Finnish Worker’s compensation center (Tapaturmavakuutuskeskus) predicts that Work related accidents will reduce by 4 % in 2025. Biggest factor is the decline of commuting incidents where decline is predicted to be even 13%. Reference
Overall in recent years, the number of serious workplace accidents in Finland has been declining. Fatal incidents have reduced roughly 50% during 20 years. Several factors lie behind this development, but one of the most important is the strengthening of safety culture in workplaces. When employers communicate risks openly and employees feel confident in raising concerns, a climate is created where accidents can be prevented more effectively.
Commuting – the Most Dangerous Part of the Workday
Many are surprised to hear that commuting remains one of the riskiest parts of the workday. The most common incidents are slips, falls, and traffic accidents, which can lead to both short absences and longer periods of incapacity. Most accidents happen during slippery times and risk increases when slippery condition is combined with the absence of daylight. Safety can be improved with measures such as anti-slip solutions, flexible remote work opportunities, and raising awareness in the workplace. For project managers, this means factoring in safety alongside schedules and budgets when organizing travel and work arrangements. Awareness has also increased. During a long period of time most fatal electrical incidents have happened to non-professionals (lay men). This can be seen on this chart by Tukes and it is also used in our Electrical safety SFS 6002 training.
Employer’s Responsibility and Employee’s Role
Safety efforts are most effective when management and staff are committed together. The employer’s duty is to identify risks and provide proper tools and training, but it is just as important that employees report hazards they notice. A good example is an organization that holds a short monthly “safety coffee break,” where employees can bring up safety concerns in a relaxed setting. Secretaries often play a key role here by coordinating the meetings and ensuring the discussions are documented.
Training Makes the Difference
Training employees is one of the most effective ways to reduce accidents. This is not only about mandatory courses like SFS6002 Electrical safety or Hot work safety trainings or Occupational safety trainings, but also about small, everyday learning moments: how to use personal protective equipment, how to walk safely on icy surfaces, or how to maintain good ergonomics in long meetings. And it is not just about being ready in case something happens at work. Knowing how to use a fire extinguisher and not knowing could be the difference between a home burned to the ground and an almost non existing damage. Even a short briefing on the correct use of a fire blanket can then in real life prevent a kitchen fire from spreading. List goes on, what about First Aid then? By knowing CPR you can literally save a life!
Project managers should allocate time and budget for these practical exercises – they quickly pay off.
The charts below show fatal electrical accidents in Finland from 1945 to 2021:
Most incidents involved unqualified individuals, especially in earlier decades. The data highlights the critical importance of proper training and safety, showing a clear decline in fatalities over time. Accidents occurred more frequently during free time than working hours, underscoring risks beyond the workplace.
red: lay men
blue: proffesionals
Technology as a Support
Digitalization has brought new tools to improve workplace health and safety. Logbooks, data loggers and tool timers can be used to monitor and estimate hand-arm vibration exposure. Each employee could wear an armband like a smart watch that will collect the data and later store it in the cloud and make reports for management to plan work rotation. By doing this they can limit the exposure time of an employee into a non harmful level. With mobile apps, hazards can be reported in real time and safety conditions tracked more closely. This is crucial in terms of Risk management and one of the key topics also on our TVA Occupational safety eLearning module.
eLearnings for First aid, SFS 6002 Electrical safety, SFS 6002 First aid, Safe lifting course and TVA Occupational safety
Knowledge prevents accidents. These eLearning courses/online courses are a good training method alongside traditional teacher led safety courses. We have quite a good selection of different eLearning courses, First aid, SFS 6002 Electrical safety,SFS 6002 First aid, Safe lifting course and TVA Occupational safety eLearning course. Clear benefit of an eLearning course is the liberty it provides with the time. Each participant can do the eLearning when ever he/she wants. This also reduces the need to travel long distances to some traditional class room training.
And hey, in case you prefer traditional lecturer led safety courses, we do them too. Check out the trainings from here.
Small Actions, Big Impact
Prevention is always the best remedy in workplace safety. In practice, this means things like using anti-slip mats, investing in ergonomic equipment, and establishing clear action models for hazardous situations. When these small things are systematically taken care of, the results show up as significant improvements in statistics – and most importantly, in people’s well-being.
Summary: The decline in workplace accidents shows that Finnish workplaces have taken major steps in the right direction. A safer workday, however, does not happen by itself – it requires continuous effort, open dialogue, and above all, training. Project managers and secretaries play a central role: they can ensure that training sessions are organized, risks documented, and everyday safety work stays on the agenda. When employers and employees move in the same direction, the statistics will continue to improve – and everyone can return home safely at the end of the day.
Practical Tips for Project Managers and Secretaries
- Hold regular safety meetings – even 15 minutes now and then can make a difference. Besides meeting just for the sake of having meetings are quite pointless
- Document hazards immediately – a simple form or mobile app can make this easy. Encourage also open dialogue
- Schedule training sessions carefully – even short refreshers should be in the calendar. Employers also need to keep a training record for example on SFS6002 electrical safety trainigs and ensure the training certificate has not expired.
- Invest in ergonomics and the work environment – buy new equipment if needed and remind staff about breaks.
- Bring up safety in everyday conversations – for example, start meetings with a quick safety reminder.
- Encourage openness – thank employees who report risks or suggest improvements.
