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DUERP
Document Unique — France

Code du Travail · Article L.4121-3 · Mandatory Risk Assessment · CSE

DUERP (Document Unique d'Évaluation des Risques Professionnels) creation, review, and annual updates. Expert French workplace risk assessment support aligned with the Code du travail and Loi Santé au Travail 2021.

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What Is DUERP?

DUERP — France's Mandatory Workplace Risk Assessment Document

The Document Unique d'Évaluation des Risques Professionnels (DUERP) is the core occupational health and safety compliance requirement for all employers in France. Under Article L.4121-3 of the Code du travail, every employer with one or more employees must produce, maintain, and update a DUERP.

The DUERP is the single, centralised risk assessment document that records all identified workplace hazards, evaluates the severity and likelihood of risks to employees, and sets out prevention and control measures. It is a living document that must be updated annually and made accessible to employees, their representatives (CSE), occupational health services, and labour inspectors.

Contact our DUERP specialists today
Why DUERP Matters

Why DUERP Matters — More Than a Compliance Document

The DUERP is the legal expression of the employer's obligation de sécurité de résultat — the duty to achieve a safe workplace, not merely to make reasonable efforts.

Under French labour law (Code du travail), the employer must:

Systematically identify all workplace hazards — physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, organisational, and psychosocial

Evaluate those risks consistently using severity and likelihood criteria

Document them in a single central document — the DUERP

Implement and track prevention measures to eliminate or control risks

Update the DUERP annually, and whenever significant changes occur in operations, equipment, workforce, or following incidents

Legal Foundation

Legal Foundation of the DUERP

The DUERP requirement stems from Article L.4121-3 of the Code du travail, which imposes on employers a general duty to assess professional risks and to take all necessary measures to protect workers' physical and mental health. This was significantly reinforced by the Loi du 2 août 2021 (Loi Santé au Travail), which introduced new requirements for DUERP retention, accessibility, and archiving.

Failure to maintain a compliant DUERP — or to update it — constitutes a breach of the employer's obligation de sécurité de résultat and can lead to criminal liability, administrative sanctions, and significantly increased civil exposure in the event of a workplace accident or occupational disease.

Who Must Prepare

Who Must Prepare a DUERP?

Every employer in France with one or more employees must have a DUERP. There is no exemption by size, sector, or risk level. This includes:

Sole-trader employers with a single employee

Small and medium enterprises (PME)

Large corporations and groups with multiple French establishments

Multinationals with French operations or employees based in France

Temporary employment agencies and their host enterprises

The DUERP is a legal requirement from the moment you hire your first employee in France. It is not optional.

DUERP Requirements

What a Compliant DUERP Must Contain

A compliant and effective DUERP must:

1. Record All Identified Risks

Document hazards across all work activities, roles, and locations — including physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, organisational, and psychosocial risks (risques psychosociaux / RPS). The inventory must be systematic and comprehensive.

2. Evaluate Risk Severity and Likelihood

Each risk must be evaluated using consistent criteria that consider severity of potential harm, likelihood of exposure, and the number of workers potentially affected. A risk matrix or scoring methodology is commonly used.

3. Document Prevention and Control Measures

For each identified risk, the DUERP must:

Describe existing prevention measures already in place

Prioritise additional actions to improve safety

Assign responsibility, target deadlines, and resources

This forms the basis for the PAPRIPACT (annual prevention programme) for companies with 50+ employees.

4. Include Prioritisation and Action Planning

The DUERP must enable employers to identify the most critical risks and set out a structured pathway to eliminate or reduce them — linking directly to the PAPRIPACT where applicable.

