AFS 1999_03 Building and Civil Engineering Work

8/6/2019 AFS 1999_03 Building and Civil Engineering Work

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Building and CivilEngineering WorkSafety and Health on Building and Civil Engineering Work,together with General Recommendations on theimplementation of the Provisions

TranslationIn the event of disagreement concerning the interpretation andcontent of this text, the printed Swedish version shall havepriorityThe Swedish Work Environment Authority was formed througha merger of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safetyand Health and the Labour Inspectorate, on 1st January 2001.

AFS 1999:3

The Work Environment Authoritys Statute Book


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The Swedish Work Environment Authority was formed througha merger of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safetyand Health and the Labour Inspectorate, on 1st January 2001.

Provisions adopted by the Swedish Work Environment Authorityare published in the Statute Book of the Swedish WorkEnvironment Authority. Provisions earlier published in theStatute Book of the Swedish National Board of OccupationalSafety and Health simultaneously still apply. Both StatuteBooks names are abbreviated AFS.

Please note that references to statutes always give the original

number of the document concerned, regardless of anysubsequent amendments and reprints.

Concerning amendments to and reprints of Provisions of theSwedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health andof the Swedish Work Environment Authority, reference is madeto the latest Statute Book Register (in Swedish). A list ofOrdinances, General Recommendations, Directions andNotices is also published in English.

Swedish Work Environment AuthoritySE-171 84 SOLNA , Sweden

Telephone: +46 8 730 90 00Telefax: +46 8 730 91 67

Publishing Services, telefax: +46 8 735 85 55www.av.se


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LIST OF CONTENTS

Provisions of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safetyand Health on Building and Civil Engineering Work 6

Scope and definitions 6

Project preparation and design 7

Safety and health plan (work environment plan) and prior notice 8

General co-ordination 9

Planning and setting up of a place or area for building or civilengineering work 11

General 11Installations, cables or other distribution systems for electricity, gasand water 11Reception and storage spaces 12Evacuation 12First Aid 13Fire prevention. Fire detectors and alarm systems 13Doors, gates, windows and walls 13Communication routes 14Lighting 15

Conduct of the work 15

Choice of working methods and equipment 15Instructions, inspection, etc 16Pointed or sharp objects 17Transport of building products or other material 17Handling of waste 18Storage and depositing of materials 18Falls to a lower level etc 18The work stations 19Climate and air quality 19Special risk areas 20Personal protective equipment 21

Certain particular kinds of work 21

Earthwork 21Cofferdams and caissons 22Demolition work 22Passing vehicular traffic 23Work on roofs 24


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Safety nets 25Penal Provisions 27

Entry into force 27

Prior Notice to the Labour Inspectorate 28

General Recommendations of the Swedish National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health on the Implementation of theProvisions on Building and Civil Engineering Work 29

Background 29

General 29To whom are the Provisions addressed? 30

Guidance on individual Sections 31

Scope and definitions 31Project Preparation and Design 33Safety and health plan (work environment plan) and prior notice 35General co-ordination 37Planning and setting up of a site or area for building or civilengineering work 40

General 40Installations, cables or other distribution systems for electricity,gas and water 41

Reception and storage spaces 42Evacuation 42First aid 43Fire prevention. Fire detectors and alarm systems 43Doors, gates, windows and walls 44Communication routes 44Lighting 45

Conduct of the work 46Choice of working methods and equipment 46Instructions, inspection, etc 46Pointed or sharp objects 47Transport of building products or other material 47Handling of waste 48

Storage and depositing of materials 48Falls to a lower level etc 48The workplaces 49Climate and air quality 50Special risk areas 50Personal protective equipment 52

Certain particular kinds of work 52Earthwork 52


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Demolition work 53Passing vehicular traffic 54Work on roofs 56Safety nets 58

APP.A 62Examples of suitable personal protective equipment 62

Information published by the National Board of OccupationalSafety and Health 64

Rules applicable 64Statute Book of the National Board of Occupational Safety andHealth (AFS) 64

Former Directions of the National Board of Occupational Safetyand Health 65

Other publications from the National Board of OccupationalSafety and Health 65

Other publications 65

Rules issued by other authorities 65

Statute book of the National Board of Housing, Building andPlanning 65Elskerhetsverket The Swedish National Electrical Safety Board

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AFS 1999:3

Provisions of the Swedish National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health on Building and CivilEngineering Work

Adopted 29th April 1999Published 26th August 1999

The following Provisions are issued by the Swedish National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health pursuant to Section 18 of the WorkEnvironment Ordinance (SFS 1977:1166).1

Scope and definitionsSection 1These Provisions apply to the planning and conduct of building or civilengineering work. They also apply to project preparation and design of buildingor civil engineering work in so far as this affects health and safety conditions(the work environment) for the persons doing the work.

The stipulations of Sections 19, 21, 31, 45, 48, 71 and 85 also apply to theplanning and conduct of winter road maintenance. The stipulations of Sections19, 48, 60 3rd paragraph, 87 and 89 also apply to the planning and conduct ofsnow clearance on roofs.

These Provisions do not apply to the design of work premises used for the

work, nor do they apply to the ventilation of such premises.

Section 2Persons professionally engaged, either alone or together with a familymember, in building or civil engineering work without an employee shall, inaddition to what follows from Chap. 3, Section 5 of the Work Environment Act,comply with the provisions of Chap. 2, Sections 1-8, Chap. 3, Section 2, 1 stand 3rd paragraph, Section 2a, 1st paragraph and Sections 3-4 of the sameAct.

In addition they shall comply with these Provisions and with such otherProvisions as the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health or theSwedish Work Environment Authority may have issued, pursuant to the WorkEnvironment Ordinance, on matters referred to in Chap. 2, Sections 1-8,

Chap. 3, Section 2, 1st

and 3rd

paragraph, Section 2a, 1st

paragraph andSections 3-4 or Chap. 4, Sections 1-4 and 8 of the Work Environment Act.

Whatever is laid down in the said stipulations concerning employers andemployees shall also apply to them.

1 Cf. Council Directive 92/57/EEC (OJ no. L245, 26.8.1992, p.6).


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Section 3For the purposes of these Provisions, the following definitions shall apply

Passing vehicular traffic Vehicular traffic passing by or through a place orarea where building or civil engineering work iscarried on. Vehicular traffic also includes track-bound traffic. Passing vehicular traffic does not,however, include traffic occurring on the site or inthe area and which is connected with the currentbuilding or civil engineering work.

Safety net A net, inclusive of suspension devices, designedand constructed to capture falling persons.

Project preparation and designSection 4In the preparation and design of the project, the client shall take particularaccount of safety and health conditions during the construction stage, asregards

the positioning and design of the object or structure,

the choice of building products,

the choice of structures for foundation, framework systems or other load-bearing elements,

the choice and design of structure completion,

the choice of installations and their positioning, and

the choice of interior fittings.

Section 5The client shall ensure that the various parts of project preparation anddesign are co-ordinated, in such a way that those taking part in the design andpreparation of the project will take account of each others plans andsolutions.

This co-ordination shall also lead to that the execution of different parts of theproject and of structures, installations and suchlike are not coinciding in timeand space during the project execution stage in such a way as to entail a riskof ill-health or accident. When estimating the period required for the differentworks which may be involved, account shall, where necessary, be taken of:

the file compiled or adapted as provided in Section 9, and the safety and health plan (work environment plan) drawn up as provided

in Sections 10 and 11 or adapted in accordance with Section 13 (b).

Section 6A person appointed to attend to matters of safety and health and co-ordinationduring the preparation and design of the project shall have such knowledge of


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building and civil engineering work and such competence relating to safetyand health matters as are needed for the project.

Section 7The manufacturer of prefabricated buildings or structures shall comply withthe stipulations of Sections 4-6 where applicable.

Section 8The persons taking part in the preparation and design of the project shall,within the scope of their assignments, comply with the relevant parts ofSection 4.

Section 9The client shall ensure that a file is compiled. This shall be completed whenthe works are concluded. It shall describe the design and construction of theobject together with the building products used, to the extent material to safetyand health in connection with work on the operation, maintenance, repair,alteration and demolition of the object.

