Work Environment Authority

The Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate and the Swedish Work Environment Authority and Their Inspectors... 

Some kind of supervision of labour safety and working conditions has been carried out by public authorities on the local, regional and central levels for almost 200 years. Today such activity is a governmental responsibility (SOU 2002 14). The Swedish Work Environment Authority (SWEA) was established in 2001 through the amalgamation of the Labour Inspectorate and the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health. SWEA s objective is to reduce the risks of ill-health and accidents in the workplace and to improve the work environment (in terms of social,... 

The Swedish Work Environment Authority (SWEA) and the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate (SCI) are, thus, two enforcement authorities that work with environmental issues, though in different respects. The Swedish Work Environment Authority focuses on factors that have an impact on the mental, social and physical health and well-being of employees, while the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate focuses on factors that influence toxic levels in nature and thereby both directly and indirectly the health and well-being of human beings as well. While SWEA s activity is dominated by inspections of workplaces in public and private organisations, inspections play only a minor role in the activities of SCI. See Table 18.1 for further differences between the authorities. 

Table 18.1 Differential characteristics between the Swedish Work Environment Authority (SWEA), and the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate (SCI) (Johansson 2006 87)...

Denmark Ministry of Employment Working Environment Authority National Institute of Occupational Health Working Environment Council and its Committee on Limit Values Working Environment Authority... 

Sweden Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communication Swedish Work Environment Authority Swedish National Institute for Working Life Swedish Criteria Group Work Environment Inspection Department... 

The Danish Working Environment CounciTs Committee on Limit Values, which consists of representatives of employers and employees organisations, then performs a technical/economic evaluation of the limit value levels. Based on this, the Danish Working Environment Council submits a recommendation to the Director General of the Danish Working Environment Authority, who in turn lays down the limit values and publishes them in a list of limit values (Appendix to the Guide to work Environment Act). 

Enforcement Authority The Danish Working Environment Authority (WEA)... 

Enforcement powers. The Working Environment Authority applies, in particular, six methods of inspection ... 

Adapted inspection, in which the Danish Working Environment Authority targets its resources on the enterprises which have the most hazardous working environment conditions. 

The deliberations of Ihe Regulations Group r ult in recoimnended exposure limits which become the subject of formal consultation with trade unions, employers or nisations and other bodies. The results of such consultation are taken into account by die Chmicals Unit of the Central Supervision Department of the Work Environment Authority and inform the final decision concerning the proposed limit value taken by the directorate of the National Board/Work Environment Authority. This results in a revised Ordinance on Limit Values,... 

What Swedish limit valu represent The Swedish Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljdverket) is empowered under the Work vironment Ordinance Arbe miljdjdrordningen SFS 1977 1166) and Work Environment Act... 

See Chemicals Control at the Workplace - Limiting Chemical Hazards at Work, Work Environment Authority, Stockholm 2002 (in English). 

It is partly for these reasons that since its recent reorpnisation, the Work Environment Authority has attempted to standardise practices in its ten districts. This has included trying to ensure that, while employers continue to be reminded of their obligations to undertake or to commission measurement as part of risk assessment, the Labour Inspectorate in each district is also technically competent and equipped to undertake them. Indeed, because of a perceived need for more rather than fewer measurements, currently labour inspectors are encouraged to carry them out in situations in which it appears unlikely that employers have the capacity to do so. 

Wood-dust. As recent priorities for the Work Environment Authority have included hypersensitivity and cunent priorities ixujlude a focus on the timber industry, wood dust has been of some concern. The strategy of ftie inspectorate towards compliance with... 

Hohnlund, L. (2001), Statistics on the internal control classification by the labour inspectors during the year 2000, Swedish Work Environment Authority. 

WEA (2004). Plan of. tivity 2004-2006, Stockholm Work Environment Authority. 

ArhejdstUsynet Working Environment Authority AT/WEA http //www.at.dk/5w5441.asp (in Danish) http //www.at.dk/swl21SS.asp (in English)... 

Arbetsmiljdverket Work Environment Authority AV/SWEA http //www.av.se/ (in Swedish) http //www.av.se/engli8h/about us/ (in Englsih)... 

Executive Order No 906 on Measures to Protect Workers om the Risks related to Exposure to Carcinogenic Substances and Materials at Work, issued by the Danish Working Environment Authority on 8 November 2002 as subsequently amended http //www.at.dk/swl2255.asp ... 

This according to the policies of the Swedish Work Environment Authority (at http //www.av.se/inenglish/inspections/thedifference.aspx last accessed 25 July 2012). 

Chemicals are commonly used in Swedish workplaces and many common substances are highly corrosive acids and bases. The Swedish Work Environment Authority is responsible for developing regulations and guidelines on what first aid equipment that should be provided in areas where these types of chemicals are present. 

The Swedish Work Environment Authority has therefore commissioned this independent literature review and a compilation of experiences from industrial users. 

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