farhändelse

Farhändelse is a term used in Swedish risk and safety management to describe a potential dangerous situation or event that could cause harm if not addressed. It refers to a hazard or adverse condition that, if left unmitigated, may lead to injury, health effects, property damage, or environmental harm. In safety practice, farhändelser are identified during hazard analyses and risk assessments and are used to structure preventive measures. An actual incident or accident represents realized harm; a farhändelse denotes the underlying hazard or dangerous situation that could produce harm.

Examples of farhändelser include malfunctioning or poorly maintained equipment, exposed electrical wiring, improper chemical handling, unclear or blocked emergency exits, unsafe work practices, and structural weaknesses. These are conditions or situations that create the potential for harm even if no adverse outcome has yet occurred.

Management of farhändelser typically involves hazard identification through inspections, risk analyses, and process reviews; evaluation of risk by considering likelihood and consequence; and implementation of controls following the risk management hierarchy (elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment). Documentation in risk registers or safety plans, ongoing monitoring, and periodic review are standard practices to ensure that identified farhändelser are reduced to acceptable levels.

In many jurisdictions, including Sweden, organizations are expected to identify and address farhändelser as part of a broader safety and occupational health framework. The concept aligns with international standards such as ISO 45001, which emphasize hazard identification and proactive risk reduction to prevent harm.