The client shall carry out or arrange for the carrying out of all adjustments tothe file which may be needed according to the progress of the work and anychanges occurring during the project execution stage.

The client shall store the file for as long as the object remains in existence. Ifthe object is disposed of, the file shall be delivered to the new owner.

Safety and health plan (work environment plan) andprior notice

Section 10The client shall ensure that a safety and health plan (work environment plan)is drawn up and is available before the construction site is set up, if

any of the works indicated in Section 11, 2nd paragraph needs to be carriedout in connection with the building or civil engineering work or

the work is of such extent that prior notification is mandatory under Section12.

Section 11The health and safety plan (work environment plan) shall always include

the rules to be applied on the construction site and

a description of how health and safety work shall be organised

If the work is to be carried out on a site where other activity will be in progresssimultaneously, account shall be taken of this in the plan.

Where the following kinds of work are involved, the safety and health planshall also contain a description of the special measures to be taken during theproject execution stage in order for safety and health conditions to meet therequirements of the Work Environment Act, these Provisions as well as of theother Provisions issued by the National Board of Occupational Safety and


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Health or the Swedish Work Environment Authority pursuant to the WorkEnvironment Ordinance which are applicable to the work.

Work entailing a risk of falls to a lower level where the difference in level istwo metres or more.

Work entailing a risk of burial under earthfalls or engulfment in loose soil.

Work with chemical or biological substances constituting a particulardanger to safety and health or, according to Provisions issued by theNational Board of Occupational Safety and Health, involving a legalrequirement for medical surveillance.

Work which exposes the workers to ionising radiation requiring thedesignation of controlled or supervised areas as provided in the Provisions

of the National Institute for Radiation Protection (SSI FS 1998:3) on thecategorisation of workers and worksites in connection with activity withionising radiation.

Work near high voltage power lines.

Work entailing the risk of drowning.

Work on wells and tunnels and on underground works.

Work carried out underwater with diving equipment.

Work carried out in caisson with a compressed-air atmosphere.

Work involving the use of explosives.

Work involving the launching, assembly and dismantling of heavy

prefabricated components or heavy shuttering elements. Work in a place or area with passing vehicular traffic.

Demolition of load-bearing structures or health-endangering materials orsubstances.

Section 12In the case of construction sites

on which work is scheduled to last longer than 30 working days and onwhich more than 20 persons are occupied simultaneously at any time or

on which the volume of work is scheduled to exceed 500 person-days, theclient shall communicate a prior notice to the Swedish Work EnvironmentAuthority before the work starts.

The prior notice shall be drawn up in accordance with App. 1.

General co-ordinationSection 13The legal person responsible for co-ordination under Chap. 3, Section 7 of theWork Environment Act shall


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(a) ensure that the safety and health plan as referred to in Sections 10 and11 is available at the common worksite as soon as the construction sitehas been set up.

(b) make, or cause to be made, any adjustments of the safety and healthplan (work environment plan) which may be needed according to theprogress of work and to any changes which may have occurred at thecommon worksite,

(c) see to it that a copy of the prior notice referred to in Section 12 is clearlydisplayed on the construction site and, if necessary, periodically updateit.

Section 14The legal person responsible for co-ordination shall organise common safetyactivities together with those carrying on activities at the common worksite.

The legal person responsible for co-ordination shall furthermore take the stepsnecessary to ensure that only authorised persons are allowed onto theconstruction site.

Section 15The legal person responsible for co-ordination shall supervise measures toverify that technical devices are duly inspected and tested and also thatdrivers of such devices have sufficient competence.

Section 16A person appointed to attend to matters of co-ordination shall have a goodknowledge of conditions at the common worksite. When the person who hasbeen appointed is not available there, information shall be present on whereto turn. The person appointed shall have sufficient knowledge of safety and

health matters and shall be given the powers and resources which the taskrequires.

Section 17The person carrying on activity at a common worksite shall furnish the co-ordinator with particulars of the special risks which the activity may give riseto. All persons active at the common worksite shall comply with the rules oforder and safety which are issued by the co-ordinator and shall take part inthe joint management of the working environment.

Section 18The persons carrying on activities at the common worksite shall help tomaintain good order and to ensure that the construction site is notunnecessarily encumbered with materials, equipment, packaging, refuse and

suchlike. Cleaning shall be carried out periodically.


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Planning and setting up of a place or area for buildingor civil engineering work

GeneralSection 19In the planning of building or civil engineering work, account shall be taken ofall factors of any importance for safety and health (the work environment).Health hazards and accident risks involved by the work shall be assessed asearly as possible. Particular account shall be taken of the risk of fire breakingout and spreading.

When choosing the location of workstations, it shall be borne in mind howaccess to these workplaces is obtained and how routes for communicationand access can be arranged.

Section 20Stores, depots, workshops and personnel facilities shall be located in such away that the activity can be conducted under healthy and safe conditions.

The workers shall be provided with drinking water near the work stations.

Section 21The work shall be planned so that different activities do not coincide in timeand space in a way that risks of ill-health or accidents occur. The periodallocated for different types of work and work stages shall be adapted toprogress made on the site.

Section 22

If the work is to be carried out near water or near a high voltage powerinstallation, protection shall be provided against the special risks which thiscan entail.

Existing overhead electric power lines which can constitute a risk to health orsafety shall, if possible, be redirected away from the construction site or thecurrent cut off. If this is not possible, barriers and notices shall be put up toensure that equipment and vehicles are kept at such a distance that theoverhead electric power lines will not endanger health or safety.

Section 23A place or area where building or civil engineering work is carried on shall bedemarcated in such a way as to be clearly visible and identifiable.

Signs shall be erected in suitable locations round a construction site and in itsimmediate vicinity.

Installations, cables or other distribution systems for electricity, gas andwaterSection 24Before building or civil engineering work begins, an investigation shall bemade to ascertain whether there are installations, cables or other distributionsystems in the ground or in existing parts of a building or structure which can


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be affected by the works. Such items shall be identified, inspected and clearlymarked so that the risks associated with them will be reduced to a minimum.

Section 25An installation for electricity, water, gas and suchlike shall be constructed sothat it can be safely used throughout the project execution stage. Any suchinstallations shall be designed and located so as to be protected frominadvertent influence.

Reception and storage spacesSection 26Sufficient space shall be provided, to the extent necessary, for the reception,storage and safe keeping of building products and other materials used in the

work. An area for the keeping of dangerous substances shall be demarcatedand laid out in such a way that health hazards and accident risks are averted.

Areas and surfaces for reception or storage shall have sufficient bearingcapacity and stability to avert the risk of collapses.

EvacuationSection 27It shall be possible for all workstations to be evacuated in the event of fire,escaping gas or any other danger. All employees shall be able to reach a safearea quickly and safely.

Section 28The number, distribution and dimensions of escape routes shall be adapted tothe use, equipment and dimensions of the construction site, spaces and workpremises and to the maximum number of persons that may be present.

Specific escape routes and assembly points shall be marked with signs. Thesigns shall be sufficiently resistant and be placed at appropriate points.

Escape routes requiring illumination shall be provided with emergency lightingof adequate intensity in case the ordinary lighting fails.

Section 29Escape routes, together with communication routes and doors leading tothem, shall be free from obstruction so that they can be used at any timewithout inconvienience.

Section 30Doors for evacuation shall open outwards in the evacuation direction. Theymust not be so locked or fastened that they cannot be easily and immediatelyopened by any person who may require to use them in an emergency.

Doors and gates on escape routes shall be appropriately marked.

Sliding or revolving doors must not be used as doors on specific escaperoutes.


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First AidSection 31First aid shall be available. Staff trained to provide first aid shall be available ifcalled upon, at any time. Areas or places for first aid shall be provided to theextent appropriate to the nature and scale of the activity. Equipment and areasor places for first aid shall be signposted.

The addresses and telephone numbers of ambulance and rescue servicesshall normally be clearly displayed.

