The work environment must be built using safe and healthy structures and materials. The lighting and ambient temperature must be right for the work.

Healthy indoor air and sufficient ventilation should be considered at the workplace.

Smoking in shared workspaces is prohibited, and employers can also impose other restrictions on smoking during working hours and on their premises. If necessary, steps must be taken to ensure that employees are not exposed to radon radiation.

Attention should be paid to planning and agreeing on remote work and other work carried out at home, as well as to occupational safety, as conditions might be different than in a normal working environment. Thus, collaboration between the parties in the field of occupational safety and health has a key role. Prediction and planning become increasingly important in these forms of work, as the employer has only limited possibility to affect the conditions.

Cleanliness plays an important role in the safety of the work environment

All work surfaces and chairs as well as any equipment and tools used by employees must be fit for purpose and safe to use. Employees must also be able to perform any necessary lifting, carrying and storage manoeuvres safely.

Tidiness helps to prevent dangerous situations and makes cleaning easier. Access routes must be kept clear and everything in its proper place.

Comfortable staff facilities are integral to a good work environment

Employees must have access to designated personnel rooms. Facilities for eating and taking breaks, toilets, showers and changing rooms must be designed to accommodate the entire personnel. 

Steps must also be taken to prepare for emergencies. Employees must be given instructions on what to do in an emergency and how to evacuate the building. It is also the employer’s duty to keep adequate first-aid supplies in the workplace and reserve a space for administering first aid as well as to ensure fire safety and provide escape routes in an emergency.