Storage of documentation for the occupational safety and health inspection

When carrying out an occupational safety and health inspection, documents and materials are primarily inspected in the workplace. If necessary, the inspector will take notes on the documents inspected in the workplace.

The inspector may also request to take documents or copies thereof with him or her during the inspection. Documents are requested to be taken, for example, if it is likely that a negligence will lead to further action or further clarifications. Documents are also requested if it is impossible to check documents in the workplace, for example, due to their scope. If the necessary documents are not available for review during the inspection, the inspector may request that the documents be delivered after the inspection visit.

Where the documents relate to a matter regarding which a request was made during the course of the inspection or to a matter which will lead to other further action, the documents will be archived. In connection with the enforcement of the request, the inspector will consider on a case-by-case basis which documents submitted to the inspector will be archived.

All documents collected during the inspection and for the inspection shall be retained for two months from the date on which the inspection report has been completed. After this, the documents are, as a rule, destroyed. However, an original document included in the material during the inspection will be returned to the customer.

Retention periods for documents to be archived

The authority regarding the screening and destruction of documents and documentary data are laid down in the Archives Act. The National Archives determines which documents and information contained in the documents of records creators within the scope of the Archives Act must be retained permanently. In other cases, the documents to be archived will be retained for a specified period of time.

Documents submitted to the occupational safety and health authority

• Exemption permit applications, 10 years (e.g. exemptions for night work, exemptions for young workers)
• Applications for asbestos removal notices, 50 years
• Applications for charger’s certificates, 50 years
• Notifications, 10 years (e.g. advance notices of asbestos removal work, advance notices of construction work)
• Emergency work notifications, 6 years
• Enforcement request and customer contact, 20 years
• Inspection material to be archived, 10 years
• A reply to a request for clarification, 20 years
• A reply to an inspection report, 10 years

Documents drawn up by the occupational safety and health authority

As a rule, documents drawn up by the occupational safety and health authority are stored permanently. These documents include:

• Inspection reports
• Requests for clarification
• Hearings
• Decisions.