Occupational injuries and incidents

An incident means 'whoops!' and an accident means 'ouch!'

An incident is when something happens that could have resulted in illness or an accident. An occupational injury is an accident at work, a work-related sickness or a commuting accident (travelling to/from work).

Investigation of occupational injuries and incidents

If an employee or student is involved in an incident or is injured at work, the employer must investigate the causes so that risks can be prevented in the future. The investigation is carried out by the department head/supervisor in collaboration with the health and safety representative and the affected employee/student. The investigation and proposed rectifying measures are documented and followed up in IA.

Occupational Injury Report

As an employer, we are obligated to send a report to the Swedish Work Environment Authority and Försäkringskassan in the event of an occupational injury or incident that could have resulted in a personal injury.

Notifying the Swedish Work Environment Authority

According to the Work Environment Act, a report must be sent to the Swedish Work Environment Authority if the event has resulted in:

• Death
• Personal injury
• Injuries that have affected several employees/students simultaneously
• Incidents that could have resulted in serious personal injury

This report is submitted by the department head/supervisor in consultation with the health and safety representative and the affected employee/student. The report must be sent within 24 hours of the event and can be done through IA or by using the Swedish Work Environment Authority's and Försäkringskassan's shared report form (in Swedish).

Notifying Försäkringskassan

The department head/supervisor must always notify Försäkringskassan if an employee/student is injured at work or whilst travelling to or from work. Försäkringskassan will then determine whether it is a case of occupational injury. This report is made at the same time as the Swedish Social Insurance Agency are informed and can be done using IA or by using the Swedish Work Environment Authority's and Försäkringskassan's shared report form.

Employees/students may apply for compensation from Försäkringskassan for an occupational injury. The employee/student can do so via Försäkringskassan's website.

Insurance

Industrial injuries insurance for staff

AFA work injury insurance
Staff at Mid Sweden University are covered by a work injury insurance from AFA. This insurance does not apply to doctoral students, who are instead covered by personal injury insurance from the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency. The work injury insurance can provide compensation in the event of any of the following:

• Accidents at work
• Threats, violence or robbery at work
• Accidents whilst travelling to or from work
• Occupational disease, when approved by Försäkringskassan
• Occupational disease
• Contraction of communicable disease

For more information about each eventuality, see AFA Insurance.

Personal injury insurance for students and doctoral students

Students and doctoral students are covered by a personal injury insurance from the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency; it is similar to the industrial injuries insurance available to staff. The insurance applies within Sweden during school hours and during travel directly between home and university. A personal injury report must be completed for students and doctoral students in the event of accident, commuting accident or contracting an infectious disease.

An insurance claim should be completed and signed by both the student and the department head at the institution. Link to insurance claim for personal injury.

A copy of the claim should be sent to the registrar. Save a copy of the claim for your own records.