Election of Occupational Safety Representatives
The elections are defined in the Act on Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement and Cooperation on Occupational Safety and Health at Workplaces (44/2006). More detailed election practices have been defined for different sectors. Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the election of occupational health and safety representatives.
Subpages of the section
FAQ About Election of OHS Representatives
At the occupational health and safety elections, the employees elect an occupational safety representative and two deputy representatives to represent them. Additional members of the occupational safety committee are also elected in larger workplaces if needed. If the election of occupational safety ombudsmen has also been agreed upon in the workplace, they will also be elected at the same time.
Branch specific guidelines
Summary of occupational safety elections
- The employer and staff representatives agree on the election procedures and arrangements.
- The election can use ballot box, mail-in or electronic voting.
- An election committee is formed from staff representatives who take care of the practical arrangements of the election.
- The employer gives the election committee a list of employed persons and a space for holding the election.
- The election begins with the nomination of candidates.
- The available election types are election with voting, election meeting and the so-called “agreed upon election” (“sopuvaali”).
- The election committee makes the results public.
- The employer notifies the Centre for Occupational Safety about the new occupational safety contact persons.
Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) in the Office Work, Basic Course
This course supports safety representatives, managers, supervisors and other OHS actors by giving them basic information related to OHS legislation, cooperation and recommendations.