Introduction
National strategies are vital policy instruments to enhance the effectiveness of an OSH system by defining the key priorities and actions for improving workers’ health and safety.
The Commission called on the Member States to update and draw up their national OSH strategies in line with the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027 - in cooperation with social partners - to ensure that the new measures are applied on the ground.
In Finland, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health - MSAH prepares and develops legislation and policies on occupational safety and health and deals with international cooperation in this field. The ministry also guides the occupational safety and health work of the Occupational Safety and Health Department of the Finnish Supervisory Agency.
The new Finnish supervisory agency began operations in the beginning 2026, with one of its departments being the Occupational Safety Department[1]. The reform merged five regional occupational safety authorities into a single agency[2].
More information on the various OSH systems can be found in the relevant OSHwiki articles on national OSH systems.
Basic information on the national OSH strategy
Health, safety and well-being are important common values, which are put into practice in every workplace and for every employee. Together with its stakeholders, the Ministry of Social affairs and Health, has prepared the policy for the work environment and wellbeing at work. The main strategic document for the work environment:”Työympäristön ja työhyvinvoinnin linjaukset vuoteen 2030 - Turvallisia ja terveellisiä työoloja sekä työkykyä kaikille”[3]. English version: “Policy for the work environment and wellbeing at work until 2030 -“Safe and healthy working conditions and workability for everyone"[4].
The policy for the work environment and wellbeing at work until 2030 was published in 2019 and updated in 2024 and aims at extending the duration of careers and allowing people to continue in their work for longer than currently.
The policy describes the strategic level objectives in the field of occupational health and safety until 2030, the changes to be achieved and the indicators to be monitored. The document incorporates the national policy referred to in the Convention 187 of the International Labour Organisation ILO, the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health and has also taken into account the strategy of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, as well as national and international views of the transformation of working life and its impacts on occupational safety and health.
In early 2026 the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health updated its strategy to respond to changes in the operating environment. The strategy was updated in cooperation with the agencies and public bodies in the Ministry’s branch of government[5].
To implement the policy separate implementation plans and communication plans have been made together with social partners and other key stakeholders. The implementation plan 2024-2027 gives concrete expression to the actions by which the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its partners will jointly contribute to achieving the goals of the focus areas in 2024–2027.
The implementation plan is available in Finnish[6], Swedish, and English[7].
The focus areas, objectives and measures defined in the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work are seen very important in Finland and have been taken into account in different documents and implementation actions.
Background and the perceived problem
The vision of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is to create a cohesive society and sustainable wellbeing through active inclusion of people, sustainable financing, wellbeing in the transformation of work, safe and healthy living and working environment, and integrated services and benefits. Their values are equity, courage and transparency[8]. The mission of the Ministry is to build wellbeing together. The Ministry supports people’s health, functioning and livelihoods through timely and sufficient services and benefits.
Their activities are based on justice, courage and trust and guided by following principles:
- To promote non-discrimination and gender equality.
- To take social, economic and ecological sustainability into account in all of their activities.
- To make decisions based on reliable information.
- Technology and data support proactive innovation activities.
- To be active and proactive in exerting influence in the EU and globally[9]
Operating principles to guide their activities[10]:
- We promote non-discrimination and gender equality.
- We take social, economic and ecological sustainability into account in all of our activities.
- We make decisions based on reliable information.
- Technology and data support proactive innovation activities.
- We are active and proactive in exerting influence in the EU and globally.
The past few years have rapidly re-shaped working life and brought new challenges from the point of view of the individual, organisation and management. We are constantly gaining more and more research knowledge and experience on this.
Main characteristics and objectives of the OSH-strategy
The OSH-strategy (The Policy for the work environment and wellbeing at work until 2030) specifies the strategy of the Ministry. The goal is for Finland to remain a welfare state even as the population ages and the number of working-age people decreases. Working life is the base for the welfare state. The objective of the policy is to ensure safe and healthy working conditions and workability for everyone. The policy aims at extending the duration of careers and allowing people to continue in their work for longer than currently. This requires a seamless transition to working life among young people, no long interruptions in the middle of careers caused by disability, and no premature ends to careers due to disability. Improving people’s ability, willingness and possibilities to work is a key condition for extending careers. Work should be appealing and it should promote health, and workability and functional capacity. This supports sustainable development, improves the productivity of companies and other organisations, and fosters the social and economic sustainability of society.
