Rules for minors staying at Karolinska Institutet

Ref number: 1-713/2018

Decision: President

Date of decision: 2018-10-30

Period of validity: Until further notice from 2018-11-01 

Handled by: HR Office

In cooperation with:  Work Environment Committee, Trade Unions and the Education Support Office at KI. 

Document type: Rules

Purpose

Create secure conditions that minors, who are staying in Karolinska Institutet's (KI) activities, shall not be exposed to risks of physical, mental or physical injury. Help young people get a positive experience of KI.

Scope 

These rules apply to minors, that is, children and adolescents who has not yet turned 18, when they undergo education, attend internship/practice, work or visit KI's activities. 

Responsibility 

Head of department/equivalent is responsible for compliance with these rules at the respective department/equivalent. The direct and practical protection responsibility for minors, including interns, lies on the person who conducts the activities where the minor stays. The accident risk in eg laboratory facilities shall be specifically assessed and handled. 

Minors in practice 

The direct protection responsibility for minors rests on the person responsible for the activities where the work/internship is performed.

Within KI, it means that the head of department/equivalent determines which activity it is appropriate to receive minors in practice. The school principal from which the student comes from plays an important role in choosing an internship based on the school's knowledge of what is appropriate for the individual student. It is important to exchange information between the school and the department/equivalent and that a risk assessment is carried out on matters that are essential to the student's health and safety. 

Minors' duties 

Some important requirements in the provisions concerning minors that KI must handle: 

  • Carry out risk assessment for the choice of business and type of work suitable for minors. A safety representative shall have the opportunity to participate in this (4 § AFS 2012:03). 
  • Take preventive measures eg targeted health check ups, supervision and adaptations (5-6 §§ AFS 2012:03). 

Examples of tasks that are prohibited 

(note that in AFS 2012:03 Minors, there are certain exceptions for teacher-led 3 / 3 

training or vocational education)

  • Work with laboratory animals.
  • Work with certain hazardous substances/agents (see Appendix 1 in AFS 2012:03). 

Examples of tasks that are strictly prohibited:

  • Work with experimental cancer research or work performed in the same local as such research work. 
  • Work in which microorganisms belonging to risk classes 3 and 4 are handled.

Applicable laws and regulations

Work Environment Act (specially Chapter 5)

AFS 2012:03 Minors AFS 1990:11 Work with laboratory animals

AFS 2001:03 Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) AFS 2018:04 Infection risks

AFS 2011:02 Contained use of genetically modified microorganisms

AFS 2012:02 Ergonomics for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders

AFS 2011:19 Chemical hazards in the working environment

The Swedish Work Environment Authority has also published a manual book (only in Swedish) to support employers and others. 

Temporary visits of minors in KI activities 

Only short-term visits under orderly forms, with the intention of showing a minor KI's activities, are allowed. Such temporary stays do not need to be regulated unless the work/study place is such that the visit may pose risks or disturb. Exceptions to this may be granted by the head of department/equivalent and only in office premises where the minor is fully supervised by his/hers custodian/equivalent.