Taking care of occupational safety

Your company is responsible for the occupational safety of its employees. See to it that everyone at your company complies with the Occupational Safety and Health Act as well as all other obligations provided in other laws and agreements. 

Occupational safety should be a natural part of your company’s daily operations and management practices. Be an example to your employees by being active in matters related to occupational safety and their improvement.

When your company’s occupational safety matters are in good shape, the working environment’s dangers have been minimised. This in turn will create a good foundation for your company’s profitable business. Remember that the best result produces a healthy and motivated employee, who has their work ability and feels well.

Begin promoting occupational safety and health in your company by assessing and eliminating risks. If you cannot eliminate or reduce the hazard and danger factors related to the work prior to work, make a plan for controlling these.  

Aiming for occupational safety should be part of every employee’s competence and skills. Ensure that your employees know the dangers and hazards related to their work and know how to promote occupational safety. Provide guidance and training to your employees on the safe use of work equipment. Ensure that especially supervisors are trained so that they will be able to supervise their subordinates’ occupational safety in practice. Also place specific emphasis on guidance if the guidance is given to a young person, to a new employee or in exceptional conditions.

Continuously monitor your employees’ working conditions. Procure only tools and equipment for your company that meet with safety requirements. See to it that the necessary amount of personal protective equipment such as safety gloves is available for your employees.  Safe and healthy working conditions reduce the amount of sick leave employees take, the number of workplace injuries and employees’ workload as well as improve well-being at work. 

Remember that the process of creating a safe and healthy workplace is long-term and systematic in nature.  Draw up a plan for workplace safety, which includes, for example, areas that require development.

Continuously, monitor how well your company achieves the occupational safety targets that have been set for it. Update targets as necessary.

Pursuant to the Occupational Safety and Health Act you must see to the health of your employees and the safety of the workplace.  If your company does not have sufficient expertise on the dangers and hazards of the sector or how to prevent these, use the services of external experts in determining and assessing risks.  

Identify the dangers and hazards in the workplace and assess the resulting risks. For example, identify the possible accident and injury risks related to the use of machinery and equipment. Remember to also take into consideration the hazards and harmful effects of the working conditions on your employees, such as heat, vibration and heavy worksite traffic. Make an effort to also take into account points that can lead to the development of occupational diseases. Occupational diseases can be caused by, for example, exposure to noise, chemicals or dust.

Implement measures that can prevent the creation of hazards or reduce them. 

Also plan how you will see to the continuous monitoring of occupational safety. Remember to monitor sick leaves and accident statistics.