If you do not have sufficient competence to carry out investigations and risk assessments of microbiological occupational risks yourself, you need to enlist outside help.

When there are microbiological occupational risks, the following is included in your responsibility as employer:

• Make sure to investigate which microbiological health hazards exist and assess the risk they may pose to the employees.
• Make sure to remedy risks and take protective measures when necessary according to the risk assessment.
• Give the employees the instructions and the information they need to safely perform their work. This includes ensuring that everyone has understood the instructions and that the employee has sufficient knowledge of the risks in the business.
• Provide the employees with personal protective equipment if necessary.
• Report serious accidents or incidents to the Swedish Work Environment Authority.
• Apply for permit or register the activities with the Swedish Work Environment Authority in certain cases when there is intentional work with infectious agents.

The rules on, amongst other things, investigating the risk of exposure to harmful biological agents and protective equipment requirements can be found in our provisions on risks of infection (AFS 2018:4).

Risks of infection (AFS 2018:4), Provisions (SWE)

The employee can also contribute to the health and safety work

Are you risking exposure to harmful biological agents such as infectious agents, mould, or products of microbiological activity in your line of work? If so, it is extra important to use the designated protective equipment. If you need personal protective equipment, the employer shall provide you with this. These things also help reduce the risks in your line of work:

• You are responsible for complying with the employer’s codes of practice and safety instructions.
• You shall report incidents and accidents to management without delay.
• You shall also report to the employer if you suffer ill-health that may be connected to the biological agents that may occur in the workplace.

The safety representative is the link between the employees and the employer

You as safety representative (health and safety representative) are the chosen representative of the employees in health and safety matters, but you are not personally responsible for the work environment. The employer also benefits from having the safety representative keep an eye on work environment matters.

The employer and the union have a joint responsibility to ensure that new safety representatives receive the necessary training for performing their duties. Safety representatives shall participate in the planning of all matters related to the work environment, such as:

• discussions prior to remodelling or moving
• preparations for a reorganisation
• how to implement new work methods
• how to use hazardous chemical products.

Read more on what you should consider in your role as safety representative on the page Safety representatives and Health and safety representatives.

Safety representatives and Health and safety representatives

Coordination and collaboration are crucial

It is not only the employees directly involved in the activities who are in need of protection, but all employees who may be exposed to the infectious agents in the workplace. In workplaces where individuals have different employers, health and safety work must be coordinated.

It is common to hire cleaning firms and other service companies. In laboratories and in hospitals where there are risks of infection, for example, those who clean and others who provide services to the activities often need to be informed of the risks. If there is a risk of infection, there shall be written instructions in a language understood by the relevant parties if they are to clean in laboratories where work on infectious agents is carried out.

You will find more information in the Work Environment Act and in the regulations on risks of infection (AFS 2018:4).

The Work Environment Act at the Government of Sweden's website, in English, opens in a new window

Risks of infection (AFS 2018:4), Provisions (SWE)

Breach of provisions may lead to sanction fees

The following is a brief description of what applies and when breach of provisions may carry a sanction fee. Two stipulations in the provisions on microbiological work environment risks - infection, toxigenic effect, hypersensitivity (AFS 2005:1) carry sanction fees instead of fines. Section 20 covers prohibition to expose pregnant employees to certain infectious agents and Section 21 covers registers for employees who may risk exposure to certain infectious agents.

Sanction fees

Risks of infection (AFS 2018:4), Provisions (SWE)

Prohibition to expose pregnant employees to certain infectious agents – Section 20

It is prohibited to allow a pregnant employee to perform tasks that risk exposing her to rubella virus (rubella) or toxoplasma if she lacks satisfactory protection against the infectious agent in question. Both infectious agents may have severe consequences if you are infected during pregnancy.

If the employer violates the prohibition, the Swedish Work Environment Authority may decide to impose a sanction fee in the amount of SEK 40 000–400 000 depending on the size of the company. In order for a sanction fee to be imposed, these minimum requirements must be met:

• the pregnant employee has informed the employer that she is pregnant
• there is a risk of harmful exposure to one or both infectious agents
• the pregnant employee lacks satisfactory protection against the infectious agent in question
• the employer, in spite of this, instructs the employee to perform tasks where she risks exposure to the infectious agent.

Some are exempted from the stipulation on sanction fee. This applies to sole traders and those who together with a family member operate such a business, or those engaging in such business activities for their joint account. You should still not expose yourself to certain infections during a pregnancy.

You will find more information on sanction fees on the page Sanction fees.

Sanction fees

You will also find more information on the rules on pregnant and breastfeeding employees in the Regulation on Pregnant and Breastfeeding Workers (AFS 2007:5).

Pregnant and Breastfeeding Workers (AFS 2007:5), Provisions (SWE)