Home » At the workplace » Occupational safety and health representative Occupational safety and health representative Occupational health and safety representatives represent their workplace’s workers in all matters of health and safety. At the workplace Information for employers Union representative Occupational safety and health representative Choosing occupational health and safety representatives European Works Council The duties of occupational health and safety representatives (työsuojeluvaltuutettu) are laid out in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Further duties may be included in collective agreements. The representatives work in cooperation with the employer and occupational health service. The representatives must review the health and safety topics of their workplace and learn the occupational health and safety regulations. They must also motivate the workers whom they represent to work safely and submit suggestions to improve safety. A good representative is easy for the workers to approach and talk to about occupational health and safety issues. Examples of representatives’ tasks participate in hazard and risk assessments and reduction contribute to worker training on occupational safety and health contribute to worker training on safe working methods monitor compliance with safety instructions participate in solving and analysing incidents in business and service operations participate in preparing and monitoring the work community’s rules of conduct contribute to measures used to promote work ability and long working careers cooperate with the employer to recognise (predict) and meet new regulatory obligations. Note that the representative is not responsible for the above actions. The employer alone is responsible for the health and safety of their workers. This means hazard assessments are not the occupational health and safety representative’s responsibility – their duty is to participate in the workplace’s health and safety activities and communicate necessary information to the employer from the perspective of the workers. On a final note: occupational health and safety representatives have the authority to stop unsafe work, and doing so is their obligation. Would you like to become an occupational safety and health representative? Do you want to make a difference at your workplace? Do you like to help your colleagues? Read more Occupational health and safety representatives have the right to training Employers are responsible for offering appropriate training to their occupational health and safety representatives. Among other things, the representatives must be informed of the rules and regulations regarding occupational health and safety. The employer and representatives must discuss the need and arrangements for training within two months of the representatives being chosen. The training may not incur any costs or result in the loss of income for the representatives. All training must take place during business hours. We recommend that service sector workplaces elect PAM members as their occupational health and safety representatives. PAM members are eligible for the occupational health and safety training provided by PAM and may actively participate in occupational health and safety cooperation with different service sector operators. This is a good reason to choose a PAM member as your workplace’s occupational health and safety representative. The unions have mutual training agreements that include local training for health and safety representatives. Read more about PAM’s training for elected representatives. See also Choosing occupational health and safety representatives Health and safety in workplaces Useful links Occupational safety and health representative (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Act on Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement and Cooperation on Occupational Safety and Health at Workplaces 44/2006 (pdf)
