Occupational safety and health
Workplaces must be safe and healthy, and this is the responsibility of employers and supervisors. This is provided for in the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
You must always follow your employer’s instructions. For example, you must wear the protective equipment prescribed by your employer, such as a helmet, hearing protection, or protective gloves.
For example, the following things may pose a hazard or risk to your health:
- excessive noise, dust, cold, heat, vibration, radiation or electricity
- dangerous machinery and equipment
- toxins and hazardous chemicals
- being too busy or excessively long working hours
- disease caused by bacteria, viruses or mould
- poor working posture, excessively heavy loads or poor-quality tools
- threat of violence, inappropriate treatment and sexual harassment.
If you notice a health or safety hazard at your workplace, immediately notify your supervisor or safety representative. If a task is very dangerous and it puts your life or health at immediate risk, you have the right to refrain from doing it until it is made safe.
Your employer must ensure that nothing in the workplace causes accidents or illness, as well as give you guidance on how to work safely.
Employers also have an obligation to insure you against work accidents and occupational diseases. Insurance covers injuries suffered at the workplace or during your commute, for example.
Occupational safety and health
Occupational safety and health refers to all workplace activities that promote the health and safety of work. It is often carried out in cooperation between employers and employees.
The employer and supervisors are primarily responsible for occupational safety and health. Cooperation personnel, such as occupational safety managers and occupational safety representatives representing workers, participate in handling occupational safety issues in the workplace.
As an employee, you also have a duty to ensure your own safety and that of your colleagues using the means at your disposal. Follow your employer’s instructions, and be careful and cautious in your work.
If you have questions about issues that affect your safety and health or that of others in the workplace, discuss them with your supervisor. Your employer is responsible for all safety matters at your workplace.
Often, general safety issues are handled by the occupational health and safety committee at the workplace. If there is no safety and health committee at your workplace, such general matters are handled by the employer together with the occupational safety representative.
Safety representative
The safety representative of a workplace represents employees in matters related to occupational safety and well-being and is familiar with the relevant laws.
Read more about the duties of the occupational safety representative in Starting work > Employee representatives.