Health, Safety and Psychosocial Risks

Mental health, harassment, psychosocial risks, workplace accidents, occupational diseases, physically demanding work and organisational change all extend well beyond employment law compliance. These issues can affect governance, business continuity, employee relations and corporate liability. 

We help organisations assess risks, establish priorities and make decisions that are both legally sound and operationally effective. 

Our lawyers review existing health and safety frameworks, strengthen workplace risk assessment processes and action plans, develop internal policies and procedures, and assist organisations in managing whistleblowing reports and employee concerns. Our experience working with occupational health services, labour authorities, social security prevention bodies and employee representatives enables us to anticipate regulatory expectations and equip organisations with clear, practical and defensible procedures. 

Allegations of harassment or inappropriate workplace conduct, serious workplace accidents, employee incapacity, regulatory inspections or litigation often require immediate action. At the same time, employers must safeguard procedural integrity and maintain business continuity. 

We define the appropriate response strategy, secure immediate measures, organise fact-finding processes and prepare the company’s defence while ensuring confidentiality and preserving evidence. 

Each situation is analysed from legal, operational and human perspectives to determine the most appropriate measures, whether protecting the individuals concerned, conducting an internal investigation, consulting employee representatives or adapting workplace practices and organisational structures. 

Where required, we coordinate with HR, compliance, ESG and communications teams to ensure consistency in both decision-making and stakeholder communications. This integrated approach helps limit the escalation of risks, protect employees and preserve a healthy working environment. 

Our involvement is adapted to the nature of the risk and the urgency of the situation. We may conduct compliance reviews, assist with organisational transformation projects, manage workplace alerts and investigations, or represent employers in litigation. 

In every case, we translate legal and regulatory requirements into clear decision-making options that take account of human, operational and employee relations considerations. This provides organisations with a practical roadmap that can be implemented immediately. 

Our main areas of support:

• Auditing and securing workplace health and safety obligations: assessing workplace risks, reviewing the Document Unique d’Évaluation des Risques Professionnels (DUERP), analysing internal practices and identifying employment, regulatory and criminal risk exposure;
• Preventing and managing psychosocial risks: assisting management teams in addressing stress, burnout, workplace harassment, sexual harassment and employee wellbeing issues, while balancing employee protection, business continuity and legal compliance;
• Managing internal investigations and crisis situations: handling alerts and complaints, conducting internal investigations, supporting organisations following serious workplace accidents and developing legally robust and operationally effective response strategies;
• Supporting interactions with authorities and employee representatives: assisting during inspections by labour authorities, occupational health and safety bodies and social security institutions, as well as managing interactions with employee representative bodies and trade unions;
• Defending employers in disputes and liability claims: representing organisations before civil, employment and criminal courts in matters involving workplace accidents, occupational diseases, harassment claims, gross negligence and alleged breaches of health and safety obligations. 

From prevention through to litigation, our lawyers transform complex legal obligations into practical business decisions, delivering clear, actionable solutions tailored to the needs and culture of each organisation.