Reporting in online system helps ensure safer workplace
On 9 January 2023 the ‘IA’ system, or Work Environment Information System, was launched for the whole of Uppsala University. This web-based system will make it easier to see which types of occupational injuries and incidents occur and where.
The system was tested by nine departments or divisions in autumn 2022, with employees reporting incidents at or in connection with the workplace through the system. The incidents in this case are linked to the work environment and involve incidents and occupational injuries, that is, accidents, travel-related accidents and occupational illnesses.
Caroline Löfberg, Anna Maria Näslund and Karin Karlström at the University Administration formed part of the project group that has worked to implement the system. They report overwhelmingly positive reactions from the departments that have tested the system in the pilot study.
Work environment incidents in one place
There have previously been many ways to report occupational injuries and incidents, referred to as work environment incidents: email, internal post, telephone or organisational mailboxes. Löfberg explains:
“This has made it difficult to produce statistics and follow up on work environment-related incidents. A central system for reporting, investigating, remedying and following up cases enables everything to be documented in the same place, making it easier to produce statistics.
Anyone can report
All members of staff can report an incident. The system will make it easier to submit a report and manage occupational injuries and incidents in a legally certain manner.
The ‘IA’ system can be used in preventive and strategic work environment management in close cooperation with staff, that is, at each local workplace, and University-wide. The system will be an important work environment management tool.
“More active work environment management will enable us all to contribute to the University’s efforts to work preventively on the work environment and thus avoid occupational accidents and work-related illness,” explains Näslund. Individual staff members will get updates on the progress of the case by email if they submit their email address.
There is also an app that serves as a complement to the web-based reporting system. Any staff member with a work mobile phone can report incidents via the app.
Reported work environment incidents reduce risks
When someone reports an incident in the IA system, the line manager receives an email stating that the incident has been registered. The manager is responsible for investigating the incident and ensuring that appropriate physical, social and organisational work environment measures are taken in order to reduce or eliminate the risk of the same incident occurring again.
Serious incidents are to be reported to the Swedish Work Environment Authority by the employer. Occupational injuries can also be reported to Försäkringskassan. The employer can report both types of incident directly via the system.
As it will now be easier to report incidents and occupational injuries in one place, the hope is that more people will report incidents concerning the work environment.
“This will enable us all to contribute to the University’s efforts to work preventively on the work environment and thus avoid occupational accidents and work-related illness,” notes Löfberg.
Ulrika Hurtig
Facts
- Afa Försäkring has developed the web-based Work Environment Information System together with the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, PTK (Council for Negotiation and Cooperation) and branches of industry. ‘IA’ refers in Swedish to the work environment information system.
- The system is used by both companies and organisations. Several universities and higher education institutions have implemented or are currently implementing the system, including the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Chalmers, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Lund University, the University of Gothenburg, Umeå University and Stockholm University.
- All members of staff can report a work environment-related incident at Uppsala University.
- There are various roles for those involved in processing the reported incidents: those who manage the case incident, those who analyse it and those who implement measures.
- Any situation involving an incident, serious incident, occupational accident, occupational illness or travel-related accident should be reported into the system.
- Examples of serious incidents are falls from a great height (2–3 metres) without personal injury, chemical spills, a heavy object falling to the floor from a great height with the potential to hit an employee, etc.
- An occupational illness is an illness due to harmful impact of work over a long period. Examples of harmful factors in the work environment that can cause occupational illness are strenuous work or an unsuitable work posture that leads to back or joint problems, repetitive work that leads to muscle or tendon injuries, hazardous substances that cause eczema, allergies, respiratory problems or cancer, psychologically stressful working conditions, etc.
- Travel-related accidents refer to accidents that take place during the normal journey/travel between home and work.