Fire prevention. Fire detectors and alarm systemsSection 32

The occurrence and spread of fire shall be prevented. Fire-fighting equipmentand, where needed, fire detectors and alarm systems shall be provided. Theirnumber and design shall be adapted to:

the conditions where the building or civil engineering is carried out,

the size and use of the spaces,

the equipment used,

the physical and chemical properties of the building products andsubstances occurring, and

the maximum potential number of people present in the spaces and workpremises and on the construction site.

Appropriate tests and drills shall take place at regular intervals.

Section 33Non-automatic fire-fighting equipment shall be simple to use and easilyaccessible. The equipment shall be indicated by signs.

Doors, gates, windows and wallsSection 34Sliding doors shall be fitted with a safety device to prevent them from beingderailed and falling over. Doors and gates opening upwards shall be fitted witha mechanism to secure them against falling back.

Section 35Mechanical doors and gates shall operate without any risk of accident to theemployees. They shall be fitted with emergency stop devices which are easilyidentifiable and accessible and, unless they open automatically in the event ofa power cut, it shall be possible for them to be opened manually.

In the immediate vicinity of gates intended for vehicle traffic, there shall bedoors for pedestrian traffic unless it is safe for pedestrians to use the gates.Such doors shall be clearly marked and kept free at all times.

Section 36


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Windows, skylights, ventilators and smoke lids shall be possible to open,close, adjust and secure in a safe manner. When open or unlocked, they mustnot constitute a hazard to the employees. Windows and skylights shall bedesigned for such equipment or otherwise fitted with devices allowing them tobe cleaned without risk to the persons carrying out this work or to otheremployees.

Section 37Walls of glass or other transparent or translucent material in the vicinity ofworkplaces or of access or communication routes shall be clearly indicated.They shall be made of shatter-proof material or be shielded to preventemployees from coming into contact with them or being injured should thewalls shatter.

Communication routesSection 38A construction site shall be sufficiently provided with safe communicationroutes, loading bays, loading towers and load openings.

Communication routes, loading bays, loading towers and load openings shallhave such protective devices and shall be designed, proportioned and locatedin such a way as to avert the risk of falls and falling objects. Loading towersshall normally have a gate or barrier which can be easily and safely openedand closed in connection with transport operations. Loading bays shall have atleast one exit point.

Communication routes shall, depending on the equipment on the constructionsite and other conditions there, be clearly marked if necessary for the safety of

the employees.Section 39Communication routes to a higher or lower level shall normally consist ofstairs or a ramp. If the difference in height between two levels exceeds tenmetres and this means a great deal of stair-climbing for the employees, a liftshall be available in addition to the stairs.

Stairs shall be of sufficient width and shall have a suitable gradient. If needed,having regard to the height of the stairs, there shall be landings at suitabledistances. Stairs and landings shall have, respectively, handrails andguardrails.

A permanently fixed ladder which is vertical or near-vertical and more than sixmetres in length shall have cage protection down to a height of about two andhalf metres above ground or another level.

Section 40Communication routes intended for use by motor vehicles shall be designedwith due regard for traffic safety.


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Communication routes intended for motor vehicles shall, for the protection ofothers at the site be provided with sufficient safety clearance or adequateprotective devices.

Section 41Sufficient clearance shall be allowed between vehicle traffic routes and doors,gates, passages for pedestrians, corridors and staircases.

LightingSection 42Work stations and other spaces, together with communication and accessroutes, shall as far as possible be arranged so as to receive sufficient daylight.

Where daylight is insufficient, artificial lighting shall be provided. Moveable,

impact-proof workplace lighting shall be used if needed.

Suitable standby lighting shall be provided if needed.

Section 43Spaces, workstations and communication and access routes whereemployees are especially exposed to risks in the event of power cuts shall beprovided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity.

Section 44Lighting installations shall be of such a kind and positioned in such a way asto entail no risk of accident to the employees.

The colour of artificial light used must not alter or affect the perception of

signals, signposts or warning clothing.

Conduct of the work

Choice of working methods and equipmentSection 45For the conduct of the work, such working methods and equipment shall bechosen as

counteract accidents due to falls or collapses, overturning or fallingobjects,

serve to avoid physical loads which are dangerous to health or areunnecessarily fatiguing,

are appropriate to the properties of the building products,

entail low exposure to noise, vibrations, dangerous substances and aircontaminants, and

are suitable for structural work on foundations and framework systems andfor the assembly of framework supplements, installations and interiorfittings.


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Section 46Suitable equipment shall be provided for lifting and conveying buildingproducts and other material, if needed in order for the employees not to besubjected to loads which are dangerous to health or unnecessarily fatiguing.

The lifting devices and accessories chosen, including their component parts,attachments, anchorings and supports, shall be properly designed andconstructed and sufficiently strong for their intended use, and shall clearlydisplay their maximum load values.

Lifting devices and accessories shall be operated by qualified workers whohave received appropriate training, and may not be used for other than theirintended purposes.

Section 47Such equipment, including hand tools whether power-driven or not,installations and machinery shall be chosen which are properly designed inaccordance with ergonomic principles. They may only be operated byemployees with adequate skills and may be used solely for the purpose forwhich they were designed.

Shutterings and temporary support shall be designed, installed andmaintained so as to safely withstand any loads and stresses which they maybe exposed to.

Vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, as well as machinery andother equipment, which can be used in such a way that the persons operatingthem or working near them are not exposed to exhaust fumes in harmfulconcentrations, shall be selected.

Instructions, inspection, etcSection 48Information concerning the building or civil engineering work, concerning therules to be applied and concerning health and safety measures (workenvironment) taken or planned shall be supplied to the employees.

Information concerning the safe conduct of the work shall be supplied to theemployees to the extent necessary.

Information and instructions shall be comprehensible to the employeesconcerned.

Section 49

Equipment and installations procured for and used in the work shall bechecked before use. Equipment and installations in use shall be checked andmaintained periodically and after events which may have affected theirworking order. This applies particularly to the following:

Fire-fighting equipment, fire detectors and alarm systems.

Energy distribution installations.

Communication routes.


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Traffic control devices and cut-off devices. Shutterings and other temporary structures.

Safety nets.

Structures for workplaces at a height or depth.

Signage, markings and other safety and/or health signs.

Section 50If the inspection as provided in Section 49 reveals deficiencies which canimply serious danger to safety or health, the work shall be suspendedimmediately. The work may not be resumed until the deficiencies have beenremedied.

Section 51Launching, assembly or dismantling of heavy prefabricated elements or heavyshuttering elements may only be commenced and carried out under thedirection of a competent person.

Pointed or sharp objectsSection 52Projecting or upward-pointing building parts or objects which are pointed orsharp shall be removed or shielded if needed for the avoidance of accidents.

Transport of building products or other materialSection 53The transport of building products or other materials shall be planned and

conducted in such a way that ill-health or accidents are prevented.

Transport up to or down from a level more than two metres above groundlevel or the equivalent shall be conducted in such a way that a guardrail orother protective device does not need to be removed, or else:

via loading towers,

via load openings in faades,

via specially provided ramps or

via specially provided transport systems.

If, due to the shape or size of individual objects, the transport cannot beconducted in accordance with subsection 2, a guardrail or other protectivedevice may be removed. If so, the transport shall be especially planned andsupervised. Special safety precautions shall be taken. The guardrail orprotective device shall be put back as soon as it no longer impedes thetransport operation. This also shall be specially supervised.


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Handling of wasteSection 54Sufficient possibility shall be provided of separating, storing and removingbuilding and demolition waste.

Storage and handling or removal of building and demolition waste shall takeplace in a safe manner. Special attention shall be paid to conditions whenused dangerous material and used dangerous substances or packaginghaving contained dangerous substances is removed from the site or the area.

Storage and depositing of materials

Section 55Building products, other material and equipment which may move in any wayand could cause occupational accidents or ill-health, shall be stabilised in anappropriate and safe manner.

Section 56When building products and other material are deposited on a roof or in otherplaces at a height, the impact of wind shall be taken into account. The impactof wind shall also be taken into account in connection with the storage anddeposition of any material with large areas. Anchorings and other stabilisingmeasures shall always be designed and proportioned to the wind loadsoccurring.

