Identify workplace hazards

The creation of workplace practices always starts with the assessment of workplace hazards, as the employer must primarily eliminate the causes of hazards. If this is not possible, the workplace must consider measures that can reduce the risk of realisation of the hazard. Potential measures include various work, safety and orientation instructions, job control for employees and personnel training.

Assessment tools include

• identification of workplace hazards and assessment of risk factors
• workplace surveys conducted by occupational health care.

All workplaces must identify the hazards and risks of work and assess the risks regularly and whenever the work or working conditions change substantially.

Please note all the different areas of work to provide an overall picture of the state of occupational safety and health at the workplace and related development needs:

1. Identify the hazards and risk factors caused by the work that may cause injuries, damage or harmful stress.
2. Assess the risks to the health and safety of workers arising from the risk factors and hazards.
3. Assess the likelihood and consequences of risks.

Any method selected by the employer can be used in the assessment, but it must be suitable to the employer’s industry, the nature of the activities and the size of the workplace. Occupational health care services can participate in the assessment from the perspective of healthy work.

The employer is responsible for carrying out s workplace survey.

Together with workplace representatives, occupational health care professionals and experts use the survey to assess

• how the work, the working environment and the health hazards and risk factors of the work community affect employees’ health and work ability
• what workload factors and resources mean for the employees’ health and work ability.

Based on the survey, the occupational health care provider makes proposals for measures to support work ability.

The workplace survey is based on existing surveys and studies, such as the employer's hazard and risk assessment. It is therefore sensible to schedule the workplace survey soon after the hazard and risk assessment has been carried out.

The survey lays the foundation for the occupational health care action plan. The survey must also be up-to-date, so it must be carried out

• when starting operations
• when the work or working conditions change significantly
• periodically in accordance with the action plan.

Instructions for conducting a workplace survey:

• Statutory obligations of the workplace survey - Tyosuojelu.fiOpens in a new window.
• Practical instructions for workplace surveys (in Finnish and Swedish) - Finnish Institute of Occupational HealthOpens in a new window.