Prevention

Vaccinations

Employers provide vaccinations in accordance with the needs established by the occupational health care provider.

The employer must offer employees the vaccinations deemed necessary by the occupational health care provider. Effective vaccinations must be given where possible to employees who are not already immune against biological agents they are or may be exposed to in their work or during their commute. Employees must not be charged for the vaccinations.

Precise information on biological agents against which there is an effective vaccination can be found in the classification of biological agents (in Finnish).

Detailed information on the national immunization programme and work vaccinations can be found on the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare’s website (in Finnish).

Health examinations

Biological agents may cause a heightened risk of work-related sickness. The occupational health care provider defines the duties in which employees must undergo health inspections at the beginning of and during work due to a heightened risk of sickness. Further information on health inspections can be found on the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s website (in Finnish).

Special maternity leave

Pregnant employees must be protected against biological hazards.

Pregnant employees whose work involves handling chemicals, being exposed to sources of radiation or includes the risk of being exposed to infectious disease that can put the foetus’s health or the pregnancy at risk must be transferred to other suitable duties (unless the risk associated with their work or working conditions can be eliminated). If other work cannot be arranged for said employee, they may be entitled to special maternity allowance under certain conditions, pursuant to the Health Insurance Act (in Finnish).

The aforementioned infectious diseases include