The policy extends to the year 2030 and is updated regularly. The policy defines three focus areas to ensure healthy and safe work at all workplaces, regardless of the form of employment.
The three focus areas of the policy are:
- Future challenges concerning occupational safety and health, and wellbeing at work.
- Safe and healthy working conditions.
- Promoting functional capacity, work ability, and employability.
Details of the implementation plan of the policy
The EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work has been taken into account in the implementation plan of the policy.
The implementation plan 2024-2027 gives concrete expression to the actions by which the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its partners will jointly contribute to achieving the goals of the focus areas in 2024-2027. The implementation plan has been drawn up with the participation of a wide range of actors in working life, from ministries to labour market organisations, research and development organisations and other actors in working life. Labour market organisations play an important role in disseminating information and influencing decision-making. Finland has good and long traditions in tripartite cooperation, which improves the efficiency of policy implementation. The regional occupational safety and health administration is responsible for supervising that employers fulfil their statutory obligations[11].
In the implementation plan the three focus areas of the policy and their goals are split into objectives, actions, success factors, strengths and monitoring / further measures.
Axis description
Focus Area 1 - Future challenges concerning occupational safety and health, and wellbeing at work
To rise up the future work challenges concerning occupational safety and health.
There is good reason to prepare for an increasingly rapid transformation of work. The transformation of work is underlined by megatrends, such as digitalisation, globalisation, changes in population structure, climate change, immigration and urbanisation. There is need to identify, prevent and minimise the potential risks of new technology and modes of working while, at the same time, utilising the positive opportunities they present.
Goal: “We have comprehensive and smooth safety and health regulations that guarantee the occupational health and safety of employees under all circumstances and are applicable to the current situation in working life. The necessary changes will be made in a controlled manner in cooperation with the social partners. Organisations guiding and supporting occupational health and safety, employers, employees and entrepreneurs, as well as other actors in working life, are dynamic and together build trust and rules in working life."
Objective: Effective up-to-date legislation, occupational safety and health supervision and performance management
Actions:
- The preparation of legislation is guided by a formal process. Occupational health and safety legislation is prepared in tripartite cooperation and matters are discussed by the Advisory Board for the Preparation of OSH Provisions. If necessary, other ministries and stakeholders are also consulted in the preparation.
- Future work challenges related to occupational safety and health are taken into account in the performance agreement of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
- Future work challenges related to occupational health and safety have been taken into account in the Framework programme for occupational safety and health enforcement.
- The strategic objectives set in the framework plan have been split into impact objectives. They specify the strategic objective specifically for matters under the influence of occupational safety and health supervision. Impact objectives are split into performance targets on an annual basis. Attention is paid to the consistency of supervision.
Objective: Foresight regarding changes in work and working life (taking into account the entries in the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work) Actions:
- Futures reviews, situational pictures and foresight, carried out at different levels by different parties jointly or separately, as well as up-to-date research knowledge. These are discussed regularly in society and the necessary (joint/own) measures are agreed on.
- The analysis and sharing of data is developed in cooperation, also taking into account so-called tacit signals. The generation and use of gender-analysed data are also taken into account.
Objective: Supporting workplaces’ occupational health and safety work (taking into account the entries in the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work)
Actions:
- Government Resolution “Occupational Health 2025 - Health and work ability through cooperation" objectives 1 and 6. Responding to workplace needs with information, operating models, networks, etc.
- Responding to workplace needs with information, operating models and networks, for example. In particular small and medium-sized enterprises are taken into account.
