Practical guide
Risk assessment of the condominium common parts
The common parts of a condominium, such as stairs, halls, courtyards, roofs and systems, present concrete risks for those who work there and for those who use them. Legislative Decree 81/2008 requires the risk assessment when the condominium has employees, with the drafting of the Risk Assessment Document, and provides for the Single Document for the Assessment of Interference Risks when work is entrusted to external companies. Even without employees, the manager still has a duty of custody and prevention. In this guide we clarify when the formal obligations arise, what distinguishes the DVR and the DUVRI, what the typical risks of the common parts are, and how to document safety in an orderly way.
When the risk assessment is mandatory
The obligation to draft the Risk Assessment Document, the DVR, arises when the condominium has employees, such as a caretaker, a cleaner or a gardener hired directly. In that case the manager takes on the role of employer and must assess the specific risks to which workers are exposed, adopting the necessary prevention and protection measures.
Without direct employees the DVR is not due, but the condominium remains custodian of the common parts under Article 2051 of the Italian Civil Code and is liable for damages arising from them. The duty of prevention therefore does not disappear: only the form in which it must be fulfilled and documented changes.
DVR and DUVRI: two documents for different needs
The DVR concerns the risks specific to the work activity carried out by the condominium's employees and the measures to reduce them. The DUVRI, the Single Document for the Assessment of Interference Risks provided for by Article 26 of Legislative Decree 81/2008, concerns instead the risks that arise from the interference between the activities of external companies and those carried out in the condominium.
The DUVRI is owed by the manager, as principal, when they entrust work, service or supply contracts in the presence of condominium employees or of several companies operating at the same time. If the condominium has no employees and there are no significant interferences, the obligation to draft the DUVRI ceases, but the obligations to verify the technical and professional suitability of the companies and to exchange information on risks remain.
The typical risks of common parts
Mapping hazards is the heart of the assessment. In common parts recurring risks include falls on stairs and slippery or uneven surfaces, electrical risks linked to switchboards and common systems, work at height on roofs and facades, the presence of any hazardous materials in older buildings, and the risks linked to the lift system and the heating plant.
Each risk corresponds to prevention measures: signage, maintenance, delimitation of areas, protective devices, information for occupants. The assessment is not a one-off obligation: it must be updated when conditions change, works are carried out or accidents occur that reveal new hazards.
The role of the manager and of specialists
The manager coordinates safety but is not required to possess specialist technical skills. For drafting the DVR and the DUVRI, and for assessing specific risks, they rely on qualified professionals, such as safety technicians or the head of the prevention and protection service where required.
Their task is to ensure that the assessments are made, updated and translated into concrete measures, and that the documentation is available. At the meeting, they must inform the owners of the obligations and have the necessary expenses for safety works approved, because the decision to act on the common parts belongs to the community of owners.
Documenting and updating safety
Orderly management keeps together the assessment documents, the measures adopted, the works carried out and the deadlines of the related inspections. Being able to demonstrate diligence with dated and updated documents is what protects the manager in case of a dispute.
A management tool such as AmministraPro lets you archive each condominium's safety documents, link them to works and to the system inspection deadlines, and track updates over time. The features are described on /funzioni and the plans on /prezzi, a help to avoid scattering the documentation across several buildings.
Frequently asked questions
Must the condominium always draft the DVR
No. The Risk Assessment Document is mandatory when the condominium has employees, such as a caretaker or a cleaner hired directly, because in that case the manager is an employer. Without employees the DVR is not due, but the condominium remains custodian of the common parts and keeps a duty of prevention.
What is the difference between DVR and DUVRI
The DVR assesses the risks specific to the activity of the condominium's employees. The DUVRI, provided for by Article 26 of Legislative Decree 81/2008, assesses the interference risks between the activities of external companies and those carried out in the condominium, and is owed by the manager as principal when entrusting contracts in the presence of employees or of several companies working together.
What are the typical risks of common parts
Among the most recurring are falls on stairs and slippery or uneven surfaces, electrical risks of switchboards and common systems, work at height on roofs and facades, risks linked to the lift and the heating plant, and the presence of hazardous materials in older buildings. Each risk must be associated with prevention measures and updates when conditions change.
Who draws up the risk assessment in a condominium
The manager coordinates safety but relies on qualified professionals for drafting the DVR and the DUVRI and for assessing specific risks. Their task is to ensure the assessments are made, updated and translated into concrete measures, informing the meeting and having the necessary expenses for the safety of the common parts approved.
How to keep and update safety documents
It is best to keep together assessment documents, adopted measures, works and the deadlines of the related inspections, with reliable dates and updates. Software such as AmministraPro lets you archive each condominium's safety documents and link them to works and system deadlines. The features are on /funzioni and the plans on /prezzi.
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