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France workplace safety: employer and employee rules
This guide explains the health, safety, and accident reporting obligations for employers and employees in France.
MIGRAGENT wrote this from 10 requirements on the official page, each checked against the government's own wording. Updated 2026-10-02. Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2210
Workplace health and safety obligations
Employers must ensure the health and safety of their workers. They must set up prevention, information, and training actions.[1]
As an employee, you must take care of your own health and safety. You must also look out for the safety of your colleagues. You must do this according to the training and instructions you receive.[2]
Risk assessment documents
Employers must evaluate professional risks for every workstation. You must record these risks in a document.[3]
Your company must have a single risk assessment document. This is called the DUERP. You must put the results of your workstation risk evaluations into this document.[4][5]
Reporting fatal workplace accidents
If an employee dies in a workplace accident, you must inform the labor inspectorate. You must contact the inspectorate that is responsible for the location where the accident happened.[6][7]
You must report the fatal accident immediately. This report must be made within 12 hours of the employee's death.[8][9]
If you only learn about the death after this initial period, you must report it within 12 hours of the moment you find out.[10]
Checklist
- Provide health and safety prevention, information, and training to your workers.[1]
- Evaluate professional risks for every workstation.[3]
- Keep a single risk assessment document (DUERP) for your company.[4]
- Record all workstation risk evaluation results in the DUERP.[5]
Questions people ask
What are my safety duties as an employee in France?
You must take care of your own health and safety and look out for your colleagues. You must follow the instructions and training you receive.[2]
What document must French employers use to record workplace risks?
You must have a single risk assessment document called the DUERP. You must record the risk evaluations for each workstation in this document.[3][4][5]
How quickly must I report a fatal workplace accident in France?
You must report a fatal accident immediately. The report must be made within 12 hours of the employee's death.[8][9]
What if I learn about an employee's death after the reporting deadline?
If you find out about the death after the initial deadline, you must inform the labor inspectorate within 12 hours of learning about it.[10]
Who do I contact to report a fatal workplace accident?
You must inform the labor inspectorate that has authority over the location where the accident occurred.[6][7]
This explains what one official page says. It is not legal advice, and the page itself is the authority. Rules change; the wire reports it when they do.