Work environment policy

Welcome to a modern employer; we represent freedom, professional responsibility and self-determination.

A good, safe work environment is fundamental to an employee being able to carry out high-quality work, and it is therefore a high priority for Cool Company Skandinavien AB (hereafter “CC” or “the employer”).

Introduction

The aim of CC’s work environment management is to offer employment that is developmental and stimulating for all employees, which naturally includes all of our independent contractors. This is achieved by integrating health and safety into everything we do, and by encouraging leadership that promotes the health and safety of the individual. This policy has been drawn up to describe how CC’s operation should be run so as to prevent ill-health and accidents at work. CC’s goal with this policy is to create a work environment that means peace of mind, safety and freedom for all of our employees. Procedures are formulated in writing based on this policy, with the aim of describing how our systematic work environment management becomes a reality.

CC’s work on preventive health care stimulates and creates further conditions for our employees to promote their own health. All of the departments formulate additional work environment goals for the improvement work, based on the focus of their own operations and on CC’s overall work environment goals and policy. CC continuously evaluates the company’s efforts in the field of work environment to enable it to make continuous improvements in the day-to-day management of its work environment. This takes place both at management level and through the health and safety committee. Great importance is attached to preventive work environment management, which is conducted in close collaboration between management, employees, the health and safety committee, independent contractors, occupational health, and the health and safety organisation where appropriate. Legislation and party agreements are minimum requirements. It is in the interests of CC to uphold higher standards than the minimum. Responsibility for reaching the desired standard lies with the line organisation.

The managers co-ordinate and drive the ongoing work environment management and create a good, safe work environment through the involvement and participation of employees and the health and safety committee. The health and safety committee works independently and co-ordinates ongoing work with decisions made at management level in order to achieve the best possible results. Independent contractors who are not in CC’s offices can always contact the health and safety committee or the health and safety representative at CC. CC encourages all independent contractors to contribute their experiences, so that the health and safety committee and management team can learn about your workday and your views of your work environment. To a large extent the focus of the work environment is on training and informing independent contractors about their participation in the work environment management that directly affects them in their work situation. The work environment and related information is a natural element of the employer’s day-to-day work, bearing in mind the nature of the company and the sector in which we operate. Advice is provided through contact with customer support, via the employer’s website, and by the health and safety committee and health and safety representative. It is absolutely essential that communication with our employees, and the independent contractors in particular, is open. Information shall generally be disseminated within the company to raise awareness of the importance of a good work environment.

Freedom with responsibility

Being motivated in your work is something that CC considers to be fundamental to good health, and something we generally find to be present in independent contracting.

Irrespective of the form of employment at CC, we want our employees to be given the conditions to:

• Become familiar with the operation’s goals and vision
• Understand their own responsibility and role, and the importance of their own work
• Influence their own work situation
• Feel responsible for their duty and have the necessary authorisation
• Develop their own competence
• Take responsibility for their own health

Independent contracting means freedom with responsibility; rates of pay are decided by the individual, as are working hours. CC values the wellbeing of its staff and working hours must always be arranged to comply with the applicable legislation on working hours. The maximum working hours may not be exceeded. CC advocates freedom with responsibility for all employees and is against controlled, bound work. We consider having control and showing professional responsibility to be self-evident, cornerstones for our employees to feel motivated to do a good job. Our employees should have the opportunity to help shape their own work situation, and the change and development work concerning their own work. As we want to avoid accidents and injuries for our employees, it is always the duty of our employees to follow instructions, regulations and applicable laws, and to use the necessary protective equipment and devices. In addition, all safety measures that are deemed appropriate must always be taken. Remember that you must never carry out work which you do not have sufficient training or knowledge to do safely. If an employee finds themselves in a situation that could result in an injury, they must report it to CC so that together with the independent contractor we can reach a suitable solution to eliminate the risk of injury.

Systematic work environment management

The Swedish Work Environment Act states that the employer must carry out systematic environmental work. CC continuously studies work environment conditions and assesses any risks of accidents or physical or mental ill-health. Every manager has great responsibility in this context, as do the independent contractors for their own work situation when they work independently. Clients may also have responsibility for the independent contractors’ work environment. Furthermore, work environment matters are planned within the health and safety committee. The health and safety committee continuously examines shortcomings, schedules measures and follows up the results of measures taken. If and when cases of ill-health, accidents or serious incidents occur at work and come to the attention of CC, the causes shall be investigated both at management level and by the health and safety committee.

A written summary of what happened shall be made annually. Responsibility for this shall rest with the manager delegated environmental responsibility for the operation in question. Every year, each department must draw up a written action plan for measures that need to be planned. The plan must be submitted to the health and safety committee, which may add its comments. The manager who has been assigned responsibility for the work environment is then responsible for ensuring that the action plan is followed, and that any measures are implemented within the specified time frame.

Each department’s management team is responsible for the specific local environmental problems, and for instructing and training staff and independent contractors. The departments are also responsible for safety rules being issued and followed, and similarly for rules on premises and technical equipment, etc.

We handle the requirement for systematic environmental management partly by formally delegating responsibility for the work environment to managers and clients. In all cases, it is extremely important that the independent contractors are made aware of the possible risks of an assignment they are to carry out so as to avoid injury. CC informs the independent contractors using a work environment checklist. Independent contractors are given work environment instructions with clear information for the sector in which they work. When entering into an agreement with CC, clients are assigned responsibility for the work environment. It is either the client or the independent contractor who has control over the workplace, which is why it depends on the situation as to whether it is the responsibility of the independent contractor or the client to check safety. An independent contractor may not begin an assignment that requires access to areas where there is a clear risk of ill-health or accident, without first receiving adequate instructions from the client.

The work environment must be satisfactory with regard to the nature of the work, and social and technological developments in society. CC plans, leads and controls its operation as far as possible in each individual case so that the work environment meets the prescribed requirements for a good work environment. In addition, CC is responsible for job adaptation and rehabilitation activities for its employees, and for the independent contractors working on their assignments.

Health and safety committee and health and safety representative

The health and safety representative at CC represents employees on work environment issues and shall strive for a satisfactory work environment. The health and safety representative takes part in planning new or modified premises, devices, work processes and working methods, planning the work organisation and planning the use of substances that may cause ill-health or accidents. The health and safety representative takes part in drawing up action plans. CC informs the health and safety representative of changes that are important to work environment conditions. If some work entails direct and serious danger to the employee’s life or health and it is not possible to bring about change immediately by means of the health and safety representative addressing the employer, the health and safety representative may decide that the work should be discontinued pending a decision by the Swedish Work Environment Authority.

The health and safety committee at CC is comprised of representatives of the employer and employees. The committee takes part in planning work environment management and following the work’s implementation. It carefully follows developments in issues relating to protection against ill-health and accidents, and strives for satisfactory work environment conditions.

The health and safety committee shall deal with issues relating to:

• occupational health,
• action plans,
• planning new or modified premises, devices, work processes and working methods, and planning the work organisation,
• planning the use of substances that may cause ill-health or accidents,
• information and training about the work environment,
• job adaptation and rehabilitation activities at the workplace.