Swedish Work Environment Survey

Summary

Strengths Provides important information on work environment and work quality in Sweden on an annual basis. The employer is obligated to report deaths, more serious personal injuries or serious accidents to the Swedish work Environment Authority. It should be done without delay (normally this means the following day at the latest). We then decide on priority in which accidents are first in line for examination, investigation or are handed over for legal proceedings. Even if we investigate the accident, the employer is obligated to find out the reasons for the accident and carry out measures necessary to prevent it from happening again. For more information on the working environment in English and other languages look up our web site www.av.se. Weaknesses Some forms of work, e.g. precarious work and temporary employment relations might be difficult to reach in this dataset.

Type of data

Data Source
Registry + Survey

Type of Study
Survey different

Data gathering method
Face-to-face
Self administered questionnaire

Access to data

Conditions of access
Most data sets on social issues from Statistics Sweden is made available through the MONA-system. http://www.scb.se/Grupp/Tjanster/MONA_produktblad_engelsk.pdf

Type of available data (e.g. anonymised microdata, aggregated tables, etc.)
The MONA system provides secure access to micro data at Statistics Sweden from an Internet connection. Here data are processed and analyzed through a rich set of applications; see below for a list of included software. Aggregated results are automatically sent to a user’s designated mail account. Users can also store intermediate results on Statistics Sweden servers for future use.

Formats available
Excel, SAS, SPSS, STATA and other forms; see http://www.scb.se/Grupp/Tjanster/MONA_produktblad_engelsk.pdf

Coverage

Coverage Years of collection, reference years, and sample sizes
Statistics Sweden has conducted safety surveys since 1989. Since 1994, the survey was carried out on behalf of the Swedish Work Environment Authority (AV) (http://www.av.se/inenglish/). The population consists of all people employed (16-64) who are registered in Sweden, approximately 4 million. The survey is conducted, in addition to a sub-sample, 10,000 to 15,000 people, from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). After completing the LFS, the interview consists of about 25 questions on health and safety conditions. A phone interview was supplemented by a postal questionnaire. The survey is conducted in the fourth quarter every two years and covers safety and health conditions in the last three months. Some variables refer to the last twelve months.

First year of collection
1989

Stratification if applicable
Age, occupation, gender and region

Base used for sampling

Geographical coverage and breakdowns
Occupation, gender, region, age etc.

Age range
People aged 16 -65 (74)

Statistical representativeness
Population representative

Coverage of main and cross-cutting topics
The Work Environment Authority is responsible for Sweden’s work environment and work injury statistics. The work environment statistics are based on questionnaire replies from employees concerning the work environment and work-related disorders. The Work Injury Information System (ISA) contains information about reported work accidents and work-related illnesses among all employees in Sweden. This register is based on work injury reports to the Social Insurance Office under the Work Injury Insurance Act (LAF). The Work Environment Authority also produces specially processed statistics in the form of reports and statistical fact sheets. Questions to younger (16-29 years): Number of jobs in the past three years, if you think you established in the labor market, if work is consistent with the training. Questions for the elderly (50-64 years): Assessment to work until normal retirement age.

Linkage

Standardisation
The Work Injury Information System ISA and ISCED and ILO/ISCO for occupational classification.

Possibility of linkage among databases
Good opportunities to link to official statistics and other registers as LINDA and Lisa.

Data quality

Entry errors if applicable
No major entry errors

Breaks
The survey was conducted using the same definitions and methodology since its inception in 1989, while sample sizes have varied somewhat. By Workplace Survey is linked to the LFS, various LFS variables used as background variables. Query instrument is in substantial part the same since 1989, but some changes have been made and new subject areas have been added to highlight the new current working conditions. Major revisions were made in 1995, 1999 and 2005. In the interview introduced e.g. questions directed specifically at young people, 19-29 years and those over 50 years. The results are published in the June of the year after the collection of data as a report in AV's report series Work Statistics. It is available for download from AV's website.

Consistency of terminology or coding used during collection
High consistency over time. Some changes of selections of variables have taken place 1995, 1999 and 2005. Additional questions for the group of 19 – 29 years of age as well as for persons older than 50 years of age.

Governance

Contact information
Frida Westling
Statistics Sweden

701 89 Örebro Sweden Phone: +468-506 944 12
Email: Frida.westling(at)scb.se
Url: http://www.scb.se/Pages/List____259748.aspx

Timeliness, transparency
Open access publication in June the year after data was collected.