The functions performed by the authorities

The Swedish Work Environment Authority is responsible for all supervision concerning the employer’s obligations, and the National Electrical Safety Board is responsible for supervision concerning the proprietor’s obligations. Where relevant, the National Electrical Safety Board and the Swedish Work Environment Authority can assist each other with their expertise.

Together, the two authorities have published a handbook about the safety of work where there is an electrical hazard. The handbook is intended to support employers as well as proprietors, and can be downloaded free of charge or ordered from the National Electrical Safety Board’s website.

HANDBOOK: Work where there is a risk of electrical hazard (in Swedish)

What the National Electrical Safety Board does

The duties of the National Electrical Safety Board include statutory supervision under the electrical safety legislation, for example scrutinising proprietors’ obligations concerning their electrical system and equipment and the obligations of electrical installation companies when they carry out electrical installation work. The National Electrical Safety Board is also responsible for issuing regulations under Section 33 of the Electrical Safety Ordinance. The supervisory mandate of the Board is set out in Sections 36-45 of the Electrical Safety Act.

The National Electrical Safety Board can assist the Swedish Work Environment Authority with its expertise if necessary, but in terms of supervision and regulation, the National Electrical Safety Board’s focus is instead to establish the right conditions for safe electrical systems. It achieves this through support, information and supervision. It also achieves it through regulation directed at proprietors, electrical installation companies, authorised electricians and distributors making electrical equipment available on the market.

Here are some questions that the National Electrical Safety Board can ask the proprietor of an electrical installation about the proprietor’s obligations concerning work on or near the system.

• Have you made sure the system is safe to work on?
• Have you made sure that the system is marked and documented in such a way that maintenance work can be carried out on it?
• Have you assessed the risks associated with the electrical system and ensured that the system has the safety signs needed to warn or inform about these risks?
• If electrical installation work is to be carried out, have you checked that the company is registered in the National Electrical Safety Board’s e-service ‘Check an electrical company’?
• Have you made sure that the individual who will work on the system has received all the necessary information about the system?

What the Swedish Work Environment Authority does

The Swedish Work Environment Authority is the authority responsible for work environment issues. Its duties include statutory supervision under the work environment legislation, including those aspects which govern the employer’s obligations to create the right conditions for the safety of work where there is a risk of electrical hazard. The Swedish Work Environment Authority also has the power to issue regulations if necessary to prevent illness and accidents at work. The supervisory mandate of the Authority is set out in Sections 7 and 8 of the Work Environment Act.

Here are some questions that the Swedish Work Environment Authority can ask the employer about work where there is a risk of electrical hazard. 

• Have you assessed risks associated with the work in question and are you sure you have received all the documentation you need to perform the risk assessment?
• Have you documented your risk assessment?
• Have you taken the necessary safety measures to address these risks?
• Have you ensured that individuals who will do the work have the necessary knowledge and the training required to be able to manage the risks?
• Have you issued instructions to the individuals who will do the work?
• Have you ensured that only skilled or instructed persons have access to the areas where, according to your risk assessment, special competence is required to manage the risks?
• If the work is being done on an isolated system: have you taken steps to ensure that the system remains disconnected and de-energised for as long as the work continues?
• If the work is being done on or near a live system: have you taken safety measures to prevent the people involved in the work from being injured by the passage of current or arcing?

The role of the authorities if an electrical accident occurs

If an electricity-related accident occurs at work, the employer may be visited by the Swedish Work Environment Authority for an inspection. Sometimes the National Electrical Safety Board will also attend the inspection to assist the Swedish Work Environment Authority with its expertise about electricity. The National Electrical Safety Board may also carry out its own supervision to satisfy itself that the electrical system is still safe to use and to work on. If a crime is suspected, the police and/or prosecution authorities may also participate in the visit.