Occupational safety on Finnish building sites worst in Nordic countries

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An internal comparison among large construction companies in Finland shows that occupational safety in the construction industry is weaker in Finland than it is in Norway, Sweden, or Denmark.
      In fact, the construction sites of the Finnish subsidiaries of the Nordic construction companies NCC and Skanska are not as safe as their building sites in the other Nordic countries.
     
The information is based on measurements that have been made on a regular basis, for example by monitoring scaffolding, fall protection, electrical systems and lighting, as well as orderliness and waste management on construction sites.
      The representatives of the Finnish subsidiaries explain the findings by saying that occupational safety has been part of occupational culture in the other Nordic countries for a longer time than in Finland.
      On the other hand, construction-related safety has improved even in Finland in the course of the last few years, and it is now approaching the Nordic standard.
     
The multinational operation of groups of companies helps in comparing their actions in various countries. Moreover, it puts pressure on those subsidiaries which have been less successful in occupational safety.
      For his Master's thesis, M.Sc. (Eng) Ville Rajakallio of NCC Rakennus Oy used the TR safety monitoring index, which has been developed in Finland, to compare the occupational safety level of other Nordic countries.
      The previously used accident statistics are not as comparable as the TR indices.
      Currently, Ville Rajakallio is instructing NCC's Baltic companies how to use the TR safety monitoring method for construction work.
     
According to Rajakallio, workers' attitudes toward occupational safety were more positive in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway than was found in Finland. For example in Norway, all workers were wearing helmets even during lunch-breaks. Furthermore, a safety harness was more frequently used in Denmark than in Finland.
      The other large Nordic construction group Skanska has launched a Safety Week from October 24th to 30th, with the primary objective of zero accidents on its building sites worldwide.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish authorities concerned about occupational accidents to foreigners (11.10.2005)

Links:
  Skanska

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