Focus Area 2 - Safe and healthy working conditions
To ensure safe and healthy working conditions
Risk assessment and management must take comprehensive account of physical, chemical and biological hazards and, on the other hand, psychological, social and physical risks. It is important to identify and reduce the risks and predisposing factors brought about by new technologies and new ways of working. For example, challenges of cognitive ergonomics related to work are increasing with the changes in work. The diversity of workplaces must be perceived and utilised as a resource factor of workplaces.
Goal:“Work is healthy and safe regardless of the sector, the form of employment or the size of the workplace. Occupational health and safety issues are part of the organisation’s strategic management. Everyone who enters and operates in working life, whether as an employer, employee or entrepreneur, has sufficient occupational health and safety expertise. Every accident at work and work-related illness or disability can be prevented by measures based on hazard identification and risk management."
Objective: Development of safety management and safety culture (taking into account the entries in the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work)
Actions:
- Reaching, inspiring and supporting workplaces in the development of occupational safety, wellbeing at work and productivity. Supporting diversity at the workplace.
- Creating an operating method to effectively implement the operating models and tools developed in the programmes and projects to meet the needs of workplaces, sectors and the service system.
- Strengthening/building synergies and coordination between projects as well as communications during the project and about the project results.
- Information compiled for employers/workplaces on obligations and recommended operating methods
- Contributing to the brightening of the Finnish working life brand and young people’s belief in the future with respect to working life. We strive to ensure that when we talk about working life, we convey an image of working life that is as realistic and true as possible. Leveraging European research, development and benchmarking data.
- Spreading Vision Zero thinking and raising awareness to prevent occupational accidents, work-related illnesses and experienced work-related strain that is harmful to health.
- Creating guidelines also regarding new professions, new types of work content and ways of working, as well as predisposing factors[12].
Objective: Development of safety management and safety culture (taking into account the entries in the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work)
Actions:
- Raising the topic of occupational safety in social debate. The willingness and ability of as many people as possible to continue working for a sufficiently long time, with motivation, is developed and strengthened. Attention is paid to the importance of occupational safety issues and to motivating and awakening their promotion, taking into account the different development paths of workplaces. Consistent use of concepts and their possible adjustment in a positive direction. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work campaigns and Focal Point activities
- Wellbeing at work and productivity are developed at the same time. The renewal of operating methods, utilisation of new technology, a working culture based on cooperation and trust at workplaces, the identification of competence needs, and proactive competence development are strengthened.
- Spreading Vision Zero thinking and raising awareness.
- Occupational disease notification: available to the doctor in the patient information system, from where it would be submitted to the occupational safety and health authority and to the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s Register of Occupational Diseases. The register is used to produce Finland’s official statistics on occupational diseases.
Objective: Prevention of violence, harassment and inappropriate treatment in the workplace
Action:
- Up-to-date information is maintained and new methods developed, and information is disseminated to prevent violence, harassment and other inappropriate treatment. Adoption and entry into force of ILO Convention 190 and implementation of the Government action plan for gender equality.
Objective : Reduction of psychosocial stress and strengthening of resource factors
Action:
- Identifying and managing psychosocial stress related to work and working conditions, taking measures at workplaces and strengthening competence in practical work. Investing in strengthening the competence and cooperation of workplaces and occupational health care. In addition to stress factors, attention is also paid to strengthening work resource factors.
Objective: Management of new and old risks
Actions:
- The importance of foresight and risk management is emphasised, and information and guidelines are produced for the assessment and management of risks (including strengthening cooperation in occupational health and safety work).
Information on new risks in the changing working life and on safety hazards (including climate, change, biological factors, technologies, artificial intelligence) and new ways of working, especially for young workers, is produced and disseminated.
The opportunities and risks of the so-called green transition are taken into account and managed.
- Government Resolution – Occupational Health 2025 – Health and work ability through cooperation – objectives 3 and 4
Focus Area 3 - Promoting functional capacity, workability, and employability
To promote functional capacity, work ability, and employability
Management of work ability and wellbeing at work plays an important role in reducing disability and promoting health and wellbeing. The opportunity for people with partial work ability to participate in working life increases equality and reduces unemployment and disability pension expenditure.
