Comment on SOSFS 201510

The National Board of Health and Welfare's regulations SOSFS 2015: 10 on working clothes in care

The Swedish Textile Service Association is the Swedish laundry industry's industry organization and represents members in both dry cleaning and industrial laundry. The Laundry Association runs a continuous work for a quality and competitive laundry industry. All our members are authorized with our T-Brand. This means that they meet the criteria required to guarantee a quality business with good service and strong social responsibility.

By ensuring that textiles stay whole and clean for a long time, we protect both man and the environment. We help the business and public sector work!

The National Board of Health and Welfare stipulates that work clothes used in care, when physical contact occurs and there is a risk of the spread of contaminants, should only be worn at work or while traveling between the various workplaces. In addition, the authority prescribes that the upper sleeves should be short and that the clothes should be changed daily, or as soon as possible if they become contaminated. The regulations should not be fulfilled in any other way than that the employer offers both work clothes and clothes washing. It is difficult to think of any other solution to ensure that unclean work clothes are not used during travel from work to home, that unclean clothing is not used in the home, that contaminated clothing can be changed fairly immediately, etc.

On June 13, 2016, the Supreme Administrative Court (HFD) issued two judgments dealing with the provision and washing of work clothes in the home service. Specifically, the question was whether the working environment rules as a basis make it possible to order a care business to take care of clothes and washing them. HFD answered no to that question. However, it is important to note that the judgments were specific to the work environment issues and the Swedish Work Environment Authority's powers that were at issue. The application of the National Board of Health and Welfare's regulations regarding infection prevention and hygiene to protect the caregivers and society at large has not been the subject of the HFD review. The laundry association therefore considers that the National Board of Health's regulations have not been affected by HFD's judgments

See also article on our website: Interview with Lars Dahmm

Sincerely

Daniel Kärrholt Associate Director
Swedish Textile Service Association

25% RUT deduction on laundry