Ansvar på entreprenad : En flerfallstudie om byggherrens ansvarsroll i arbetsplatsolyckor

Sammanfattning

Despite the fact that the Swedish Work Environment Act (1977:1160) and the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s provisions (AFS 1999:3) clearly assign overall responsibility for the work environment in construction and civil engineering projects to the client (developer), practice shows that clients are rarely held legally accountable following serious workplace accidents. Instead, legal responsibility is most often directed toward subcontractors, individual employers, or operational coordination functions. This thesis aims to analyze why this responsibility gap occurs and how accountability for occupational health and safety is exercised in practice within the construction sector.The study is conducted as a qualitative multiple case study of four serious workplace accidents in the construction and civil engineering sector between 2017 and 2025. The empirical material consists of public investigation reports, prosecution decisions, court proceedings, and reports from regulatory authorities. The analysis is theoretically grounded in a governance perspective, complemented by concepts from accountability theory and responsibility gaps, in order to examine how power, control, and responsibility are distributed across complex contractual and organizational structures.The results show that the formal allocation of responsibility under the legislation often does not correspond to actual accountability in practice. Complex subcontracting chains, extensive delegation, and network-based governance contribute to the fragmentation and downward displacement of responsibility. From a governance perspective, the client’s formal responsibility frequently becomes symbolic, while legal processes tend to focus on actors closest to the accident. As a result, systematic responsibility gaps emerge between the intentions of the legislation and its practical implementation.This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of accountability challenges in the construction sector by demonstrating that the lack of effective accountability is not primarily a legal problem, but a structural governance issue. The study indicates that further legislative clarification alone is unlikely to reduce responsibility gaps and instead highlights the need for changes in governance mechanisms, regulatory enforcement, and accountability practices in order to strengthen the client’s actual accountability.