Falls to a lower level etcSection 57The risk of the employee falling to a lower level shall be prevented.Guardrails, work platforms, work baskets or scaffolding shall be used ifneeded.

Guardrails shall be of appropriate strength and height and shall have at leasta toeboard, a principal guardrail and an intermediate guardrail or affordcorresponding protection. Guardrails shall be completely enclosed if looseobjects occur which may cause injury when falling through the guardrails.

Section 58If, owing to the nature of the work, guard rails or equipment mentioned inSection 57 cannot be used, personal fall protection equipment shall be used.If needed, an access route to the risk area shall be suitably arranged if

needed. If unauthorised employees can enter the risk area, it shall bedemarcated and closed off.

Section 59Openings and holes in floors, roofs or suchlike where there is a risk of falls ortrampling down, shall without delay be provided with a guardrail or protectivecovering, which cannot be disturbed inadvertently. A protective covering shallhave sufficient load-bearing capacity and shall either be designed so as tomake its purpose evident or else be clearly marked.


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Section 60A surface which can be trodden on shall normally have sufficient load-bearingcapacity and surface roughness, to prevent personnel from treading through itor falling. Workplace floors must not have any dangerous bumps, holes orslopes.

Surfaces which do not have ample load-bearing capacity or which are slipperyshall be closed off and marked except where manifestly unnecessary.

If a surface which does not have ample load-bearing capacity or which isslippery needs to be trodden on, special safety precautions shall be takenwhich make it possible for the work to be done in a safe manner.

The work stations

Section 61Work stations, wherever located shall be of appropriate strength and stabilityhaving regard to

the largest potential number of employees present in them,

any other loads which they shall be capable of supporting and how theseloads are distributed, and

any other influence which they may be subjected to during use.

The stability and strength of work stations shall be checked in a suitablemanner and especially, in cases where work stations can be raised orlowered, after every raising or lowering of them.

Section 62A space where work is to be done shall have sufficient surface area andheight to allow the employees to perform their work without risk to their safety,health or well-being.

The stipulations of the 1st paragraph do not apply to work in existing buildingsor structures if, for technical reasons, the requirements of sufficient surfacearea and height cannot be met. In such cases, the risk of ill-health oraccidents shall be prevented by using technical aids or by organisationalmeasures.

Section 63There shall be an access route to the work station. Access routes shall giveeasy, safe and appropriate access. They shall have such protective devicesand be so designed, dimensioned and located that the risk of falls andcollapses, overturning or falling objects will be averted.

Climate and air qualitySection 64For work indoors, the thermal climate shall be appropriate. It shall be adaptedaccording to whether the work is light or heavy and whether it is mobile orsedentary.


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Windows shall if necessary have a device or design capable of excludingsolar radiation.

For work outdoors, the employees shall be protected against atmosphericinfluence which can be detrimental to their health and safety.

Section 65The air quality in work stations shall be satisfactory. Air change shall bearranged according to the working methods used and the physical demandson the employees. If mechanical ventilation is used, this shall be kept in goodworking order and must not expose the employees to unpleasant draughts.

Where necessary for the sake of the employees health, any malfunctions inthe installation shall be indicated by a control system.

Special risk areasSection 66Appropriate safety precautions shall be taken to protect the employeesagainst risks

caused by stability and load-carrying capacity not being fully developed atvarious phases during the project execution stage or

arising from the temporary fragility or instability of a structure.

Section 67Areas where there is a risk of falling objects shall be closed off and marked. Ifsuch areas have to be entered, protective roofs, covered passageways orsuchlike shall be provided.

Section 68Before an employee enters a space or an area

where air contaminants, oxygen deficiency or other atmospheric conditionsmay occur which are capable of causing danger or

where the air may be readily ignitable

the air shall be checked and suitable measures taken. Special account shallbe taken of the need for suitable protective equipment.

Section 69Employees working in a confined space

where air contaminants, insufficient oxygen level or other air conditionsmay entail serious danger or

where the air may be readily ignitableshall at all times be able to be watched from outside. All appropriateprecautions shall be taken to ensure that they can be assisted quickly andeffectively.

Section 70If the site includes limited-access areas, these shall be equipped with devicesto prevent unauthorised employees from entering. Appropriate measures shall


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be taken to protect employees who are authorised to enter these dangerareas. The danger areas shall be clearly signposted.

Personal protective equipmentSection 71A safety helmet with chin straps and safety shoes with penetration-resistantsoles and toe caps shall be worn except where manifestly unnecessary.

For work on ice-covered water, ice prods, ice crampons, a life jacket and lifeline shall be available.

Personal protective equipment shall otherwise be used when needed.

Certain particular kinds of work

EarthworkSection 72Earthwork shall be planned and conducted in such a way that the stability ofthe ground will be sufficient, having regard to the loads to which it may cometo be subjected. The risk of collapses, landslips, bottom heaves or otherunplanned changes in the ground, as well as the risk of flooding, shall beprevented.

Section 73Before excavation starts, an investigation shall be made concerning the

presence in the ground of materials dangerous to health,

substances dangerous to health or

installations, cables or other distribution systems.

If this is the case, the requisite safety precautions shall be taken.

Section 74Supportive structures shall be used in connection with excavation, unless therisk of a collapse endangering health or safety is judged non-existent.Alternatively the excavation may be carried out with a slope gradient.

Supportive structures or slope gradients shall be designed so as to providesufficient security against collapses or other unplanned changes in theground, having regard to the loads occurring. Excavated material, othermaterials and moving vehicles shall be kept away from the excavation.

Section 75Excavated material and other materials shall be positioned so that they do notcause

risks due to collapses, falling stones and suchlike or


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overloading of sheet piling and props and struts.If there is a risk of injury resulting from falls into excavations and wells, theseshall be provided with protective covering or closed off by guardrails.

Preventive measures shall be taken to ensure that excavating and materials-handling vehicles and machinery will not fall into the excavations or into water.

Section 76Excavation may only be started and carried on under the direction of acompetent person

if investigation as provided in Section 73 reveals the presence of materialsor substances dangerous to health, installations, cables or otherdistribution systems, or

if, as provided in Section 74, supportive structures need to be used oralternatively excavation is carried out with a slope gradient.

Cofferdams and caissonsSection 77Cofferdams and caissons shall be

designed according to the loads they can be subjected to and made ofappropriate, solid materials of adequate strength,

appropriately equipped so that the employees can gain shelter in the eventof an irruption of water or materials.

The construction, installation, transformation or dismantling of cofferdams andcaissons must take place only under the supervision of a competent person.

Cofferdams and caissons shall be inspected by a competent person at regularintervals.

Demolition workSection 78Before demolition work is started, an investigation shall be carried out toascertain whether materials or substances dangerous to health are included inthe building or civil engineering works. If so, this shall be taken into accountwhen planning the demolition.

Section 79Demolition of load-bearing structures or demolition involving materials orsubstances dangerous to health may only be planned and undertaken underthe direction of a competent person. That person shall keep the work under

continuous observation and supervision.

Section 80Demolition and holing shall be carried out in such a way that the strength andstability of remaining parts of the building or civil engineering works are notendangered. Building parts constituting support for other parts may not bedemolished until sufficient anchoring or bracing has taken place. If a risk ofcollapse, overturning or falling objects arises during the work, the danger areashall immediately be evacuated and closed off.


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In the case of demolition by excavator or mobile crane, or by ball fitted to the arm of the excavator or to the crane rope,the machine operator shall be closely familiar with this method of working.

In the case of demolition by blasting the work shall be described in a blastingscheme.

Passing vehicular trafficSection 81Building and civil engineering work shall be planned, arranged andundertaken so as to afford adequate safety against ill-health and accidentsfrom passing vehicular traffic.

Risks due to passing vehicular traffic shall be prevented. To this endconsideration shall primarily be given to the measures indicated in a-c, below,in the order given.(a) The traffic is diverted so that the work will not be affected.(b) The traffic is directed in such a way that vehicles pass by at a safe

distance.(c) The traffic is segregated from the worksite by means of traffic control

devices. Protective devices effectively excluding or diverting traffic fromthe worksite shall also be provided to the extent necessary.

