A new giant agency has opened in Finland – occupational safety and health authorities are now part of the Finnish Supervisory Agency
Regional State Administrative Agencies and Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment have been abolished, and their duties have been transferred to the Finnish Supervisory Agency at the beginning of 2026. The new agency has about 2000 employees. One thing that remains the same after this change is that your first point of contact for help in occupational safety and health matters is still at your workplace.
The national Finnish Supervisory Agency, as well as ten Economic Development Centres, opened their doors at the beginning of the year.
This is a huge reform of regional state administration, and its purpose is to streamline services and harmonise licensing and permit and supervision practices everywhere in Finland.
In practice, the Finnish Supervisory Agency brings into one agency all duties of the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira), most of the duties of the Regional State Administrative Agencies (“avi”), and most of the duties of the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment in the area of the environment and natural resources.
The work of Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment is continued also by Economic Development Centres.
The new agency grants various licenses and permits, ranging from alcohol to social welfare and health care services, and supervises them as well. About 2000 people work in the Finnish Supervisory Agency.
The operations of the new agency continue in the former facilities of Regional State Administrative Agencies in 18 locations around Finland. The head office is in Tampere.
Occupational safety and health representative helps you at your workplace
About 150 members of Trade Union JHL work at the Finnish Supervisory Agency and about one hundred of them work in occupational safety and health.
The occupational safety and health department of the Finnish Supervisory Agency became the competent national occupational safety and health authority at the beginning of the year. See here for its new contact information (in Finnish).
If you notice a shortcoming at your workplace or in your working conditions, report it first to your supervisor or manager and your occupational safety and health representative.
JHL’s regional offices help the occupational safety and health representatives. The last step is assessing if the matter needs to be forwarded to the occupational safety and health authorities for their investigation.