Occupational health and safety

Occupational health and safety encompasses several concepts used in the workplace, such as

• work safety
• labour protection
• activities to maintain working capacity and
• well-being at work.

Occupational health and safety covers a wide range of actions to develop work, working conditions and the work community.

The objective of occupational safety work is to ensure safe and healthy working conditions and the maintenance of the employees’ working capacity and well-being at work. At its best occupational safety is a part of daily routines at the workplace – a part of management and the way work is done. The results are reflected directly in both the quality of working life and the productivity of work and services.

A good working environment is one where its condition is assessed on a continuous basis, risk and load factors are identified, and solutions are sought to eliminate them.

The responsibility for ensuring that the working conditions are healthy and safe is primarily born by the employer, but in practice each employee has some responsibility, too.

The quality of the working life can best be improved by the work community itself, in co-operation between the employer and the personnel. When necessary, expert advice is sought. The nearest expert is the occupational health service.

Monitoring occupational health and safety

Monitoring occupational health and safety is the responsibility of the Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorates that operate under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Monitoring is also carried out by a number of other authorities, such as the Safety Technology Authority, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, the Consumer Agency and the National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health.

Where can I find help in occupational health and safety issues?

You face numerous occupational health and safety issues in your work and at your workplace. Depending on the type of the job you have, they may concern heavy work, ergonomics, mental well-being, machine safety or chemicals, for example.

If you cannot obtain sufficient information or solve the problem yourself, contact your closest supervisor. The  occupational safety and health representative and other people working in occupational safety can also help you. If the matter cannot be solved in the work community, it may sometimes be necessary to contact higher supervisors.

If you feel that the working conditions have an adverse effect on your physical or mental health and the measures taken to improve them are not sufficient, contact the occupational health care service.

Sometimes there are problems that cannot be solved by the workplace itself, rather an outside perspective is needed. The expertise in the Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorates is then available to you. Any member of the work community can, when necessary, contact the closest inspectorate. However, it is best to first discuss the matter thoroughly with your supervisors and the occupational safety delegate. In most cases it is best for the occupational safety delegate, as a representative of the employees, to contact the inspectorate.