The following measures shall also be considered, either separately, combinedwith each other or combined with the measures in (b) and (c).(d) The speed of traffic past the worksite is reduced by means of road signs,

road markings or some other appropriate measure.(e) The traffic is directed past the worksite by a specially appointed person (asignalman) or by means of traffic signals.

Traffic control devices and protective devices shall be positioned andweighted or anchored in such a way that they cannot normally be ejected intothe worksite by passing vehicles.

Section 82In applying Section 81 to work in a track area with track-bound traffic passingby, special care shall be taken to ensure that the work is planned, arrangedand undertaken so as to offer adequate safety against ill-health and accidentsfrom this traffic.

Section 83If a vehicle must pass through the place where the work is being undertakenand the employees, for safety reasons, must therefore leave their workstations, measures shall be taken to ensure that the employees have left therisk area when vehicles pass.

Section 84Special protective devices shall if needed be provided which prevent theemployees from being exposed to noise, vibrations or air pollution from


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passing vehicular traffic. Account shall also be taken of the need for protectionfrom light and reflections.

Section 85High visibility clothes with reflectors shall be worn for the following tasks andin the following situations:(a) The worksite is not segregated from passing vehicular traffic by protective

devices effectively excluding or diverting the traffic from the worksite(Section 81, 2nd paragraph (c).

(b) Work as a signalman at a worksite as referred to in Section 81, 3rdparagraph (e) or Section 83, with the task of directing the traffic and/orensuring that the employees leave the danger area when a vehicleapproaches.

Section 86Work in the following cases may be started and undertaken only under thedirection of a competent person.(a) It is intended that risks due to traffic shall be prevented through measures

referred to in Section 81, 2nd paragraph (c).(b) The work is concerned with the repair and maintenance of track with

passing vehicular traffic.

Work on roofsSection 87In connection with work on roofs, special account shall be taken of the risk ofaccidents resulting from falls, treading through materials, slipping and tripping.The same applies concerning health hazards due to unsuitable work posturesand working movements. In both cases, account shall be taken of the

importance of climatic factors for work under the special conditions applying towork on roofs.

Materials and tools shall be placed on the roof in such a way that they cannotslide down. Material shall be appropriately secured if needed.

Section 88A guardrail or equipment affording corresponding protection shall normally beused in connection with work on roofs. Permanently fitted equipment shall beused in the first instance.

If, having regard to the circumstances, it is not reasonable to use a guardrailor equipment affording corresponding protection, personal fall protectionequipment shall be used. For assessment purposes, account shall be taken ofthe following:

the time needed to fit the safety rail or the equipment and the risksassociated with doing so,

the duration of the roof work to be undertaken, and

the risks associated with the work if the guardrail or correspondingequipment is not used.

Section 89


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The stipulations of Section 88 need not be observed in connection with thereplacement of single roof tiles or other similar temporary work on roofs, nor inconnection with rooftop snow clearance. Personal fall protection equipmentshall then be used.

If personal protective equipment against falls from a height is used with asafety line, the safety line shall be secured to an appropriate device on theroof, e.g. a ridge rail. If a device for securing the safety line is lacking or ifthere are other special reasons, a person suitable for this task shall bedetailed to hold the safety line steady, preferably anchoraged by turns arounda structure. The safety line shall be kept stretched throughout the work.

In connection with snow clearance, a special person shall normally be detailedto hold the safety line fast anchoraged by turns around a structure and toensure that it is stretched.

Section 90In connection with work on roofs with more than a 1:4 (approx. 14) gradient,a horizontal work surface shall be provided if the work is done in a small areaand is expected to last for more than 4 hours.

Section 91Before repair or maintenance work on a roof begins, the state of the roof shallbe investigated, particularly as regards its load-carrying capacity and surfaceroughness.

Section 92In the construction of roofs with self-supporting sheeting on roof beams, theweight of the sheeting packages shall be adapted to the load-carrying capacity

of the roof. The packages shall be distributed on the roof at such spaces as tofacilitate handling. The first sheets on the roof shall be laid from a scaffolding,work platform or other safe position. Each sheet shall be secured immediatelyafter it has been laid out.

Safety netsSection 93A safety net shall be designed and constructed in such a way that

it can arrest falling persons with adequate safety,

a falling person arrested by the net will not be injured on coming intocontact with it or with the suspension devices, and

the capacity of the safety net for catching a falling person and arresting thefall is satisfactory throughout the nets total service life.

Section 94When delivered, the safety net shall be accompanied by written instructions inSwedish. The instructions shall describe how the safety net is intended to beassembled, used and dismantled and how it is to be stored, cared for and


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inspected. The instructions shall also give warning of factors which mayadversely affect the function of the net.

Section 95In the case of a safety net provided with one or more test ropes for checkingthe nets condition, the instructions shall indicate

the latest date when the test ropes are intended to be test-pulled and

how the test results can be used for determining when the net no longeraffords adequate protection.

For a safety net without any test rope, the instructions shall state the date afterwhich the net no longer affords adequate protection.

Section 96The accompanying instructions shall be taken into account when the safetynet is used.

A safety net may only be assembled under the supervision of a competentperson. In connection with assembly, the aim shall be to minimise the fallingheight. This may not exceed what the instructions show the net to be intendedfor. Nor must it exceed 6 metres.

The clearance under the net shall be sufficient for a person falling into the netnot to be injured by contact with something underneath the net when the latteris stretched.

Section 97A safety net which has caught a falling person or an object which may haveimposed the corresponding stress on the net may only be used if it hassubsequently been examined by a competent person who has assessed it tobe still in working order.

Section 98A safety net with one or more test ropes may, after the date when, accordingto the written instructions, a test rope is intended to be test-pulled at the latest,only be used if the following points have been observed:(a) The test rope has been test-pulled.(b) An assessment of the test results in accordance with the instructions has

shown that the safety net still affords adequate protection.(c) An assessment of the test results in accordance with the instructions has

shown the safety net to afford adequate protection until the next test-pull.Alternatively, the date after which the net no longer affords adequate

protection has been determined in accordance with the instructions.Test-pulling, assessment and determination shall be carried out by acompetent person.

Section 99A safety net with only one test rope may not be used after the timedetermined as provided in Section 98 (c).


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A safety net with more than one test rope may not be used after the point intime which, following test-pulling of the last test rope, has been determined asprovided in Section 98 (c).

A safety net without a test rope may not be used after the date when,according to the written instructions, the net no longer affords adequateprotection.

Section 100For work in temperatures below -10C, safety nets shall be chosen withmaterial which retains its energy absorption capacity at the temperatureconcerned.

Penal ProvisionsSection 101The stipulations of Sections 9-13 are provisions as referred to in Chap. 4,Section 8 of the Work Environment Act. Under Chap. 8, Section 2 of the Act,offences against these provisions are punishable by fines.

Entry into forceThese Provisions enter into force on 1st January 2000. The followingProvisions and General Recommendations issued by the National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health are repealed with effect from the same date:1. Working Platforms for Slipform Casting (Notice 1973:12).2. Construction Work (formerly Directions 32).

3. Safety Nets (formerly Directions 32:2).4. Work on Roofs (AFS 1983:12).5. Roadwork (AFS 1984:19).6. Building and Civil Engineering Work (AFS 1994:52).

BERTIL REMAEUS

Gran Lindh Andreas Patay


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Appendix 1Prior Notice to the Labour Inspectorate

1. Date of notice.2. Location (visiting address) of the construction site.3. Name and address of client.4. Type of project.5. Name and address of project designer(s).6. Name and address of the legal person intended to be responsible for co-

ordination as provided in Chap. 3, Section 7 of the Work EnvironmentAct or an indication of this person being the same as in point 3, above.

7. Planned date for start of work on the construction site.8. Planned date for conclusion of work on the construction site.9. Estimated maximum number of persons on the construction site on any

occasion.10. Planned number of contractors and self-employed persons on the

construction site.11. Details of contractors already chosen.


