Occupational health and safety in Finland

The tradition of Finnish legislation on occupational health and safety began 180 years ago. The renewal cycle of the principal acts has been about 20 to 30 years. At present the Finnish occupational health and safety legislation meets the Scandinavian standard well, though the structure of the Finnish legislation meets the Scandinavian standard well, though the structure of the Finnish legislation is more fragmented. The organization and manpower resources of occupational health and safety comprise more than 100,000 persons (5% of the labor force), and the number of full-time experts is about 3,600. The finances amount to 0.3% of the gross national product. Although intensive reforms for strengthening legislation, research, and practice were carried out during the 1970s, one-third of the labor force still works under daily health and safety risks. Several occupational and nonoccupational risk consequences cummulate into one and the same high risk population. Accident risk still remains the most prevalent and severe type of risk in the Finnish work environment. Three major national programs (National Occupational Health and Safety Program, National Occupational Health Service Program and National Program for Science Policy) were established so that the needs of occupational health and safety can be met. The programs are designed to respond not only to current problems, but also to those which can be expected in the future (caused, eg, by the large-scale implementation of new technology).