Systematic work environment management runs in a chain: investigate, assess risks, act and follow up. The rules are in sections 11 to 14 of AFS 2023:1.
Investigating and assessing risks
The employer must regularly examine the work environment in order to assess the risks of ill health and accidents (section 11). This can be done through daily checks, safety rounds, measurements and interviews. How often depends on what risks there are.
When changes are planned, you must examine and assess the risks before the change is carried out. This may concern new equipment, a reorganisation or new working methods.
A risk is the likelihood that ill health or an accident will occur and the consequences of it. Warning signs include near misses, mistakes, discontent and increased short-term absence.
Risk assessments must always be documented in writing. The documentation must show what the risks are and whether they are serious. The requirement applies to small workplaces too.
Investigating incidents
If someone suffers ill health or an accident at work, or if a serious near miss occurs, the employer must investigate the causes (section 12). The aim is to prevent it from happening again. Look for underlying causes in the work environment and do not focus on the individual or on blame. It is also valuable to investigate near misses that were not serious.
Acting
Measures that are needed must be carried out immediately or as soon as is practically possible (section 13). Those that cannot be done at once must be entered in an action plan. The plan must show when each measure is to be completed and who is responsible. Measures that have been carried out must be checked.
First, you should remove or reduce the risk at the source. If the risk cannot be avoided completely, employees need to be protected in other ways, for example with instructions, support or personal protective equipment. Under the Work Environment Act, safety representatives must take part when action plans are drawn up.
Following up every year
The employer must follow up systematic work environment management every year (section 14). The follow-up must show whether the work complies with the regulations and whether it works. If it reveals shortcomings, you must improve. The result must be in writing with ten or more employees. There may be reason for more follow-ups, for example after a reorganisation, an accident or a serious near miss.
Ask the staff
The people who do the job every day often know best where the risks are. Ask them what is dangerous, tiring or difficult, and listen to the answers. Under the rules, safety representatives and employees have the right to take part. Use their knowledge already in the investigation and not only when the measures are being chosen.
An example
A kitchen manager sees that the floor by the dishwashing room is often slippery. She investigates, assesses that the risk of a fall is serious and writes it down. First she replaces the floor mats, which is done at once. Then she adds a rebuild to the action plan with a date and a person responsible. After a month she checks that the slipping risks have decreased.
What you still have to do yourself
Nobody can do the risk assessment for you without knowing your workplace. You must investigate, write down, act and check yourself, and do it again when something changes.