WEIC). The WEIC is charged with the task of collecting and communicating national and international knowledge about the working environment and to be a one-door entry point for information and knowledge about the working environment that is targeted at users.

Working environment monitoring and knowledge preparedness

The NRCWE monitors developments regarding working environment issues and associated health and safety issues at the workplace. Monitoring of the working environment and the general research activities are the basis for a knowledge preparedness, which in turn is an important tool in monitoring developments in relation to the national working environment targets and in ensuring that the administrative and legislative work of the Ministry of Employment is based on updated Danish and international knowledge.

Education

In cooperation with the universities, the NRCWE participates in education and training activities within NRCWE’s core scientific areas, targeting the researchers of tomorrow by offering supervision to Ph.D. students. In addition, the NRCWE makes the services of lecturers available to universities and provides laboratory facilities, data and supervision to bachelor and thesis students.

External links

[NRCWE]