Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) - Finland (Ratification: 2008)

The Committee notes the joint observations of the Confederation of Unions for Professionals and Managerial Staff in Finland (AKAVA) and the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), communicated with the Government’s report, in which they indicate that they refer to their observations communicated in 2010.

The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government, in reply to its previous comments, concerning Articles 4(1) (maintain, progressively develop and periodically review a national system for occupational safety and health (OSH)), 4(3)(c) (provision of OSH training), (g) (collaboration with relevant insurance or social security schemes), (h) (OSH information and advisory services, and the supporting mechanisms for progressive improvements of OSH in micro-enterprises, in small and medium-sized enterprises and in the informal economy) and 5(2) (requirements to be met by the national programme) of the Convention.

Article 2(1) of the Convention. Promoting the continuous improvement of OSH by developing a national policy, national system and national programme. The Committee notes that in its 2010 observations, the SAK stated that the OSH Strategy of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (the Ministry) did not meet the needs for working life, did not include a section on occupational health and occupational health care and did not include measures related to mental health and work-related illness. In this regard, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that Government Decree No. 708/2013 on the principles of good occupational health practice, the content of occupational health care and the educational qualifications required of professionals and experts, introduced the concept of occupational health cooperation between employers, workers and their representatives and occupational health care providers in implementing the Occupational Health Care Act. It also notes that Socially Sustainable Finland 2020, the policy adopted in 2011 by the Ministry, and the Policies for the work environment and well-being at work until 2020 address the importance of mental well-being and maintain that occupational diseases and mental health problems must be reduced. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on its efforts to promote the continuous improvement of OSH through the development of a national policy, national system and national programme.

Article 3(3). Promoting basic principles and developing a national preventive safety and health culture that includes information, consultation and training. With reference to the observations submitted by the SAK in 2010, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the 2011 OSH policies, which pay particular attention to OSH in relation to the working environment and well-being at work through the planning of activities based upon a sufficient knowledge base, stakeholder cooperation, systematic monitoring and analysis of the operating environment and coordination in project and development activities. The Committee also notes the indication that, in addition to the creation of an OSH network aimed at effectively improving the working environment and well-being at work through cooperation at the national, local and workplace levels, legislative instruments on OSH will be drafted in cooperation with social partners in order to keep them updated and in accordance with the needs of working life. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the consultations held with the most representative organizations of employers and workers in relation to the formulation of the national policy on OSH, and to continue to provide information on the measures taken to give effect to this Article of the Convention.

Article 5(1). Formulation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and periodical review of a national programme on OSH. The Committee notes that in its 2010 observations, the SAK emphasized that the national OSH policy should be monitored and assessed on a regular basis, which required improved statistics, a more detailed analysis of occupational accidents, as well as the reporting and compilation of statistics on all cases of occupational diseases, work-related illnesses and hazardous and dangerous occurrences. In this regard, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government according to which the effectiveness of occupational health care is assessed through its annual report and through the monitoring of absences due to sickness, occupational accidents and occupational diseases. It also notes the indication that the Advisory Committee on OSH regularly discusses the implementation of the OSH policy and adopts follow-up reports every three years. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to formulate, implement, monitor, evaluate and periodically review its national programme on OSH, and to provide information on the consultations held in this regard with the most representative organizations of employers and workers.

Application in practice. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, attached to its report on the application of the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), which indicates that 22,340 workplace inspections were conducted by the OSH Authorities in 2013, during which 8,223 improvement notices were made, 979 occupational accidents and 50 occupational diseases investigated, and 230 OSH offences and breaches reported to the police for investigation. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the application of the Convention in practice, including on the number of workers covered by the relevant legislation, the number and nature of the contraventions reported, and the number, nature and cause of occupational accidents and cases of occupational disease reported, and disaggregated by sector.