The development of working conditions has almost stagnated

(Helsinki 17.08.2005 - Juhani Artto) In the last few years, the development of working conditions in Finland has slowed down and become almost marginal. This may be concluded from the summary* published, in this week, by the ministry of social affairs and health. The report is based on the most important statistical series and on key findings of the occupational safety and health (OSH) research.

One of the major positive observations is that, at work places, the experience of pressure has reduced in 1997-2003. This concerns all industries. The proportion of those who experienced their work mentally hard was in 2003 clearly smaller than in 1997 but slightly larger than in 2000.

The proportion of those who experienced their work physically heavy was in 2003 as large as in 1990.

The amount of work accidents, concerning wage and salary earners, remained practically unchanged in 1997-2003. However, the annual amount of fatal accidents has been in the 2000s remarkably smaller than in the 1980s. The amount has halved in 20 years.

Since 1997, about 5,000 new cases of occupational illness have been annually detected. Before that, the annual amount decreased in many consecutive years. In 1990 over 9,000 new cases were detected. In 1993-2003 the amount of cases of occupational illness decreased in all illness categories.

The annual amount of new disability pensioners was in 2000-2003 clearly larger than in 1996-1999. The authors of the follow-up report suggest that this development should not be interpreted as an indication of worsening of working conditions. Instead of that they remind that the increase of new disability pensioners is partly natural as the age structure of the labour force becomes older.

Since 1980, the proportion of those on sick leave has annually stayed between three and four per cent. In the industrial work the proportion was close to six per cent in 2000-2003 and slightly lower in 1991-1999.

*Occupational Safety and Health Strategy: Follow-up Report (pdf), Helsinki, 2005 (in Finnish, the English language summary on page 7)

This article was first published in English in Trade Union News in Finland