The condominium risk assessment document (DVR)

The condominium risk assessment document, known in Italy as the DVR, is the document the condominium must prepare when it takes on the role of employer. Its mandatory nature is not automatic: it depends on whether there are workers and on the type of contract governing them. Knowing when the DVR is truly needed, and when lighter duties are enough, spares the administrator both punishable failures and pointless paperwork. The legal reference is the consolidated safety act, Legislative Decree 81/2008.

What the DVR is

The DVR is the document in which the employer identifies the risks present in the activity, assesses them and sets out the prevention and protection measures to adopt. Risk assessment is a non delegable duty: the employer must carry it out personally, even while relying on the technical figures provided by law. In a condominium the role of employer is held by the condominium itself, represented by the administrator in office.

When the condominium DVR is mandatory

The condominium must prepare the DVR when it employs workers who do not fall within the scope of the collective agreement for building owners. In this case the full duties of articles 17, 28 and 29 of Legislative Decree 81/2008 apply, with the appointment of the prevention figures and the drafting of the document. This is the situation, for example, when the condominium employs staff with tasks different from traditional caretaking.

The case of caretakers

The case is different when the condominium only has workers who fall within the collective agreement for building owners, typically the caretaker. Here the law provides only the information and training duties of articles 36 and 37 and the supply of personal protective equipment compliant with title III of the consolidated act. The DVR in the strict sense is not required, but the duties of training and provision of protective equipment remain.

What the DVR must contain

Article 28 of Legislative Decree 81/2008 sets out the minimum elements of the document. The DVR must be built on the specific reality of the condominium, not copied from a generic template.

• The assessment of all risks to the safety and health of workers.
• The criteria adopted for the assessment itself.
• The prevention and protection measures in place and the equipment identified.
• The programme of measures to improve safety levels over time.
• The identification of tasks that expose workers to specific risks.

Contracts and the interference risk document

Even when the condominium has no employees, safety returns through the door of contracts. When the condominium entrusts works to firms or self employed workers, article 26 of the consolidated act requires verifying their technical and professional suitability, providing information on the risks of the environment and, where there are interference risks, drafting the single interference risk assessment document, the DUVRI. It is a duty distinct from the DVR but equally important for the administrator's liability.

The prevention figures

When the DVR is mandatory, the condominium as employer must appoint the figures required by the consolidated act. The head of the prevention and protection service must be named, supporting the employer in analysing risks, and the staff for emergencies, fire safety and first aid must be identified. Health surveillance with the appointed doctor is also needed when the task requires it, and the election or designation of the workers' safety representative must be ensured. Each figure must receive adequate and documented training.

Updating the document

The DVR is not a document to draft once and forget. Article 29 of Legislative Decree 81/2008 requires reworking it on significant changes to the production process or to the work organisation relevant to health and safety, after significant accidents or when the results of health surveillance show the need. A change in staff tasks or the introduction of new equipment may also require an update. Keeping the document aligned with the reality of the condominium is part of the duty, not an optional extra, and a copy must remain available at the workplace for inspection by the authorities.

The administrator's responsibilities

As the employer's representative, the administrator is responsible for implementing workplace safety duties in the condominium. A missing DVR where it is due, or careless management of contracts, can lead to penalties and liability in the event of an accident. Keeping documents, training certificates and supplier checks in order is therefore an integral part of the management.

Managing safety with management software

Condominium management software helps keep safety deadlines under control: training dates, delivery of protective equipment, supplier suitability checks and storage of the DVR and DUVRI for each building. This prevents a duty from slipping through unnoticed among the many tasks of a firm managing several condominiums.

AmministraPro lets you store safety documents, track deadlines and keep supplier checks for each condominium under management. You can see how it works on the features page or compare the plans in the pricing section.