rule is most likely to benefit women. 11:1 f The new Work Environment Act which came into force on 1st July 1978 does not contain any special pro­ visions concerning women, apart from a provision about leave of absence for nursing mothers. If, however, a certain type of work entails a special hazard for certain groups of employees, the National, Board of Occupational Safety and Health can debar the employees concerned from that work or can make the work itself subject to special conditions. This power can be exercised, for example, with reference to hazards during pregnancy, as in an Ordinance (1982:1) of February 1982 which stipulates medical examinations in connection with work involving the use of lead. Article 16 16 g A new Names Act, passed by the Riksdag in June 1982, comes into force on 1st January 1983. One of the premises of the new Act has been the change undergone by attitudes towards the relationship of men and women since the previous Act was passed in 1963. Introducing the Bill, the Minister responsible referred to this change and said that efforts were now being made to establish equality between the sexes in every field. This made the law on names one of the fields where a particularly strong need was felt for changes compatible with the equality of the sexes. In order for the new Names Act fully to reflect contemporary attitudes concerning relations between the sexes, the rules which it contains on the subject of surnames do not give priority to the surname of either husband or wife when a marriage is contracted. Instead the couple can agree to share either the husband's or the wife's surname, or alternatively they can elect to retain separate surnames. In the latter case, one spouse can combine his or her sur­
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing labor laws and regulations in Sweden, specifically the rights and benefits of women in the workplace. It mentions the Work Environment Act and the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health, which suggests that the topic is related to employment and working conditions.

**Category**
Employment, Health