Occupational safety and health care
Occupational safety and health (OSH) improves employee safety, health and work capacity. The goal is to prevent occupational accidents, health impacts, illnesses and disability. The Occupational Health Care Act lays out the obligations of the employer, other persons with an impact on occupational safety, and employees.
As an employer, you have a broad duty of care under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. You are as an employer assumed to be an expert in your field, and thus clear about the hazards and disadvantages that are inherent to the workplace, as well as how to mitigate them. If, as an employer, you do not have this expertise, you must consult external experts.
Your duty as an employer is to take necessary measures to ensure employees’ safety and health at work. You, the employer, must consider the work itself, working conditions and the rest of the working environment, as well each employee’s personal circumstances. Your duty of care as an employer does not include unusual, unpredictable conditions you cannot affect.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act also applies to work done by people aged under 18, but young employees are also covered by special legislation. The key provisions are the Young Workers’ Act and the Government Decree on Particularly Harmful and Dangerous Work for Young Workers. You may not give a young worker unreasonably large responsibility at work. In addition to physical exertion, this applies to mental strain, and responsibility for finances or safety.
Occupational health care and well-being at work
As an employer, you must arrange free occupational health services for your employees. Remember that the statutorily mandatory occupational health services are preventive.
If you wish, you may additionally arrange medical care for your employees. Bear in mind that comprehensive occupational health services can also be an attractive benefit when recruiting. You also save time when employees receive quick medical care through the services you arrange. Your dedicated occupational health physician knows the work done in your company best and can assess whether an employee’s illness or disability limits the work ability he or she needs.
To arrange occupational health services as an employer, you must have a written contract with an occupational health services provider and an operating plan for the provision of these services.
Occupational safety and health (OSH): draw up an OSH programme
The purpose of OSH is naturally to improve the employee’s safety, health and work ability, as well as productivity. The goal is to prevent occupational accidents, health impacts, illnesses and disability. The Occupational Health Care Act lays out the obligations of the employer, other persons with an impact on occupational safety, and employees.
As an employer you must compile an OSH program. To draft the OSH program, analyze the work-related risks and their size and probability, and after that decide on actions to manage them or remove them entirely. The purpose is thus to go through any work-related risks with your employee and then determine how they can be reduced.
How to arrange occupational health services in your company
You can agree the provision of occupational health services with your municipal health centre. Municipal health centers must offer occupational health services to employers who want them.
You can purchase the services from an occupational health service provider. These providers have plans and processes for arranging occupational health services in your company. You should talk to a few different service providers and choose the most suitable partner for your business. Remember that you can also arrange occupational health services for yourself personally as an entrepreneur. Remember to look after yourself, too.
Kela can compensate some of your occupational health service expenses
Remember that Kela compensates some of the costs of providing occupational health services as an employer. The maximum amount of compensation can be 50% or 60% of the calculated maximum cost of the costs. The compensation paid to the employer may not, however, exceed the employee-specific compensation amount which Kela publishes annually.
Remember that the occupational health service expenses which are eligible for compensation are always based on a contract and operating plan for these services, and a workplace investigation. All these documents must be up to date. You may receive compensation:
- for preventive occupational health services
- for general practitioner-level medical care which the employer purchases from the same occupational health service provider which provides preventive occupational health services.