Protection against injury from collapses

Collapses cause many accidents at work every year in Sweden. It is therefore essential that preventive measures are aimed at preventing collapses. As an employer, you can do a lot to reduce the risk of such accidents.

On this page, you can read about, among other things, defects and measures in the work environment that have a direct influence on the risk of collapse. They apply to all activities within the scope of the Work Environment Act.

What is a collapse?

The term collapse refers to the failure or falling of goods, stone, earth masses, loose materials, and similar items, as well as the overturning or falling of objects, equipment, and the like.

What conditions can lead to a risk of collapse?

A typical example of a collapse accident is when a scaffolding or part of a scaffolding collapses and drags people with it, when the scaffolding is to be erected, used or dismantled.

Here are examples of work where there are risks of collapse that could cause collapse accidents:

  • During earthwork and excavation, there is a risk of collapse if the soil layer is loose or the excavation is deep.
  • If a forklift truck or other vehicle hits a stack or something similar, it can cause the stack to collapse or objects to fall from it. There can also be a risk on a side of the stack different from the one exposed to the impact.
  • When employees handle unsecured loads on vehicles or railway wagons, for example, as well as loads on conveyor belts, elevators and the like.

Places with a particular risk of collapse

You as an employer must assess whether there is a particular risk of collapse in the workplace and block off these places.

Places where there is a particular risk of collapse could be, for example, access routes and transport routes to or near construction works when work is carried out on, for example

  • façades
  • roofs or similar
  • excavated spaces
  • tunnels
  • tunnel openings
  • places where there is a risk of avalanche or falling chunks of ice.

There may also be places by scaffolding, stacks, high-storage warehouses, silos, chambers and the like which for some reason are or are expected to be unsafe.

You must block off any place with a particular risk of collapse and take appropriate protective measures before anyone is allowed to be in or use that place.

Certain weather conditions can increase the risk of a collapse

Certain weather conditions can increase the risk of events such as avalanches and landslides. Even moderate wind speeds can pose a particular risk of objects collapsing or being overturned by the wind.When working in a silo, chamber or similar, the frozen or otherwise stuck contents as well as the design of the device can mean special risks.

Protective measures where there is a particular risk of collapse

Protective measures where there is a particular risk of collapse could include

  • putting up a protective roof or similar
  • equipping vehicles with protection for the driver and any passengers
  • ensuring that rock falls and landslides do not occur at rock walls and rock roofs.

Take into account the properties of the rock and how the space is formed.

How to reduce the risks of collapse accidents

You can reduce the risks of collapse accidents by planning and organising the work. Here are some examples of measures you can take as an employer.

  • Design and arrange workplaces and transport routes within the workplace so that you reduce the risks of collapse accidents. Ensure that there is sufficient space for goods and material handling as well as for the handling of vehicles.

    If necessary, employees must be able to work from a protected place, for example from a traverse or from a well-protected driving seat on a forklift truck, excavator or similar.

  • It may be necessary to seal or in some other way reinforce surfaces that are trafficked by vehicles. In permanent workplaces, you can put up signs indicating the maximum permissible axle load on the surface, if the permissible axle load differs from the permissible axle load on the road leading to it.

    Certain soils (clays) belong to a type of material that can change consistency under load or vibration, so-called thixotropic materials. You may therefore need to perform a geotechnical survey of the ground conditions.

  • As an employer, you must place and anchor machines, scaffolding or other types of devices in a way that avoids the risk of collapse. This also applies to the placing, stacking or movement of goods and other items.

    When erecting machinery, scaffolding and other equipment, it is essential that this is done in a way that prevents the risk of collapse. Also take into account how weather and wind can affect the equipment when assembling scaffolding, casting molds or similar.

  • Keep in mind that the load-bearing capacity of the surface and the stackability of the material are of great importance when setting out or stacking materials and goods.

    Stackability includes the technical possibility of being able to stack the goods, as well as the dimensional rigidity (strength) of the packaging. The dimensional rigidity can determine whether the packaging folds and the stacked goods thereby collapse.

    If you need to use pallet racks, you may need to anchor them.

    You must ensure that the surface and structures that are loaded have a satisfactory load-bearing capacity and must take into account changes in the load-bearing capacity because of

    • load
    • vibration
    • humidity changes
    • weather conditions
    • repair or alteration work

  • Implement measures to prevent hand tools, materials, and similar items from falling from scaffolding or similar structures when working at height.

    Employees may need to wear protective helmets in environments where there is a risk of falling objects or head injuries. The risk posed by falling objects can increase in windy conditions, for example, if the wind dislodges items or blows off helmets.

