Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Arbetsplatsolycka eller arbetsmiljöbrott? – En kvalitativ studie av straffmätningen vid vållande till annans död på arbetsplatser

Nilsson, Shadi LU (2019) JURM02 20192
Faculty of Law
Department of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Varje år dör runt 40 till 60 arbetare på svenska arbetsplatser. För att sätta det i kontext kan nämnas att 43 människor miste livet i dödligt skjutvapenvåld år 2018. Arbetsplatsolyckor inträffar trots att det inte sällan finns tydliga varningssignaler och möjligheter till säkerhetsåtgärder, varför ett flertal sannolikt hade kunnat förhindras. Detta arbete undersöker arbetsmiljöbrott genom en rättsanalytisk metod samt med hjälp av en kvalitativ fallstudie, med fokus på de fall som utgör vållande till annans död. Kärnan i arbetet är straffmätningen. En arbetshypotes är att straffmätningen samt påföljdssystemet inte kommer till sin rätt när det gäller de gärningspersoner som aktualiseras i fallen, vilka i uppsatsen benämns atypiska... (More)
Varje år dör runt 40 till 60 arbetare på svenska arbetsplatser. För att sätta det i kontext kan nämnas att 43 människor miste livet i dödligt skjutvapenvåld år 2018. Arbetsplatsolyckor inträffar trots att det inte sällan finns tydliga varningssignaler och möjligheter till säkerhetsåtgärder, varför ett flertal sannolikt hade kunnat förhindras. Detta arbete undersöker arbetsmiljöbrott genom en rättsanalytisk metod samt med hjälp av en kvalitativ fallstudie, med fokus på de fall som utgör vållande till annans död. Kärnan i arbetet är straffmätningen. En arbetshypotes är att straffmätningen samt påföljdssystemet inte kommer till sin rätt när det gäller de gärningspersoner som aktualiseras i fallen, vilka i uppsatsen benämns atypiska gärningspersoner. I syfte att undersöka hur det kommer sig har teorier om ekonomisk brottslighet lyfts fram. Vidare undersöks huruvida straffmätningen kan anses skälig ur ett brottsofferperspektiv, genom resonemang om ideala – och mindre ideala – brottsoffer och gärningspersoner.

Teorier om ekonomisk brottslighet, vari arbetsmiljöbrott ingår, pekar på att den kunskap som finns om brottslighet i stor utsträckning utgår ifrån stereo-typiserande uppfattningar av såväl brott som gärningspersoner och brottsoffer. Det utgör en ofördelaktig bias som riskerar att skymma de brott som begås inom den ekonomiskt-industriella sfären samt resultera i en uppfattning att brotten saknar gärningsperson. Den framhävda definitionen av ekonomisk brottslighet fokuserar på företagsledningens straffbara underlåtenhet, eller medvetna val, vilka framförallt grundar sig i företags vinstsyfte och företagskulturella normer. Valen, alternativt underlåtenheten, är ägnade att gynna företaget i stort. Även i svenska statliga utredningar framhävs vinstsyftet i förhållande till arbetsmiljöbrott. Med hjälp av nämnda teorier undersöks även arbetsmiljöbrotts komplexitet, särskilt beträffande huruvida ett sådant påstående kan ifrågasättas.

Vidare är den i praktiken tillämpade påföljden för arbetsmiljöbrott genom vållande till annans död villkorlig dom och i regel dagsböter. Med anledning härav undersöks institutet villkorlig dom med fokus på de idéer och uppfattningar som låg bakom införandet. Därtill är Straffvärdereformen av stor betydelse för straffmätningen och behandlas därför ingående.

De nämnda teoriernas betydelse i praktiken adresseras och konkretiseras genom analys av tre olika hovrättsfall. Exempelvis återfinns inte resonemang om vinstsyftet i de utvalda rättsfallen. I analysen framkommer det dock att ett vinstsyfte kan skönjas även i praktiken och att det borde hanteras som en försvårande omständighet, vilket får betydelse för såväl straffvärdemätningen som straffmätningen. Eventuellt kan även påföljdsvalet nyanseras av detta, vilket hade varit önskvärt sett till att det i analysen ifrågasätts om villkorlig dom har en faktisk repressiv verkan på atypiska gärningspersoner. Det framhålls att villkorlig dom riktar sig till framförallt tillfällighetsbrottslingar och människor som behöver en andra chans att ordna upp sina liv. På så vis utgör prövotiden på två år en repressiv faktor. Det kan emellertid inte anses vara fallet för atypiska gärningspersoner. Följaktligen går det även att ifrågasätta om det är en skälig straffmätning ur ett brottsofferperspektiv. (Less)
Abstract
Each year around 40 to 60 workers die at Swedish worksites. In a wider context, it can be mentioned that 43 people lost their lives due to lethal use of firearms in 2018. Workplace fatalities occur even though there are often clear warning signs and possibilities of safety measures, which is why a great number of workplace fatalities likely could have been prevented. This thesis examines workplace involuntary manslaughter through a critical legal method as well as a qualitative case study. The essence of this thesis is the Swedish judicial system’s way of meting out punishment. A working hypothesis is that the way the penal value is assessed, and the Swedish sanctions, don’t work in a satisfactory way regarding the perpetrators in these... (More)
Each year around 40 to 60 workers die at Swedish worksites. In a wider context, it can be mentioned that 43 people lost their lives due to lethal use of firearms in 2018. Workplace fatalities occur even though there are often clear warning signs and possibilities of safety measures, which is why a great number of workplace fatalities likely could have been prevented. This thesis examines workplace involuntary manslaughter through a critical legal method as well as a qualitative case study. The essence of this thesis is the Swedish judicial system’s way of meting out punishment. A working hypothesis is that the way the penal value is assessed, and the Swedish sanctions, don’t work in a satisfactory way regarding the perpetrators in these cases, who are referred to as atypical perpetrators. In order to examine why that is, theories of corporate crime are used. Furthermore, it is examined whether the sanctions can be considered reasonable from a victim’s perspective, through reasoning about ideal – and less ideal – victims of crime and perpetrators.

