Occupational safety and health

The Regional State Administrative Agency (AVI) is responsible for regional supervision and direction of occupational safety and health.

A key objective in this area is promoting and maintaining the employees' ability to work and functional ability and preventing work-related health hazards and adverse effects. Other aims include supervising compliance with working life rules in the workplaces.

In the area of occupational safety and health, the AVI Agency has four types of duties:

• supervisory activities on the initiative of customers and other authorities,
• investigating the causes of serious accidents at work, occupational illnesses and work-related diseases and taking action to prevent them,
• engaging in product control, and
• working together with other actors to investigate employment-related offences.

The most important task of the occupational safety and health administration is to supervise compliance with safety and health provisions and regulations. The supervisory activities are targeted to maximise their societal impact. Supervision mainly takes the form of workplace inspections, while other measures include licence administration, questionnaires to be filled in by the workplaces and issuing opinions to other authorities.

In addition to its supervisory role, the occupational safety and health administration provides instructions, advice and training in questions related to safety and health and the terms of an employment relationship. It also works closely together with employer and employee organisations in occupational safety and health issues.

For more information about occupational safety and health, visit the occupational safety and health administration's website