  • Have the right lighting in the right place. Poor lighting can increase the risk of accidents. The basic rule is that there should be enough light in the right place and as little dazzling light as possible. The lighting in work areas must be even. Avoid excessive contrast between work areas and their surroundings.

  • Reduce as far as possible the risk of vehicles or similar plunging down edges, drops or other differences in level, for example loading bays, wharves, piers or steep slopes, by using safety devices.

    Protection is not normally needed at, for example, platforms and loading bays where the work is usually only carried out when a railway carriage, vehicle or similar acts as protection.

  • As an employer, you may need to carry out or support a slope or wall during digging, excavation or other similar work in a way that counteracts the risk of collapse.

    A slope or wall can be constructed, for example, with a slope or in ledges, with support, sheet piling or other suitable reinforcement. If there is an overhang that cannot be removed, you may need to support it.

    There are more examples of things you need to take into account when choosing a slope for excavation or similar.

    • the material's properties
    • depth of excavation
    • groundwater level
    • vibration
    • load from buildings
    • earth masses
    • machines and similar
    • weather conditions

    Repairs, rebuilding and other interventions on structures or building components can affect the stability of a slope. This also applies to digging or excavation carried out near a slope.

  • Use safety devices at edges, drops, or other level differences where there is a risk of vehicles or similar objects falling.

    When determining the design of a safety device, consider the potential effects that are reasonably expected during the course of the work.

    Consider that safety devices could be damaged, for example, by

    • mechanical impact
    • heat
    • cold
    • acids or other chemicals
    • ultraviolet radiation.

    Mark supports that you use as safety devices, so that they are not accidentally removed. Make the marking according to the Swedish standard for warning markings.

Never remove safety devices without informing management

If employees have to temporarily remove a safety device in order to be able to carry out work, they must first have received permission from the works management, for example the foreman, safety representative or other person with professional knowledge.

As an employer, you must implement specific protective measures to put the device back as soon as possible or implement additional measures, for example that employees temporarily leave the workplace. If the employees are unable to restore the device, they must inform management.

It is a criminal offence to remove a safety device or put it out of use without a valid reason. The penalty provision can be found in Chapter 8, Section 2, paragraph 2 (4) of the Work Environment Act (1997:1160).

Get a better work environment through working systematically

As an employer, you are required to manage the work environment systematically to enhance it. Our provisions for systematic work environment management apply to all employers – regardless of the activities or the risks that you and your employees may be exposed to.

The employer is responsible for the risks involved with collapses

As an employer, you must work systematically to reduce the risk of injuries from collapses. As an employer, you are responsible for reducing the risk of collapses, just as you are responsible for all aspects of the work environment. You must be familiar with the Work Environment Act and other work environment regulations.

Employees and safety representatives are important for a good work environment

Employees and safety representatives have an important role in work environment management. As an employer, you must give all employees the opportunity to participate in work environment management. For example, you can let employees suggest measures or provide feedback on measures you have implemented.

Employees' participation in work environment management

As an employee, you must participate in work environment management and participate in implementing the measures needed to achieve a good work environment. You must follow the employer's instructions. You must also report to your employer or your safety representative if the work involves immediate and serious danger to life or health.

Coordinating responsibility for the work environment in joint operating locations

Employers must consult and collaborate on the work environment

It is common for two or more employers or sole proprietors to operate at the same workplace at the same time, a so-called joint workplace. This may be a building site, for example. In joint workplaces, employers must cooperate to ensure safe working conditions, so that their activities or equipment do not expose anyone on-site to health risks or accidents. This also applies to sole proprietors (self-employed persons).

The person in charge of the workplace has coordination responsibility

Since the risks can be greater when several companies work at the same workplace, there must be a person with coordination responsibility for the work environment.

When a fixed place of business is a shared workplace for multiple activities, the person who is in charge of the workplace is responsible for coordinating work environment matters. The responsibility involves, among other things, ensuring that work to prevent risks of ill health and accidents is coordinated, general safety devices are set up and maintained and general safety rules for the workplace are issued.

Special regulations apply to building and civil engineering work

Special regulations apply to building and civil engineering work. There must be work environment coordinators for the building site, and the client is required to appoint a coordinator for planning- and design (Bas P) as well as a coordinator for the execution of the work (Bas U). The coordinator can be either a company or an individual, and the client may also appoint themselves as the coordinator.

Building and civil engineering work, design, building work environment coordination

Last updated 2025-02-07