Time to follow up on the work environment year - are you ready?

Systematic health and safety work (SAM) must not only be on paper - it must be a natural part of everyday life. The annual follow-up is therefore an important opportunity to ensure that everything is working as it must and that you continue to develop in the right direction. 

What do the rules say?

According to the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s regulations (AFS 2023:1), each employer must conduct an annual follow-up of SAM. It must show the following:

• that the work environment work is carried out in accordance with the rules
• that it works in practice
• Is the follow-up insufficient? In this case, measures must be planned and completed. If you have ten or more employees, the follow-up must also be documented in writing. 

Who should be involved?

Preferably, managers are appointed by senior management. Larger businesses need representatives from several organisational shares. Follow-up is often carried out by the health and safety committee in close cooperation with the health and safety officer. 

Start by mapping your documentation. Review which governing documents you have and if they are still current:

• Is the work environment policy relevant - and known?
• Are routines followed?
• Are incidents, investigations and measures documented and completed?

Listen to the business

Through interviews or discussions, you can capture the views of managers, coworkers and health and safety representatives on how work environment work work works - both in terms of structure and culture. This is often where the best suggestions for improvement emerge. 

Document and communicate

Do you have at least ten employees? Document the follow-up in writing and share the results with management, safety representatives and everyone with work environment tasks - and preferably all coworkers. 

Plan actions for 2026

Suggestions for improvement almost always emerge as you go through the year. Prioritise on the basis of risk and include the decisions in the action plan for working environment work. This makes it easier to take the next step towards a safe and secure 2026.