Goal: “Work ability management and the promotion of wellbeing at work are part of the management of companies and other organisations. The work must be dimensioned according to the person doing it. Taking care of one’s own work ability is part of every person’s working life skills. At each workplace, the employer, personnel and occupational health care services implement joint measures for work ability and return to work. The retention and employment of persons with partial work ability are supported."
Objective: Supporting workplaces and strengthening competence in the promotion of wellbeing at work, work ability and health (taking into account the entries in the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work). Occupational health and safety issues are examined more closely together.
Actions:
- Simultaneous development of wellbeing at work and productivity.
Measures concerning the reduction of sick leave in accordance with the entries in the Government Programme.
- The work ability of all age groups in employment is promoted and supported by good work ability management so that careers are not interrupted by disability.
- Increasing the preconditions for the employment of unemployed persons with partial work ability, increasing their work ability, functional capacity and social inclusion.
- Developing a multidisciplinary service system in such a way that the need for support for the work ability of the unemployed is identified and they receive individual and timely services related to work ability and employment.
- The creation of jobs is promoted, taking into account the employment of persons with partial work ability, and services are developed for employers to facilitate the recruitment of persons with partial work ability.
- Developing rehabilitation.
- Strengthening the attractiveness of the health care and social welfare sector.
- Acknowledging the importance of competence for wellbeing at work and work ability.
- Changing the support for mental health in working life from solving problems that have already arisen in an individual-focused way to activities that emphasise the prevention of work ability problems, which are implemented in workplace cooperation and occupational health cooperation.
- Closer cooperation between occupational health and safety issues and public health policy.
- Making use of culture, art and physical activities in promoting wellbeing at work and work ability.
Objective: Promotion of occupational health care and occupational health cooperation
Actions:
- Increasing the competence and knowledge of workplaces and occupational health care providers to improve occupational health cooperation.
- Increasing/developing workplace competence in the procurement and use of occupational health care services.
- Developing occupational health care to meet future work challenges. Taking into account the needs of small enterprises, too.
Objective: Functional integration of occupational health care into other health care
Action:
- Government Resolution – Occupational “Health 2025 - Health and work ability through cooperation" objectives 2 and 5.
Actors and stakeholders
The Ministry is responsible for supervising, improving and regulating safety and health at work in Finland. The implementation plan has been drawn up with the participation of a wide range of actors in working life, from ministries (to labour market organisations, research and development organisations and other actors in working life. The tripartite approach to setting targets is an important principle that has been taken into account.
Resources and time frame
The policy for the work environment and wellbeing at work until 2030, implementation plan covers the period from 2024 to 2027.
Occupational safety and health activities are based on cooperation. OSH actors contribute to the achievement of OSH objectives through their own operations. The OSH administration works in close cooperation with labour market organisations and other important stakeholders in such tasks as the setting of enforcement priorities, preparing of legislation and communications. Cooperation takes place at national and regional level in advisory boards and their divisions, working groups, programmes and projects[13]. Enforcement is mainly carried out by means of workplace inspections.
Budget: Public and private organisations and NGOs have their own budget plan for the implementation of the OSH strategy.
Evaluation
The Policy for the work environment and wellbeing at work until 2030 includes indicators that will be assessed regularly together with social partners and other key stakeholders. The implementation and effectiveness of the objectives are monitored annually at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in cooperation with stakeholders.
The Annual Report of the occupational safety and health administration in Finland 2025publishes the activities performed in 2025. The purpose of the occupational safety and health administration is to ensure that working in Finland is as healthy and safe as possible and in compliance with working life legislation.
Occupational health and safety inspections:
Total number of inspection in 2025: about 19,800and the total number of inspected sites: about 15,800.
Working condition were supervised in some 8,300 inspections. The focus areas were themes related to the physical strain of work and on the physical factors of work, especially noise.
Fair working life: the realisation of fair employment was supervised in some 5,000 inspections. Supervision helped to reduce employment conflicts and the exploitation of employees and to combat the grey economy and economic crime. Special attention was paid to vulnerable groups of workers, such as those starting their first job or people coming from abroad for seasonal work.
