Occupational Safety Committee
Workplaces with at least 20 permanent employees must establish an occupational safety committee.
Composition of the occupational safety committee
The occupational safety committee may have four, eight or twelve members. A quarter of the members represent the employer, half of the members represent the larger group of employees and clerical employees, and a quarter of the members represent the smaller group of employees and clerical employees.
The employer appoints their representative to the committee. As the employees’ representative, the occupational safety representative is an ex officio member of the committee. The other employee representatives are elected at the same time as the representative.
Other cooperative arrangements in place of the occupational safety committee may be agreed upon locally in the workplace.
Tasks of the occupational safety committee
Occupational health and safety cooperation issues concerning a broad category of employees and the workplace in general are handled in the occupational safety committee or in a similar cooperative body.
The main tasks of the occupational safety committee include making proposals for development regarding occupational safety and health to the employer, monitoring the implementation of the occupational safety and health policy and occupational health care, and making proposals regarding them.
It is also the occupational safety committee’s responsibility to make proposals concerning the organization of occupational health and safety training and work guidance and orientation and to participate in actions promoting the employees’ working capacity.