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General Recommendations of the Swedish NationalBoard of Occupational Safety and Health on theImplementation of the Provisions on Building and CivilEngineering Work

The following General Recommendations are issued by the National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health on the implementation of its Provisions (AFS1999:3) on building and civil engineering work.

General Recommendations have a different legal status from Provisions. Theyare not mandatory. Instead they serve to elucidate the meaning of theProvisions (e.g. by explaining suitable ways of meeting the requirements,giving examples of practical solutions and procedures) and to provide

recommendations, background information and references.

Background

GeneralSweden has undertaken to transpose, among other instruments, ECDirectives on the working environment to Swedish Provisions. The basic ECrules on safety and health at work are stated in a framework Directive: CouncilDirective of 12th June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourageimprovements in the safety and health of workers at work (89/391/EEC).

A number of individual Directives within the meaning of the frameworkDirective state minimum requirements to be met by the EU Member States.

The first of these individual Directives (89/654/EEC), referred to as theworkplace Directive, indicates requirements for the safe design of workplaces.Another individual Directive, the eighth, is the Council Directive of 24th June1992 on the implementation of minimum safety and health requirements attemporary or mobile construction sites (92/57/EEC). (The Construction SitesDirective). The Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety andHealth on Building and Civil Engineering Work were adapted to theConstruction Sites Directive through AFS 1994:52 Building and CivilEngineering Work, now repealed.

The new Provisions, AFS 1999:3, have resulted from a re-working of theBoards various Provisions and General Recommendations relating to buildingand civil engineering work. These have now been gathered into a singledocument. They include, for example, the Provisions on Work on Roofs (AFS

1983:12), Roadwork (AFS 1984:19) and Building and Civil Engineering Work(AFS 1994:52). Most of the Sections of the Boards Provisions and GeneralRecommendations on protection against occupational hazards in connectionwith building work (the former Directions 32) have also been incorporated inthe new Provisions. The latter now deal coherently and comprehensively withresponsibility for the work environment in connection with project preparationand design, planning and the conduct of work, in all cases with specificreference to health and safety conditions (the working environment) inconnection with Building and Civil Engineering Work.


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One purpose of the revision has been to condense the text and in this wayreduce the mass of regulations. Another aim has been to make the Provisionsmore readable by structuring them more clearly. As part of this effort, App. 3 ofAFS 1994:52 (corresponding to Annex IV of the Directive) has been turnedinto Sections of the new Provisions.

AFS 1994:52, now repealed, applied to most kinds of work coming under AFS1984:9 Roadwork. In the new Provisions, most of the content of AFS1984:19 concerning protection from vehicular traffic recurs in Sections 81-86.These new sections refer to external traffic passing by or through a place orarea where building or civil engineering work is carried out. Note that thesesections now apply to all work where external vehicular traffic of this kindmay constitute a hazard. The stipulations are also valid for track-bound traffic.

To whom are the Provisions addressed?In the most of the stipulations in the new Provisions on building and civilengineering work it is not explicity stated to whom they are addressed. Theaddress is only indicated in certain stipulations which carry direct penalsanctions or are otherwise of a more formal nature. The other stipulationsemploy such impersonal expressions as a workplace shall be orprotection shall be provided against

This is the Boards normal way of phrasing its Provisions. The main reason forusing this method is that Provisions are normally addressed to so manydifferent legal persons in positions of responsibility that a full enumeration inevery stipulation would make the whole thing virtually unreadable.

The principle, therefore, is that, unless otherwise indicated, the address is to

everyone who may be responsible, under the Work Environment Act, of thekind described. Most of the stipulations in this instrument, therefore, mayaddress the following categories:

Employers.

Employees.

Two or more persons jointly engaging in professional activity.

Self-employed persons.

Family businesses.

A person renting manpower.

The person in control of a worksite.

A person carrying on activity at a common worksite.

The client commissioning building or civil engineering work.

A person taking part in project preparation and design.

Many stipulations are also addressed to the enterprise responsible for co-ordinating measures against ill-health and accidents at a common worksite.This applies to all stipulations potentially referring to the co-ordination ofhealth and safety measures between different enterprises active at the


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common worksite. This co-ordination focuses above all on hazards occurringin the activities of one enterprise but liable to affect persons employed byother enterprises active at the common worksite. Further to this point, see theguidance on Sections 13-15.

All the groups which have now been enumerated need to study the fullcontent of these stipulations of the Provisions and to decide the extent towhich the Provisions affect their activities. An employer, for example, needs totake account of all stipulations except those expressly addressed to someoneelse.

It may very often be the case that in practice the employer has no control overconditions in a place where work is to be undertaken. But if conditions aretherefore short of the requirements of these Provisions, the employer mustinstead suspend work until things have been put right. It is always theemployers duty to ensure that he is not carrying on work contrary to the WorkEnvironment Act or to Provisions issued by the National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health.

Guidance on individual Sections

Scope and definitions

Guidance on Section 1Work stages coming under these Provisions include, among other things,earthworks, excavation, assembly and dismantling of prefabricated elementsor shuttering elements, renovation, repairs and maintenance, painting andcleaning included, as well as installation works. Civil engineering workincludes, for example, the construction of roads, streets and squares, roadmaintenance, surfacing work, track maintenance, the laying out of golfcourses and parks and the construction and maintenance of networks forelectrical power, telecommunications and data distribution and transmission.

Work on the maintenance of buildings or civil engineering works, then, comesunder Building and Civil Engineering Work. Note that the compilation ofdocuments describing maintenance work also counts as project preparation.

The operation of a building or civil engineering works, on the other hand, doesnot usually count as building or civil engineering work, and accordingly doesnot come under these Provisions. Other Provisions issued by the NationalBoard of Occupational Safety and Health may of course apply to such activity.

The line of demarcation between maintenance on the one hand and theoperation of a building or civil engineering works on the other can sometimesbe hard to draw. On this point one can say that the replacement of light fittingsusually counts as maintenance work while replacement of filament bulbs, onthe other hand, counts as operation. The same goes for certain recurrencecleaning operations, e.g. window cleaning and suchlike.


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Road maintenance, e.g. scraping and spreading of binder, can generally beclassed as maintenance, while winter road management, on the other hand,usually counts as operation (Cf. subsection 2 of this Section).

Project preparation and design is usually taken to include that part of theconstruction process where it is decided, on the basis of drawings,calculations, descriptions or suchlike, how a building or civil engineering worksis to be constructed and what it is to look like when finished. In many cases,parts of the design do not occur until the construction site has been set up, ie.during the project execution stage.

Stipulations on work facilities are contained in the Boards Ordinance (AFS1995:3) containing Provisions on Working Premises. Provisions on ventilationin working premises are contained in the Boards Ordinance (AFS 1993:5)containing Provisions on Ventilation and Air Quality. Work places and spacesin Building and Civil Engineering Work are not usually working premises in thesense of the above mentioned Provisions, but they do occur on constructionsites, e.g. in the form of offices and field workshops.

Guidance on Section 2Under the Construction Sites Directive, a self-employed person on theconstruction site has to conform with much the same Directive stipulations asapply to health and safety conditions for employees. As has already beenmentioned, Sweden has undertaken to transpose the Construction SitesDirective to Swedish Provisions. Under Chap. 3, Section 5, 2nd paragraph ofthe Work Environment Act, however, the persons carrying on commercialactivities singly or together with members of their families and without havingany employees only have to comply with provisions made in or by authority ofthe Work Environment Act concerning technical devices and substances

capable of causing ill-health or accidents, and also concerning worksitescommon to several enterprises (common worksites). This is not sufficient tomeet the requirements of the Construction Sites Directive.

In Chap. 4, Section 10 of the Work Environment Act, therefore, the NationalBoard of Occupational Safety and Health has been empowered, withreference to persons carrying on commercial activities singly or together withmembers of their families and without having employees, also to issueProvisions in respect other than those following from Chap. 3, Section 5, 2 ndparagraph of the Work Environment Act. Accordingly, through Section 2 ofthese Provisions, the Board imposed on persons carrying on commercialactivities, singly or together with members of their families, without havingemployees a wider work environment responsibility for their own health andsafety in the undertaking of building or civil engineering work. This Section

indicates in detail the stipulations concerned. This responsibility means thatsuch persons are obliged to plan and arrange for their work in such a way thatthey can undertake it under work environment conditions as safe and healthyas those required for employees.

