Occupational health is responsible for supporting companies in promoting measures at the work community level and in matters related to occupational safety. The amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act specify the employer’s occupational safety obligations. Learn more about the amendments, what employers should take into account in this regard and how occupational health can support your company.
The aim of the act is to promote the work ability of persons aged 55 and over and to reduce early departures from working life. The aim of the amendments is to prevent incapacity for work and to improve employees’ opportunities to work longer, while also retaining their work ability.
- The employer’s duty of care is specified
- The risks related to ageing must be identified
- Both physical and psychosocial stress factors of work must be taken into account
- Clarifications to the legislation on pregnancy protection in the Occupational Safety and Health Act
Read more on the websites of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the Finnish Government
The amendments require companies to pay attention to certain areas of human resource management and possible changes in the company’s operations.
The employer’s duty of care
Taking the needs of people with partial work ability into account individually in work arrangements and work modification needs form the core of the company’s early support actions.
- active implementation, recording and monitoring of supervisors’ early support measures and transparency for all personnel
- cooperation with the occupational health team in the work ability support process, including occupational health negotiations
- information-secure methods in work ability management cooperation
Consideration of age, pregnancy and other individual characteristics
Taking into account the special needs of pregnant employees and people at the beginning and end of their careers is part of the company’s personnel policy. Utilising work arrangements in taking into account the specific characteristics of different tasks (physical stress factors, exposure agents, shift work) should be a priority measure.
Consideration of physical and psychosocial stress factors
The workplace must carry out risk assessments for psychosocial stress factors in addition to physical factors as a continuous occupational safety measure. In the future, employers must pay more attention to the follow-up recommendations made on the basis of the occupational health workplace survey.
The competence of the occupational health team must be utilised in initiating, promoting and monitoring concrete follow-up actions on the work community and supervisory work support levels. These include, for example, organisational psychology activities, assessment of physical stress factors through ergonomic walks and occupational health negotiations at the work community level.
Systematic work ability management can prevent and reduce disability. Work ability management is part of the company’s HR management, which is strongly supported by occupational health with shared operating models. Work ability management is systematic cooperation between internal actors and external partners, the success of which is promoted by jointly agreed on objectives, indicators and monitoring methods.
Occupational health supports the company in work ability management. The purpose of occupational health is to support and assess the work ability of employees, to enable timely treatment as well as medical and vocational rehabilitation. Occupational health provides recommendations for work arrangements and for promoting a healthy and safe working environment. Occupational health supports the entire work community and supervisors in everyday work ability management.
Mehiläinen offers targeted services to support employees at the beginning and end of their careers as well as supervisors and management. The support of the multidisciplinary occupational health team promotes the well-being and coping of both young and ageing employees, and also prevents disability risks. Check out our services below and ask for more information from your occupational health contact person.
Support at the beginning of a career
More than half of 20–29-year-olds (53%) are concerned about their coping and mental well-being. The transition to working life is a major change that needs to be supported to enable a successful career. We offer targeted services to young people and their supervisors to help young employees to engage in their careers and to take into account the physical, mental and social health aspects.
Learn more about our Early Career Support services
Support at the end of a career
Did you know that 15–30% of people over the age of 45 have a moderate or poor work ability index? Planned early actions are needed to enable the continuation of work. Our work ability management services take into account the challenges of ageing. We offer solutions for over 50-year-old employees to manage their own work ability until the end of their careers, as well as for supervisors to address age management issues.
Your company’s designated occupational health team will be happy to assist you and discuss your situation and the necessary measures related to the amendments.
