In May, Elizabeth Laursen, safety representative at the Åkershus senior housing in western Gothenburg, made a so-called 6: 6a notification to the Swedish Work Environment Authority because the safety representatives found that the staff at the accommodation did not receive enough protective equipment in the form of mouthguards and visors.

By then five of six departments at Åkershus had also received the corona virus. Two months later, the location of the accommodation is better, says Elizabeth Laursen.

- It has calmed down a lot and we have changed routines. But we think the level of security was set too low from the start, ”she says.

SEK 125,000 in white

The Swedish Work Environment Authority has now decided that the City of Gothenburg needs to pay a penalty of SEK 125,000 if they do not ensure that all employees know and practice routines to prevent the spread of infection at Åkershus before 30 August. In addition, the Swedish Work Environment Authority prohibits patient-related work, such as shower and toothbrushing, without approved visors and mouthguards when the caregiver has or is suspected of having covid-19. The ban is valid from July 10 and if it breaks it will be fined SEK 100,000 at a time.

- I am very pleased that the Swedish Work Environment Authority gave me the right, says Elizabeth Laursen.

"Followed all guidelines"

According to Annelie Fnis, sector manager for elderly care in Western Gothenburg, the district council already lives up to the requirements. Anneli Fnis and district director Christina Avelin both point out that the Swedish Work Environment Authority seems to have made its assessment along the guidelines that exist now, not those that applied when the application was made in May.

- We have followed all the guidelines that are available from the Health Care and Public Health Authority. We want our employees to have a safe work environment, ”says Christina Avelin.

Couldn't you have taken extra infectious measures then, going beyond the recommendations ?

- You can think of that. But I think we can't make any judgments other than our experts, there is no sustainable way to go, says Annelie Fnis.