Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 1990, publiée 77ème session CIT (1990)

Convention (n° 155) sur la sécurité et la santé des travailleurs, 1981 - Finlande (Ratification: 1985)

1. The Committee has taken note of the Government's report and the comments made by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) and the Confederation of Salaried Employees (TVK). It would be grateful if the Government would provide additional information, in its next report, on the following points:

Article 5(e) of the Convention. The Committee would recall that this provision is designed to protect workers from any disciplinary measures as a result of actions taken by them in conformity with the National Working Environment Programme. It notes the information supplied by the Government concerning the justifiable reasons for dismissing an employee provided for by sections 30 and 43 of the Employment Contracts Act. It notes, however, that this Article is designed to guarantee protection against any disciplinary measures and should not be limited to issues of dismissal. It therefore requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure the protection of workers from any disciplinary measures taken against them for acting in conformity with the national policy on occupational safety, occupational health and the working environment.

2. The Committee notes that in its comments, the SAK has indicated that there is often disagreement concerning the determination of situations in which protective equipment should be provided; this, in the SAK's opinion, results in inadequate application of Article 16(3) and other provisions of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which determinations are made concerning the circumstances in which protective equipment is required and to indicate the authorities who make this determination.

The Committee would also recall that Article 19(e) provides that workers or their representatives shall be consulted by the employer on all aspects of occupational safety and health associated with their work and that, for this purpose, technical advisers may, by mutual agreement, be brought in from outside the undertaking. The Government is requested to provide information on the arrangements made at the level of the undertaking to ensure that workers are consulted concerning determinations made with regard to the provision of protective equipment and whether technical advisers can be brought in for assistance in this regard.

The SAK has also stated that training and provision of information concerning occupational safety and health are insufficiently organised and that this inadequacy is often the cause of occupational accidents. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether any measures have been taken to promote training more appropriately adapted to meeting the training needs of all workers, in accordance with Article 14 and to indicate any information concerning arrangements made at the level of the undertaking to provide workers with appropriate training in occupational safety and health as provided for in Article 19(d).