1.3 Employee responsibilities

The employer has the primary responsibility for the working environment, but employees also have obligations.

Employees must participate in work environment management and comply with the rules and instructions that apply. Safety devices and personal protective equipment must be used correctly.

In practice, this includes:

• following workplace instructions and working methods,
• using fall protection as intended,
• following the equipment manufacturer's instructions,
• identifying risks, damage or changed conditions,
• reporting hazards and near misses,
• reacting when the work can no longer be performed safely.

If an employee considers the work to involve an immediate and serious danger to life or health, the employer or safety representative must be informed as soon as possible.

When conditions change

Work that was safe when it started can become unsafe.

For example:

• weather conditions may change,
• the work area may change,
• an anchorage or piece of equipment may no longer be usable as planned,
• other work may affect the workplace,
• equipment may become damaged or behave differently,
• rescue conditions may change.

The work should then not continue as though nothing has changed. The conditions need to be reassessed.

Remember

Follow the instructions – but also react when the actual conditions no longer match the plan.

Sources

• Swedish Work Environment Act (1977:1160), Chapter 3, Section 4
• Swedish Work Environment Authority: employee participation in work environment management