Criticism of security after murder of LSS residents

Last fall, a young woman became the fourth employee in care and social care to be killed at work since 2014, when she was stabbed to death at an LSS residence in Enköping.

But despite the murders, security work within the businesses is not sufficiently prioritized, according to Kommunal.

Today, the verdict is announced against the resident who admitted to stabbing the young woman to death in Enköping. The woman lacked education and was alone at work at the time.

The incident is also being investigated as a work environment violation, but Kommunal’s chairman Malin Ragnegård believes regardless of the outcome that employers within LSS are not working well enough with safety issues for staff.

– In general, I don’t think you do it. But it looks very different. In some places, they work well and preventively and take this very seriously.

Of the four in care and social care who have been killed on the job since 2014, three have worked in LSS, according to a survey by the Municipal Worker.

Surprised and dismayed

Ragnegård himself was in Enköping a couple of weeks after the murder and met staff at other accommodation than the one in question.

– I met several security representatives and asked if the employer had heard from and gone through the safety routines now, but no, they had not. That you don’t do it even then, when even the worst has happened, I am surprised and appalled by that.

The basis of the security work is to carefully analyze who will live in the business and then take measures based on the risks that may be linked to them, she says.

– There, for example, working alone is never preferable.

The measures can be purely physical, such as putting locks on knife boxes, but it is also about having the right routines.

– Just that you have talked about it can help, that you know you have an action plan, how to act and who to contact. The important thing is that everyone knows what applies, including substitutes of course, says Malin Ragnegård.

Miss follow up

Maria Morberg, work environment advisor at the service sector employers’ organization Almega, also highlights the importance of a thorough and continuous discussion with the staff about routines, risks and past events.

– It’s a way to strengthen each other, create security and feel that the organization takes this seriously, she says.

– Then, regardless of the industry, I often see that you miss a bit in following up on whether there were relevant measures that were taken, says Morberg further.

Anyone who wants to strengthen security must see the whole, she emphasizes.

– You shouldn’t get caught up in the fact that it’s the human factor, or the technology, or purely organizational – it’s rarely just one of these reasons why something can happen. You need to look at all aspects to put in the right measures.

Malin Ragnegård says that the basic problem is a chronic understaffing in care and social care.

– You don’t have as many colleagues as you would need, and you also don’t have the right training for everyone who works in the business many times.

Facts

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