Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

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

The Committee notes the Government’s comprehensive first report including the legislative texts attached. The Committee also notes the comments submitted by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK), the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland (AKAVA), the Commission for Local Authority Employers (KT) and the State Employer’s Office (VTML) attached to the Government’s report. 

Article 2(1). Promote continuous improvement of OSH by the development of a national policy, national system and national programme. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the legal frame work for the Strategy is provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2002 (OSHA) and supporting legislation and that such legislation promotes and supports the systematic development of working conditions in the workplaces through various programs and projects in cooperation with various actors, such as the Forum for Wellbeing at Work, which was set up in 2008. The Committee also notes the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions’ (SAK) comments, where it states that, the 1998 Occupational Safety and Health Strategy of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (OSH Strategy) applies to occupational safety and health sector under the Ministry but that it does not include a section on occupational health and occupational health care, and that it is not handled or prepared, for example, by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. The SAK further maintain that this OSH Strategy does not meet the needs for working life, that it is not based on an in depth situation analysis and does not include measures related to, for example, mental health care and work-related illness. The Committee notes that the Government for its part states that the Finnish occupational health care system is under reform in accordance with the Council of State’s Decision-in-Principle, issued in 2004 and that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s social and health policy strategy 2015 also includes sections on occupational safety and health and occupation health care. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on efforts to promote continuous improvements of OSH through the development of a national policy, national system and national program. The Government is also requested to keep the Committee informed on the Finnish occupational health care system reform.

Article 3(3). Promoting basic principles and to develop a national preventative safety and health culture that includes information, consultation and training. The Committee notes that the Government states that the Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health handles training, guidance, statistics and other monitoring data. The Committee also notes that the Government refers to the Finnish Work Environment Fund (Act 407/1979), which receives funds pursuant to section 35 of the Employment Accidents Insurance Act and that such funds are granted for occupation safety research and training, and collecting and disseminating information related to OSH, in addition to financing the activities of the Centre for Occupational Safety. The Committee also notes that the Government states in its report that, the most representative labour market organisations always contributes to the preparation of OSH legislation by means of advisory committees, either as members of specially appointed working groups or failing this by issuing a statement. In regards to national conditions and practice taken into consideration, the Committee notes that the Government indicates that the Occupational Safety and Health Strategy follow up reports include comprehensive analysis of OSH activity, assessment of the development of working conditions based on statistics and research results, and input from various actors and stakeholders. The Committee also notes the comments raised by the SAK, which takes the view that there is a need to prepare a wide ranging cross administrative national plan of action based on an in depth situation analysis as a part of the Government Policy Programme for Employment, Entrepreneurship and Worklife in cooperation with parties from the labour market, to promote OSH and that the said policy should be based on transparent, open and confidential tripartite cooperation. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the outcome of the consultations held in this regard and to continue to provide information on measures taken to apply this provision of the Convention.

Article 5(1). Formulate, implement, monitor, evaluate and periodically review a national program on OSH. The Committee notes that the Government indicates that in 1998, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health ratified the OSH Strategy and its implementation has been monitored and assessed regularly, that the National OSH Profile of Finland was created in accordance with ILO Recommendation No. 197 and published in 2006 and that the statement and measures on the preparation, implementation and monitoring of the OSH strategy of the European Commission form part of Finland’s OSH policy. The Committee also notes that the SAK emphasizes that the national policy should be monitored and assessed on a regular basis, that this requires improved and further developed statistics, including a more detailed analysis of occupational accidents in particular, as well as reporting and compilation of statistics on all cases of occupational diseases, work-related illnesses and hazardous and dangerous occurrences and that the assessment and development of the impact of the national policy should be supported by a process of reporting on the activities of the occupational safety and health authorities annually, in compliance with ILO Convention No 81 and the creation of a national profile in accordance with ILO Recommendation No 197. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the functioning of and efforts made to formulate, monitor, evaluate and periodically review its national program on OSH.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.