Roles in work environment management

Contents on this page:

• The manager’s responsibility in work environment management
• Employees responsibility in work environment management
• The roles of the health and safety representative and the student health and safety representative
• How we manage work environment issues at Lund University (video in Swedish)

The manager´s responsibility in work environment management

As a manager, you represent the employer and are responsible for organising work environment management in your workplace. You must ensure that everyone assigned work environment management duties have the necessary knowledge to perform them. Responsibility includes conducting regular evaluations and follow-ups to ensure that work environment management procedures are working successfully.

You must also make sure an annual follow-up of systematic work environment management is carried out, and that the results are reported to the faculty’s local health and safety committee.

Worthwhile and effective work environment management requires collaboration with employees. Information about work environment management procedures and specific workplace risks must be provided to new students and employees.

Here you will find support material for the introduction of new employees (Kompetensportalen, requires login)

As a manager, you must organise regular and, where necessary, additional meetings with the health and safety representatives and student health and safety representatives to discuss matters involving:

• investigating the work environment
• assessment of risks
• planning measures and following up on approved measures
• changes to premises, facilities, work processes, work methods or organisation
• use of substances that can result in illness or accident
• annual follow-up of systematic work environment management

• Instructions for work environment collaboration at the department level
• Support material for local work environment management – managers and health and safety representatives (Word 52 kB, new tab)

Read more about collaboration in work environment management

Employees responsibility in work environment management

Employees must work together to create a positive work environment by participating in workplace meetings in which the work environment is addressed, or by participating in other discussions, such as staff appraisals.

All employees have a duty to the employer to:

• highlight risks in the work environment
• report incidents and accidents

Furthermore, employees must:

• follow workplace regulations
• use protective devices and personal protective equipment where available
• participate in implementation of measures intended to improve the work environment.

The roles of the health and safety representative and the student health and safety representative

Health and safety representatives act on behalf of employees in work environment matters.

Health and safety representatives are elected by employees to represent them and work to create a positive work environment. The health and safety representative can also be a resource and sounding board for managers with work environment responsibilities.

There are three types of health and safety representative at Lund University: health and safety representatives, principal health and safety representatives and chief health and safety representatives. The employee organisations have each appointed a chief health and safety representative, whose duties include coordinating health and safety representative issues within the University. The chief health and safety representatives also collaborate with the university-wide support functions and are members of the central health and safety committee.

The student health and safety representative acts on behalf of students within a particular field of study. The student health and safety representatives are appointed by the students’ unions, and their role corresponds to that of the health and safety representatives. Similarly, there are three types of student health and safety representative: student health and safety representatives, student principal health and safety representatives and student chief health and safety representatives. The student chief health and safety representative has a comparable role to the chief health and safety representative.

Health and safety representatives perform their duties as part of their employment, and are entitled to take the time these activities demand.

The rights and responsibilities of health and safety representatives and student health and safety representatives are regulated in the Swedish Work Environment Act. Health and safety representatives and student health and safety representatives are not in any way responsible for the work environment and therefore cannot be held accountable for shortcomings or if appropriate measures are not implemented.

• Read more about the health and safety representative’s duties
• Instructions for health and safety representatives
• Read more about the student health and safety representative’s duties
• Instructions for student health and safety representatives

How we manage work environment issues at Lund University

Chief Health and Safety Representative Katarina Larsdotter Wendel talks about the role of health and safety representatives at Lund University (in Swedish on YouTube))