Guidance on Section 3Stipulations on building or civil engineering work on protection againstvehicular traffic passing by or through a place or area where building or civilengineering work is carried out are contained in Sections 81-86. Stipulations


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on protection against vehicular traffic in the place or area and connected withbuilding or civil engineering work are contained in Sections 38, 40 and 41.

Project Preparation and Design

Guidance on Section 4Chap. 3, Section 14 of the Work Environment Act contains stipulations onresponsibility for safety and health conditions in connection with projectpreparation and design. According to these stipulations, safety and healthaspects, regarding the work execution stage as well as the work utilisationstage, shall be considered in the project preparation and design. The purposeof those stipulations is for the persons drawing up and co-ordinating theconstruction documents already at the project preparation stage to make therisk assessments and indicate the solutions which are needed in order for

safety to be acceptable at the project execution stage. It is natural for theserisk assessments and proposed solutions to form the basis of the safety andhealth plan (work environment plan) which has to be drawn up under Section10. In this way it would be easier for the individual contractor to plan andundertake in an acceptable manner from the health and safety point of viewthe works for which he has been contracted. Stipulations concerningresponsibility for the work environment in connection with project preparationand design relating to the utilisation stage are contained in AFS 1995:4Design of Buildings and Plant.

Project preparation and design often does not include a detailed specification,for example, of the materials to be used. Instead, within certain limits thechoice is left to the contractor undertaking to do the work. In a sense, then, thecontractor will be involved in the design of the project; see Section 8.

Overriding responsibility for health and safety aspects being taken intoaccount, however, remains with the client.

It is very important from a safety and health viewpoint that preparation of thework environment plan (see Sections 10 and 11) should not be put off until theconstruction site is about to be set up. (See also the guidance on Sections 10and 11).

Examples will now be given of ways in which safety and health factors can betaken into account in various respects.

The position of the building or civil engineering work can have a crucialbearing on the possibilities of arranging transport operations to and from thesite in a satisfactory manner and also of using the lifting and transport deviceswhich are needed.

The nature of the ground makes an important difference to the choice offoundation structures. Work on structures below ground water level generallydemands special care in connection with the preparation and design of aproject.

Work on assembling and dismantling temporary supports often entails a risk ofmusculoskeletal injuries and of falls, collapses and overturning. These risks


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can be averted if structures for buildings, bridges and other civil engineeringworks are designed so that stability can be achieved during the constructionphase without temporary supports. The risk of falls will be reduced ifstructures which can be trodden on during the construction phase havesufficient load-bearing capacity.

Many accidents can be avoided if lifting eye bolts or other aids to the handlingof prefabricated elements are designed and proportioned according to thestresses to which they may be subjected in the course of handling, transport,storage and assembly. The positioning of the lifting eye bolts so that thebalance position of the element coincides with the position which it will occupywhere assembled is often a prerequisite of safety in the assembly, fitting andsecuring of the element and its detachment from the lifting device. All isapplied equally to arrangements for guidance and lane indication installed onor beside streets and roads.

During the project preparation stage it may also be necessary to investigatehow installations and other technical devices can be conveyed to their positionand installed there, and whether suitable means of transport and lifting aidscan be used.

Manual handling is a common cause of accidents and ill-health in connectionwith building and civil engineering work. Ill-health also occurs as a result ofallergy and hypersensitivity. At the project preparation stage, safety and healthconsiderations can be taken into account through the choice of buildingproducts. It is particurlarly important to ensure

that the handling or assembly of the building products does not cause ill-health or accidents,

that the shape and size of the building products are appropriate to thespaces where they are to be fitted,

that the chemical products chosen are not more dangerous than neededfor the achievement of an acceptable result, and

that the building products do not give rise to spillage, waste products,packaging and suchlike capable of causing ill-health or accidents.

Stipulations on ergonomics concerning musculoskeletal conditions at work arecontained in the Boards Provisions (AFS 1998:1) on Ergonomics for thePrevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Guidance on Section 5It is important that the co-ordination aspects of safety and health conditionsare already taken into account at the beginning of the project preparationstage. It is also important that co-ordination aspects are clearly stated in theinstructions to those taking part in the design of the project. These personsshould also be informed of others taking part, of the way in which co-ordination is to be organised and of the co-ordinators identity (see Section 6).

Co-ordination can, for example, be needed between those planningframeworks and those planning installations, so as to ensure, for example,that sufficient space is provided for incoming transport and assembly. This co-ordination may also concern the need for recesses, arrangements for securing


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safety devices and for securing necessary aids in connection with incomingtransport, assembly etc. Indication of these matters in the building documentswill make it possible for the measures to be already taken or prepared whenthe framework is manufactured or constructed on site. It will then be possible,for example, to dispense with chewing and drilling of concrete, with all thehazards this implies.

Co-ordination of project preparation and design can avert situations where, forexample, the spaces for ventilation ducts or cables etc for various installationsare made so low or cramped that during the project execution stage thecontractors have to resort to improvise solution of a kind unsatisfactory fromthe viewpoint of safety and health. Cf. Section 62.

In spaces where several installations are to be made, it is important toconsider the order in which installation work can proceed.

Matters of co-ordination also include considering the time it takes forstructures, coatings and surfacing to harden and dry.

When existing buildings and installations are to be altered, maintained oradapted for new users, many of the preconditions with a bearing on safetyand health cannot be influenced through project preparation and design.Special importance then attaches to co-ordination. The fact of such work oftenhaving to be completed in a short time also increases the need for co-ordination.

Guidance on Section 6In projects of any significance, there generally has to be a person whocommands a total view of all the project preparation and design and who is

capable of leading and co-ordinating safety and health matters at this stage.One important part of this work involves getting architects, structuralengineers and others taking part in the project preparation and design to takeaccount of each others plans and solutions. It is appropriate that the personappointed to take charge of matters of safety and health and co-ordinationshould also be tasked with drawing up the safety and health plan (workenvironment plan) (see Section 10).

Guidance on Section 8Normally the client engages different specialists for the project preparations architects, structural engineers, consultants for electrical power supply,heating and plumbing, telephone and data networks and so on.

Guidance on Section 9

The documentation is intended to be available for consultation in connectionwith the operation, maintenance, alteration etc of the object and also when itcomes to be demolished.

Safety and health plan (work environment plan) and prior notice



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Part of the purpose of the safety and health plan (work environment plan) is tolay the foundations of work environment management and, as regards worksinvolving particular risks to offer solutions for averting anticipated hazards. Inthis way the safety and health plan serves as an aid to the individualcontractor in the planning of his operations at the construction site.

Work on drawing up the safety and health plan (work environment plan)should preferably begin simultaneously with project preparation and design. Agreat advantage is that the plan can then serve to document safety and healthdeliberations during the project preparation stage. For the same reason, asregards works which are not prepared for, e.g. demolition and cleaning, thesafety and health plan (work environment plan) should already be drawn upas part of the planning of work.

Guidance on Section 11The size and content of the safety and health plan (work environment plan)will generally depend on the extent of the works and on the hazards which canbe anticipated when the work is undertaken.

Where large or complicated objects are involved, the safety and health plancan appropriately begin with

a general manifesto of the principles and objectives of safety and healthwhich are to apply to the project,

information concerning the permits required from public authorities, roadauthorities or the owners of electricity, telecommunications, gas and otherinstallations, and

information concerning the closure devices needed in order to prevent

passing vehicular traffic from entering the area where building or civilengineering work is carried out.

Rules may, for example, be needed concerning

conditions for the use of working methods which generate considerableheat and/or showers of sparks,

times when machinery generating noise above a certain level may beused, and

times when work causing air pollution may be undertaken.