5. Set Review and Update Procedures

Under the Loi du 2 août 2021, the DUERP must be updated:

At least once per year for companies with 11 or more employees

Whenever significant changes occur in operations, equipment, processes, or workforce

When new risks are identified

Following any workplace accident or occupational disease

Management Tool

How the DUERP Supports Health & Safety Management

Embed systematic risk identification and control into everyday operations

Facilitate social dialogue with employees and their representatives (CSE)

Provide documented evidence of due diligence in the event of an inspection or incident

Integrate occupational risk prevention into business planning and budgeting

Support continuous improvement in workplace health and safety performance

By consolidating all risk assessments across roles, departments, and hazard types into one document, the DUERP also enhances transparency, traceability, and accountability.

Employee Engagement

DUERP and Employee Engagement

French labour law views occupational risk management as a collective responsibility involving employers, employees, and their representatives.

Current employees and, under the Loi du 2 août 2021, former employees (for risks they were exposed to during employment)

Employee representatives and statutory bodies — the Comité Social et Économique (CSE)

Occupational health services (services de prévention et de santé au travail)

Labour inspectors (Inspection du travail) and prevention officers (CARSAT, CRAMIF)

This accessibility fosters a proactive safety culture and ensures that prevention becomes a shared organisational objective — not just a management task.

Sector-Specific

Sector-Specific DUERP Considerations

Different industries have unique risk profiles. An effective DUERP must reflect the specific hazards of your sector:

Office and Corporate Environments

Focus on:

Display screen (DSE) and ergonomic risks

Indoor air quality and thermal comfort

Fire and electrical hazards

Psychosocial risks (RPS) — stress, burnout, harassment

Technical and Industrial Operations

Requires specialised assessment of:

Machinery, mechanical, and equipment hazards

Chemical exposures and COSHH-equivalent obligations

Confined spaces and ATEX zones

Manual handling, vibration, and noise

Healthcare and Laboratories

Coverage includes:

Biological agents and infection control

Sharps and hazardous drug handling

Waste management and radiation safety

Implementation

How to Create and Maintain a Compliant DUERP

Arinite's approach to DUERP is systematic, practical, and aligned with both French law and international best practice:

Initial Evaluation & Gap Analysis — Review current risk assessments, documentation, and compliance status

Risk Identification & Hazard Mapping — Comprehensive workplace analysis covering all risk types including psychosocial risks

Risk Evaluation & Prioritisation — Structured, consistent assessment using severity/likelihood criteria

Action Planning & Control Strategies — Practical prevention measures linked to priority levels and PAPRIPACT

Documentation & Accessibility — Clear, structured DUERP aligned with Code du travail requirements and Loi 2021 archiving obligations

Review & Update Cycle — Systems for annual review, event-triggered updates, and continuous improvement

This methodology ensures the DUERP meets legal obligations and functions as a practical risk management tool.

Compliance & Penalties

DUERP Compliance and Penalties

French employers must keep the DUERP up to date and accessible. Failure to maintain a compliant DUERP can result in:

Criminal penalties — fines of up to €1,500 per infraction (doubled for repeat offences)

Labour inspection orders and formal notices (mise en demeure)

Significantly increased civil liability in the event of a workplace accident or occupational disease — courts may find faute inexcusable (inexcusable fault) if the DUERP is absent or inadequate

Reputational damage and exposure in CSE consultations and public proceedings

French courts have consistently held that the absence of a DUERP, or a DUERP that has not been updated, is strong evidence of the employer's failure to meet the obligation de sécurité de résultat.

Get Expert Support

Need Help With Your DUERP?

Complying with the DUERP requirement requires expertise in French labour law, risk assessment methodology, and documented prevention systems. Arinite supports organisations with:

DUERP creation, review, and annual updates

Comprehensive risk analysis and hazard mapping — including psychosocial risks

Integration with PAPRIPACT annual prevention programmes

Integration with international health and safety frameworks (ISO 45001)

Training and ongoing compliance support for French and multinational organisations

Contact our DUERP specialists today

FAQ

Everything You Need to Know

About Health and Safety Consultancy, Compliance Software, and Working With Arinite

Still Have Questions About Health & Safety Compliance?

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