The Act on Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement and Cooperation on Occupational Safety and Health at Workplaces (44/2006) outlines the matters that may impact the employee’s safety, health or work ability to be addressed in occupational safety and health cooperation activities. 

The occupational safety and health cooperation activities may concern the work itself, the work environment or the work community. These include for example:

• practices of the workplace
  • policies and ways of investigating hazards and harms
  • the need for and arrangements concerning education, guidance and orientation, including the needs of supervisors
  • organising safety and health monitoring
• work and workload arrangements in the event they may cause physical or psychological stress to an employee
• matters detected in the hazard investigation and the workplace survey carried out by the occupational health care service provider
• development goals and programmes aimed at  
  • activities that support work ability
  • support for continuing working 
  • other matters affecting the safety and health of employees 
• statistical or monitoring data (e.g., on sick leaves).

In addition, the Occupational Health Care Act (1383/2001) and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002) outline the following matters to be addressed in the cooperation activities:

• planning the provision of occupational health care services
• initiating and making changes to the provision of occupational health care services
• proposals concerning the development of occupational health care services submitted by employees and their representatives
• information concerning the factors affecting the safety and healthiness of the workplace and the work ability of the employees and the related assessments, reports and plans 
• goals to promote safety and health and to maintain work ability outlined in the occupational safety and health action plan.

Another aspect of occupational safety and health cooperation activities is to monitor the implementation and impact of the solutions concerning the issues addressed.

Matters discussed by the occupational safety and health committee

Any issues that concern the workplace in general are the occupational safety and health committee’s responsibility. In the absence of an occupational safety and health committee, these issues are dealt with by the employer and the occupational safety and health representative or the employees together.

Members of the occupational safety and health committee can propose items to add to the committee’s agenda. The employer must respond to all such proposals and give detailed feedback.

Issues concerning an individual employee’s health and safety are resolved between the employee and the employer or a manager acting as the employer’s representative. The occupational safety and health representative can intervene either at their own initiative or at the employee’s or the employer’s request. However, the occupational safety and health representative can only attend the meeting with the consent of the employee concerned.

It is important to address any issues that arise as soon as possible. The cooperation process must be efficient enough to make a genuine difference in the workplace.

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