The employer's responsibility for electrical safety

You as the employer are ultimately responsible for the work environment, and therefore also for electrical safety, in a place of work. According to the Swedish Work Environment Act, the employer must do everything necessary to make sure that employees are not exposed to accidents or illness. This also includes managing situations that may give rise to electrical risks.

Systematic work environment management

Electrical safety risks and other risks must be addressed in what is known as systematic work environment management. In brief, systematic work environment management is about the employer analysing the work environment, assessing the risks of injury, taking action where necessary and also following up to check that the action has the desired effect. It is a methodology that allows you, the employer, to identify risks at an early stage and avoid accidents. In other words, without systematic work environment management, work cannot be done in an electrically safe way.

More information and tips for employers can be found in the handbook Work where there is a risk of electrical hazard - how to create the right conditions for safe work (in Swedish).

Working with a safety culture

The safety culture is not just about following the rules. It also reflects the attitudes, values and perceptions which are shared by managers and employees in a place of work, and which describe their approach to safety and the work environment. What characterises a good safety culture is that management prioritises and manages safety issues at all levels of the organisation and establishes the culture in partnership with the employees. Giving safety issues more importance in everyday activities can build a positive attitude towards safety, so it becomes the norm to avoid shortcuts and carelessness that lead to accidents.

The employer needs to create a culture in which policies and procedures, once adopted, are adhered to. Employees, in turn, have a duty to comply with them. It is a strength if people in a team or at a place of work can pull together to observe and discuss the prevailing culture. A positive safety culture is more likely if everyone supports each other in following routines, reflecting on mistakes and having the courage to learn from them.

Checklist for employers

Here are some specific questions you as an employer need to be able to answer before work potentially involving electrical hazards can begin. 

• Have you ensured that the individual who will do the work has sufficient knowledge for the work in question? Factors to consider include the status of the system, the type of electrical equipment and the individual’s level of training for the assignment.
• Have you ensured that the person doing the work has received relevant documentation about the system or the electrical equipment?
• Have you ensured that electrical safety planning has been carried out before work starts?
• Are there clear safety instructions describing how the work is to be done?
• Are there any language issues preventing the individual acquiring sufficient knowledge of the system?
• Have you ensured that there is effective communication between the individual(s) doing the work and the individual appointed to be responsible for the safety of the work?
• Have you ensured that there are clear procedures for disconnection which also guarantee that the system remains disconnected?
• Have you ensured that there are clear procedures for voltage testing before work begins?
• Have you ensured that there are procedures in place which guarantee that the individual doing the work cannot come into contact with adjacent live parts? For example, there may be switchgear or equipment nearby that will be live while the work is being done.

The answers given when you ask these questions must be taken very seriously. Does everything seem clear, unambiguous and well-prepared? If so, there is a solid basis upon which the work can be carried out safely.

Always report work-related injuries

The employer is required to report all personal injuries or deaths that occur at the place of work to the Swedish Work Environment Authority. Near misses involving a serious threat to life or health must also be reported. It is your responsibility as an employer to decide whether the near miss or injury is serious enough to warrant reporting. If you are not sure whether the incident is serious enough, it is better to report than not. The incident must be reported without delay, preferably on the same day.

Report a work-related injury (in Swedish)