- More than 1,800 inspections were carried out at companies using foreign labour. Cooperation between authorities makes the supervision more effective. In 2025, more than 440 joint inspections were carried out
- A total of 210 companies were inspected that post workers to Finland or act as contracting partners of posting companies in Finland. The largest number of inspections were carried out in construction and industry.
- A total of 660 transport companies across Finland were inspected. The number of inspected drivers was about 5,100 and the total number of inspected driving days was 331,000. Driving and rest time violations or tachograph violations were observed in 80% of the transport companies inspected. Due to these violations, we provided the transport companies with official guidance.
Psychosocial workload approximately 2,200 inspections related to psychosocial workload were carried out with a particular focus on identifying and managing violence and its threat. Continuous changes in work were also highlighted in supervision.
- The psychosocial workload factors survey was used in 2025 during more than 990 inspections. According to surveys conducted during OSH inspections, the most common workload factor experienced at workplaces was performing multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Violence can be prevented and managed: supervision and other means of influence were targeted especially to sectors and tasks in which there is an obvious threat of violence and where it cannot be completely eliminated.
- A supervision project was launched focusing on small and new workplaces to increase the information employers had on statutory obligations and to ensure that the basics of occupational safety and health are implemented
- Some 700 contacts related to discrimination at the workplace
About 3,100 contacts related to harassment and excessive workload. OSH inspectors issued nearly 38,800 written advice to the inspected workplaces
Methods of OSH supervision: occupational safety and health administration continued to develop services aimed at customers. E-services were expanded to include applications for a charger’s certificate and its renewal. The occupational safety and health e-service was expanded so that an employee can submit an enforcement request in all employment relationship matters.
Advice and guidance
- About 1.0 million people used the OSH Administration’s website Tyosuojelu.fi with 1.9 million page views.
- The telephone service answered more than 16,300 calls.
Other Inspection Activities:
A total of 78 per cent of occupational safety and health (OSH) inspections were carried out as phenomenon-based inspections within nationwide projects, while other inspection activities accounted for the remaining 22 per cent. Inspections were targeted at small and newly established workplaces with the objective of increasing employers’ awareness of their statutory obligations and ensuring compliance with fundamental occupational safety and health requirements. Other inspection activities included maritime inspections as well as inspections addressing regional characteristics and specific local priorities.
International cooperation: International multi-authority cooperation contributes to preventing labour exploitation and human trafficking.
Supervision of shipping: 96% of Finnish exports and imports is transported by sea. OSH supervision in shipping was carried out aboard vessels, in ports and at shipyards. A total of 357 inspections were carried out to supervise shipping.
An overview about the OSH supervision in figures can be found in the Annual Report of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Finland 2025 on page 28[14]
Monitoring indicators for the years until 2030
The policy describes the strategic objectives as well as the changes to be achieved and their indicators. The indicators are monitored annually, analysed and, if necessary, the agreed measures are revised in line with the observed trend.
The goals and the corresponding indicators are mentioned on page 24 of the Implementation Plan (Tab. 1):
| Table 1: Monitoring indicators |
|---|
| Objective | Indicator | Verification |
|---|
| Raising the average age of retirement | The average age of retirement | Finnish Centre for Pensions |
| Reducing occupational accidents | The frequency of occupational accidents | Finnish Workers’ Compensation Center |
| Reducing occupational and work-related diseases | The incidence of occupational and work-related diseases | Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases |
| Reducing harmful work-related strain | Experienced physical and mental strain | The quality of work life survey, Statistics Finland |
| Reducing long-term disability | Number of people seeking a disability pension | Finnish Centre for Pensions, Social Insurance Institution of Finland |
| Reducing short-term disability | Sickness absences in relation to working hours performed | Sickness absences in relation to working hours performed |
| Increasing participation in employment among persons with partial workability | People on full and partial disability pension. Partial old-age pension since 2017 onwards. | Finnish Centre for Pensions, Social Insurance Institution of Finland |
| Promoting physical workability | Workability in relation to the physical demands of work | Working Life Barometer |
| Promoting mental workability | Workability in relation to the mental demands of work | Working Life Barometer |
| Reducing emotional abuse and workplace bullying | Emotional abuse or workplace bullying | Working Life Barometer |
| Managing risks related to wellbeing and safety at work | Management systems | VERA |
| Work must be attractive | The attractiveness of work | Working Life Barometer (health and wellbeing indicator, Working Life 2020) |
Relationship to EU Strategic Framework on health and safety at work 2021-2027
The Policy for the work environment and wellbeing at work until 2030 - Implementation plan 2024-2027 was published on 16.09.2024.
