This article has been translated with machine translation.
When you carry out a risk assessment, you must describe what your protective measures are expected to achieve. This requirement comes from the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s regulations (AFS 2023:10, Chapter 7, Section 12). The regulation doesn’t specify exactly how the text should be worded, but the idea is simple: someone should later be able to determine whether the measure worked. One or two sentences are often enough.
Why the effects must be described
Under the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s regulations (AFS 2023:10, Chapter 7, Section 12), the documentation of the risk assessment must show what effects you expect from planned protective measures. The regulation doesn’t specify exactly how the text should be worded. What matters is that someone can later determine whether the measure worked.
How to approach it
Start from the measures decided on in the risk assessment. For each measure, identify which risk it is meant to reduce, for example through inhalation, skin contact, eye contact or fire. Then answer the question: what should improve, and how will we know?
Use this order:
- Which measure it concerns.
- Which risk or route of exposure the measure affects.
- What result you expect.
If there is a risk that the measure does not eliminate, write that down too.
Examples
- Local exhaust ventilation at the grinding bench is expected to capture dust at the source, keeping concentrations well below the occupational exposure limit. Respiratory protection is then not needed during normal grinding.
- Nitrile gloves and safety goggles prevent skin and eye contact during refilling.
- A closed dosing system is expected to eliminate exposure during normal operation. A residual risk remains during maintenance; see separate instructions.
- Spill-handling instructions provide clear routines, so that spills are dealt with quickly and without unnecessary exposure.
- Storage in a ventilated cabinet prevents vapours from spreading in the premises.
Avoid this
- Simply restating the measure, for example “Gloves are used.” Write what the measure is meant to achieve.
- Vague phrases such as “reduced risk” or “better work environment.” Write which risk is reduced.
- Overpromising. Only write that exposure is eliminated entirely if that is actually true, for example in a fully closed system.
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