Theories of corporate crime, which include workplace involuntary manslaughter, point out that the available research on crime is largely based on stereotypical perceptions. This constitutes an unfavorable bias that might obscure the crimes committed within the economic-industrial sphere and result in the perception that the crimes are without perpetrators. The emphasized definition of corporate crime focuses on the management’s culpable negligence, or deliberate decision making, which are primarily based on corporate profit objectives and corporate cultural norms. Swedish Government Official Reports (SOU) also stress the profit objective in relation to workplace involuntary manslaughter. Using these theories, the complexity of said crimes is analyzed, especially as to whether such a claim can be called into question.

Additionally, in practice, the sanction for workplace involuntary manslaughter is a conditional sentence, normally in combination with fines. Due to this, the Swedish institute of conditional sentence is scrutinized, particularly regarding the underlying ideas and perceptions behind the adoption of the institute. Moreover, the Swedish Penal Value Reform is of great importance to the meting out of punishment and is therefore presented in detail.

The abovementioned theories’ importance in practice is addressed and concretized by analysis of three different court of appeal cases. For example, there is no reasoning about the profit objective in the selected cases. In the analysis, however, it appears that a profit objective can be distinguished in practice and it is argued that it should be treated as an aggravating circumstance, which will have an impact on both the penal value assessment and the meting out of punishment. Possibly, the choice of sanction may also be affected by this, which is desirable as the analysis shows that there is doubt whether a conditional sentence has an actual repressive effect on atypical perpetrators. It is emphasized that conditional sentences are aimed primarily at those found guilty of crime of opportunity and those who need a second chance to get their lives in order. Under those circumstances, the probationary period of two years is a repressive factor. However, this cannot be considered the case for atypical perpetrators. Consequently, it is also questioned whether it is a reasonable punitive response from a victim’s perspective. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nilsson, Shadi LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Workplace accident or workplace manslaughter? – A qualitative research study of the sanctions for Swedish workplace involuntary manslaughter
course
JURM02 20192
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
straffrätt, arbetsrätt, kvalitativ fallstudie, arbetsplatsolyckor, vållande till annans död, underlåtenhet, medvetet risktagande, vinstsyfte, straffvärdemätning, straffvärde, straffmätning, påföljd, villkorlig dom
language
Swedish
id
9000432
date added to LUP
2020-02-01 14:21:25
date last changed
2020-02-01 14:21:25
@misc{9000432,
  abstract     = {{Each year around 40 to 60 workers die at Swedish worksites. In a wider context, it can be mentioned that 43 people lost their lives due to lethal use of firearms in 2018. Workplace fatalities occur even though there are often clear warning signs and possibilities of safety measures, which is why a great number of workplace fatalities likely could have been prevented. This thesis examines workplace involuntary manslaughter through a critical legal method as well as a qualitative case study. The essence of this thesis is the Swedish judicial system’s way of meting out punishment. A working hypothesis is that the way the penal value is assessed, and the Swedish sanctions, don’t work in a satisfactory way regarding the perpetrators in these cases, who are referred to as atypical perpetrators. In order to examine why that is, theories of corporate crime are used. Furthermore, it is examined whether the sanctions can be considered reasonable from a victim’s perspective, through reasoning about ideal – and less ideal – victims of crime and perpetrators.

Theories of corporate crime, which include workplace involuntary manslaughter, point out that the available research on crime is largely based on stereotypical perceptions. This constitutes an unfavorable bias that might obscure the crimes committed within the economic-industrial sphere and result in the perception that the crimes are without perpetrators. The emphasized definition of corporate crime focuses on the management’s culpable negligence, or deliberate decision making, which are primarily based on corporate profit objectives and corporate cultural norms. Swedish Government Official Reports (SOU) also stress the profit objective in relation to workplace involuntary manslaughter. Using these theories, the complexity of said crimes is analyzed, especially as to whether such a claim can be called into question.

Additionally, in practice, the sanction for workplace involuntary manslaughter is a conditional sentence, normally in combination with fines. Due to this, the Swedish institute of conditional sentence is scrutinized, particularly regarding the underlying ideas and perceptions behind the adoption of the institute. Moreover, the Swedish Penal Value Reform is of great importance to the meting out of punishment and is therefore presented in detail.

The abovementioned theories’ importance in practice is addressed and concretized by analysis of three different court of appeal cases. For example, there is no reasoning about the profit objective in the selected cases. In the analysis, however, it appears that a profit objective can be distinguished in practice and it is argued that it should be treated as an aggravating circumstance, which will have an impact on both the penal value assessment and the meting out of punishment. Possibly, the choice of sanction may also be affected by this, which is desirable as the analysis shows that there is doubt whether a conditional sentence has an actual repressive effect on atypical perpetrators. It is emphasized that conditional sentences are aimed primarily at those found guilty of crime of opportunity and those who need a second chance to get their lives in order. Under those circumstances, the probationary period of two years is a repressive factor. However, this cannot be considered the case for atypical perpetrators. Consequently, it is also questioned whether it is a reasonable punitive response from a victim’s perspective.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Shadi}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Arbetsplatsolycka eller arbetsmiljöbrott? – En kvalitativ studie av straffmätningen vid vållande till annans död på arbetsplatser}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}