Finland

Working safety in Finland

General and unit-specific emergency numbers
EMERGENCY NUMBER 112
You can call the emergency number 112 free of charge, without dialing an area code, from any phone. You should call 112 if you are in an urgent, genuine emergency situation where life, health, property or the environment is in danger or under threat, or if you have reason to believe this is the case. When you call the emergency number 112:
• answer the operator’s questions
• follow the instructions you are given
• only hang up when instructed to do so

POISON INFORMATION CENTRE
The Poison Information Centre answers urgent questions concerning the prevention or treatment of acute poisoning 24 hours a day. The Centre serves the whole of Finland.
Phone 09 471 977 (direct)
Phone 09 4711 (switchboard)
Service available 24 hours a day.

VICTIM SUPPORT
Listening, conversation and guidance. This number can also be called anonymously.
For help over the phone call 020 316 116 Mon-Tues 13-21 and Wed-Fri 17-21

Cards and licences
PHOTO ID
Anyone working on a construction site must wear a photo ID card which must also display the tax number with which they are registered in the public Tax Number Register. Workers from outside Finland must be as-signed a social security number and tax number by the Tax Administra-tion before starting work. You can request to have your data entered into the public register by calling 020 697 070 or by visiting your local Tax Administration office.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY CARD
The Occupational Safety Card has been developed to improve safety in shared workplaces. The Occupational Safety Card is issued upon suc-cessful completion of an occupational safety course, and is then valid for five years. For more information about the Occupational Safety Card and training course, as well as the agreement regarding the use of the Occu-pational Safety Card and the Swedish Entre card, visit: http://www.tyoturvallisuuskortti.fi/

HOT WORK AND HOT WORK ON ROOF LICENCES
The Hot Work Licence is granted upon completion of a hot work safety training course, the aim of which is to help employees prevent fires resulting from hot work. The course will cover the legislation and guidance relating to hot work, and the responsibilities of all parties involved. Upon completion of the course, the participant will have an understanding of the preparation needed for hot work operation, and the significance of the Hot Work Licence, and will know how to carry out hot work operations in a safe manner. The Licences are valid for five years.
http://www.spek.fi/Suomeksi/Koulutus/Tulitoiden-turvallisuuskoulutus/Tulityokurssi

ROADWORK SAFETY 1 AND 2
The Finnish Transport Agency requires that anyone performing roadwork on a public road undertake Roadwork Safety 1 training and hold a Road-work Safety 1 Card. This includes anyone performing road maintenance on the road, drivers transporting surfacing and other road materials, and anyone driving a roadwork vehicle, unless this is a one-off project.
The Finnish Transport Agency requires that Roadwork Safety 2 training be undertaken, and a Roadwork Safety 2 Card be held, by anyone re-sponsible for work and traffic safety, anyone involved in the planning of management, supervision or traffic circulation in relation to road mainte-nance, as well as Finnish Road Administration roadwork maintenance supervisors, road inspectors and roadworks contract administrators. The Roadwork Safety Cards are valid for five years.

FIRST AID EA 1
Upon successful completion of the course, delegates will be able to ad-minister basic first aid in the areas covered by the course.
. Contents of the course:
• Helping procedures in the event of an accident or illness-related emergency
• Basics of emergency first aid
• First aid for someone who is unconscious
• Basic resuscitation
• Foreign body obstruction of airway
• Blood circulation failure (shock)
• Wounds
• Most common illness-related emergencies
• Burn wounds and electrical burns
• Fractures and joint injuries
• Poisoning
The First Aid EA 1® certificate is valid for three years

Orientation
Job orientation is a process that introduces an employee to a job and is aimed at providing the employee with sufficient guidance in their tasks, workplace operations, tools and occupational safety. The responsibility for the job orientation process always rests with the supervisor.

Personal Protective Equipment
The risk of accidents or illness should first and foremost be prevented as much as possible through technical precautionary procedures and the way in which work is organised;
Personal Protective Equipment should only be used as a last resort. Personal Protective Equipment required in construction work must be pro-vided by the employer. It is the employer’s responsibity to supervise the use of Personal Protective Equipment. Personal Protective Equipment re-quired in construction work consists of:
- Safety helmets
- Ear defenders
- Safety goggles
- Protective masks
- Respiratory protection
- Protective gloves
- Protective footwear
- Fall protection equipment
- High visibility and protective clothing

Scaffolding
The Finnish Government decree on safety in construction work states that employees must be provided with sufficient scaffolding for all work that cannot otherwise be performed safely. Scaffolding structures must be designed and built in such a way that they are sufficiently strong, firm and stable. Scaffolding and any related equipment must be secured and used in the way intended. The maximum intended load must be displayed on the scaffolding for anyone using the scaffolding. This can be displayed using the company’s own scaffolding card or by equivalent means. http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/alkup/2009/20090205

Organisation of occupational health and safety
The employer is responsible for all health and safety measures in the workplace. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the em-ployer is required to ensure the necessary procedures are in place to promote the health and safety of employees.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGER
Construction sites must have an acting health and safety manager. The employer appoints a health and safety manager, unless taking on this role him-/herself.

OCCUPTIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE
In any workplace with a minimum of ten regular employees, the employ-ees must elect from among themselves an occupational health and safety representative to promote cooperation on health and safety matters at work.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE
Any workplace with a minimum of 20 regular employees must set up an occupational health and safety committee. A committee can also be set up in smaller workplaces, if desired. The occupational health and safety committee's legal duties can also be conducted through an alternative cooperation system that has been established with common consent. The occupational health and safety committee consists of representatives of the employer and employees – with a separate representative for administrative staff – and is re-elected every two years.
http://www.tyosuojelu.fi/fi/tyosuojelutoiminta

Trade Unions
Professionals in the construction industry belong to the Finnish Construction Trade Union. Protecting the interests of workers at construction sites is a major function of the union. The Finnish Construction Trade Union has reached a collective agreement with employers’ unions on the minimum conditions for work on construction sites. This collective agreement on working conditions outlines the industry standards for salary, working hours, holiday pay, length of holidays, reductions in working hours, bank holiday pay and sickness leave pay.
Anyone who is a worker or student in the construction industry can be-come a member of the Finnish Construction Trade Union.
http://rakennusliitto.fi/

Insurance
It is the duty of employers to arrange TyEL pension cover for employees. Employers are also required by law to arrange accident insurance cover for employees.
http://www.stm.fi/vakuutusasiat/lakisaateinen_vakuutus