The implementation of the policy implementation plan takes into account the European Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027 and other international dimensions that have an impact on the policy objectives and the direction of the activities of the parties involved in the implementation of the policy.
The three key objectives as well as the actions set for their implementation mentioned in the EU Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027 are part of the Finnish implementation plan 2024-2027.
For example:
Key objective 1 of the EU Framework is covered in Focus Area 1 (in the implementation plan of the Finnish policy) "Future challenges concerning occupational safety and health, and wellbeing at work". The potential risks posed by new technologies and forms of work must be identified, prevented and minimised, and their effects on health must be assessed. Mental health management of psychosocial stress in work and working conditions are mentioned in Focus Area 2. Focus Area 3 (in the implementation plan of the Finnish policy) "Promoting functional capacity, workability, and employability".
Key objective 2 of the EU Framework: Vision Zero and the prevention of violence and harassment at work places are explicitly mentioned in Focus Area 2 (in the implementation plan of the Finnish policy) "Safe and healthy working conditions for everyone" in Objective “Prevention of violence, harassment and inappropriate treatment in the workplace” , and Vision Zero is mentioned in Objective “Development of safety management and safety culture.“ The management of chemical and biological hazards is covered by Focus Area 2 for example in Objective “Management of new and old risks“
Key objective 3 of the EU Framework: In Focus Area 2 “Objective Management of new and old risks”. In Focus Area 3 (in the implementation plan of the Finnish policy) a closer cooperation between occupational health and safety issues and public health policy is mentioned.
The EU OSH Framework highlights the importance to improve the synergies between OSH and public health policies. In Finland this important objective has been discussed and actions negotiated in many occasions. This subject is very important for instance in the context of The Finnish Health and Social Services Reform and the establishment of new wellbeing services counties.
The objectives of the EU OSH Framework are implemented also in the Working life programmes of the Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government Programme[15]. A good working life is the Government’s aim. This will require stronger work ability and workplace wellbeing as well as integration of work and family life. The Government will promote equality and non-discrimination in working life and wants to eradicate all forms of discrimination in working life. Working life programmes aim at increasing employment, wellbeing and productivity. The goal is for Finland to remain a welfare state even as the population ages and the number of working age people decreases. To secure this, a sustainable financial base, high employment and longer working careers are needed. This requires the simultaneous development of wellbeing at work and productivity, the prevention of disability, a diverse and participatory working life and the view of mental health as a resource in working life. All potential to give and find employment must be identified and acknowledged. Sustainable wellbeing must be promoted, employed people’s ability to remain employed must be ensured, and the matching of labour demand and supply must be strengthened in order to achieve the Government Programme’s employment rate target. The working life programme consists of the WORK2030 programme[16] and the related research programme, the Work Ability Programme and the Mental Health[17] at Work Programme[18].
The aims of the programme WORK2030 have been to reform operating practices, make effective use of technology in workplaces and create working life innovations.
The aim of the work ability programme was to eliminate obstacles to the employment of people with partial work ability and develop services to support the work ability of people with partial. The programme ended in 2023, but some measures of the working capacity programme will continue in the new government term[19].
The core objective of the Mental Health at Work Programme was to change the focus of the support for mental health in working life from solving existing problems in an individual-focused way to preventing work ability problems. As concrete solutions to the situation, the Programme created a Mental Health Support Toolkit and a model for occupational health cooperation that helps build a working culture supporting mental wellbeing[20].