For the planning of work and of the safety organisation during the projectexecution stage, it is appropriate that the safety and health plan (workenvironment plan) should already be presented at the tendering stage, in so

far as conditions are known. When the contractors are appointed, it isappropriate to consult them on the further design of the safety and health plan(work environment plan). It may be a good idea to establish early on whichenterprise is to be co-ordinator on the construction site during the projectexecution stage.

Section 10 requires the safety and health plan (work environment plan) to beavailable before the site is set up. It is usual for works, including thosementioned in Section 11, 2nd paragraph not to be prepared until after the site


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has been set up. For works of this kind, the safety and health plan is to showsuch particulars as are known and have a bearing on the safety and health ofthe persons undertaking the work. Further particulars about these works canthen be added to the plan as the design progresses. The same procedure canwell be applied concerning works which are not preceded by design.

If alterations are made to previous project design, it is important thatcorresponding changes are introduced in the safety and health plan (workenvironment plan).

Description referred to in subsection 2 of this Section may, for example,concern:

fall arrest systems which can be used and how they are to be assembled,

how protection against falls is otherwise to be arranged,

which support or stabilisation measures needed to be taken in connectionwith excavation or demolition work,

safety clearances and other safety precaution occasioned by the workbeing undertaken in the vicinity of high voltage power transmission lines,

devices for the assembly of prefabricated elements,

which scaffoldings, work platforms, guardrails and anchorings for personalprotective equipment are needed, and how these devices are to beassembled and anchored,

the measures of protection, screening-off and ventilation which need to betaken in connection with the handling of building products dangerous tohealth, such as thermosetting plastics, asbestos and so on, and

the traffic and closure arrangements needed in order to prevent vehiculartraffic from entering the place or area where building or civil engineeringwork is carried out.

The general remarks made in the guidance on Section 10 concerning theurgent importance of starting to draw up the safety and health plan from anearly stage also apply to these descriptions.

Further General Recommendations on the preparation of safety and healthplans will be found in the guidance on Sections 78-80 (demolition) and 81(passing vehicular traffic).


When calculating the number of persons occupied and the number of person-days, all persons contributing on the site to the completion of the building orcivil engineering work are to be included.

General co-ordination

Guidance on Sections 13-15


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Under Chap. 3, Section 7 of the Work Environment Act, the legal personutilisation building or civil engineering work has a mandatory responsibility forthe co-ordination of measures for the prevention of ill-health and accidents ata common worksite for the activity. Subsection 3 of that Section contains, inpoints 1-5, detailed stipulations on the extent and implications of responsibilityfor co-ordination in building and civil engineering work. Certain of the co-ordinators duties (points 1, 2 and 4) are concerned with the organisation andplanning of joint safety and health measures. Other duties (points 3 and 5)involve ensuring that measures are taken and, in certain cases, the co-ordinator himself taking them directly at the common worksite. Sections 13-15of these Provisions further define the practical application of the stipulations ofthe Work Environment Act concerning the co-ordinators duties.

It should be noted that even small works a water-damaged bathroom, forexample become a common worksite if more than one enterprise isengaged building, plumbing, electrical, painting and flooring contractors, forexample.

If the clients knowledge of safety and health matters is insufficient, it isappropriate for responsibility for co-ordination to be transferred, under Chap.3, Section 7 of the Work Environment Act, to one of the contractors. From thesame section it follows that the person in control of a permanent worksite,such as a factory, is responsible for co-ordination when building or civilengineering work is undertaken inside the permanent worksite. A co-ordinatorcan in certain cases be appointed by the Labour Inspectorate.

Certain guidelines for safety and health activities are normally included in thesafety and health plan. As soon as the common worksite has been set up, it isappropriate for the co-ordinator, at a meeting together with others active on

the construction site, to inform them of the safety and health plan and to makesuch adjustments to it as may be necessary. It is appropriate for this meetingto be attended by safety delegates, safety engineers and occupational healthservice representatives.

Chap. 3, Section 7, 3rd paragraph, point 5, of the Work Environment Actrequires the co-ordinator to see to it that personnel facilities and sanitaryarrangements are provided to the extent necessary. Provisions on personnelfacilities have been issued by the National Board of Occupational Safety andHealth.

One important task for the co-ordinator is to ensure that the common worksiteis kept clean and in good order.

The Work Environment Ordinance requires the co-ordinator to put up noticesat the common worksite indicating which enterprise is responsible for the co-ordination of safety and health measures. This, then, also applies when priornotice is not required; Cf. Section 13 (c).

One of the co-ordinators tasks is to take steps to ensure that only authorisedpersons enter the construction site. The measures required have to be judgedaccording to the conditions prevailing on and around the common worksite. Incertain cases, signs and marking to delimit the site may be enough, while in


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other cases fencing and checks on persons entering and leaving may beneeded.

The employer is always responsible for his own employees, no matter whereco-ordinating responsibility may lie, and so it is appropriate that everyemployer should issue special rules of conduct and safety for his particularactivity of the common worksite.

Guidance on Section 16The co-ordinating enterprise normally appoints one or more persons to attendto matters of co-ordination. It is important that this person/these personsshould be acquainted as soon as possible with the building documents andthe safety and health plan. The safety and health training provided by theconstruction industry may be a suitable form of training for the co-ordinator.The co-ordinating enterprise can also make its own training arrangements.

Guidance on Section 17The stipulations of the Work Environment Act on responsibility for co-ordination imply a duty of complying with the instructions given by the co-ordinator. The co-ordinator needs to be kept continuously informed of mattersrelevant to safety, so as to be able to decide on appropriate measures andwho is to take them. Particulars of special hazards with which the co-ordinatoris to be provided under Section 17 may, for example, concern:

machinery or chemical products used,

changes made to scaffolding,

recessing carried out or planned, or re-scheduling of certain work etc

The Work Environment Act also lays down a basic duty of not endangeringothers at a common worksite through ones own activity (see Chap. 3, Section6, 2nd paragraph of the Work Environment Act).

Effective co-ordination also depends on the co-ordinator being able to studyinspection documents, inspection notices and suchlike records material to co-ordination.

It is important that the co-ordinator ensures that he is kept continuouslyinformed by other contractors as to when they intend to have people workingon the construction site.

Guidance on Section 18Untidiness often entails a risk of falls due to someone slipping, tripping ormissing their footing. Falls to a lower level, which are among the commonestcauses of serious work injuries, are often preceded by events of this kind.

Measures for achieving a good standard of tidiness include, for example:

adequate cleaning,


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the organisation of chutes, containers and skips for refuse in such a waythat surplus material and spillage can be suitably disposed of, and

adequate provision of storage areas and refuse bins.

Note that certain packaging is subject to handling restrictions, e.g. wrappingused for products which are flammable or dangerous to health; see theBoards Provisions on Dangerous Substances (AFS 1994:2).

Pre-separation of building waste is becoming increasingly common practice.This augments the need for storage areas and containers for material to bereused, recycled or tipped.

Planning and setting up of a site or area for building or civil engineeringwork

GeneralThe employers duty of planning, undertaking and following up his activity ismore closely regulated in the Boards Provisions (AFS 1996:6) on InternalControl of the Working Environment. The employer shall, for example,continuously investigate his activity, so that hazards and deficiencies from asafety and health viewpoint can be mapped, assessed and eliminated as earlyas possible.

Guidance on Section 19Chap. 2, Section 2 of the Work Environment Act requires all work to beplanned and arranged in such a way that it can be carried out in healthy andsafe surroundings. It is important that planning of work starts as early aspossible. The safety and health plan made up according to Sections 10 and 11can often form a useful basis for the planning of the works which are to follow.

It may be necessary to contact the relevant public authorities in order to obtainthe permits which may be needed for traffic arrangements, speed reductionsetc in order for work to be undertaken safely. The authorities to be contactedmay be road authorities, rail track owners, municipalities, rescue services,owners of electrical or other installations, and so on.

Factors also contemplated in subsection 1 of this Section include, forexample:

the place or area where the work is to be undertaken, its location and theconditions prevailing there,

the possibilities of providing a sufficient supply of energy and water, thepossibilities of organising tr

AFS 1999_03 Building and Civil Engineering Work

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