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Every employee has the right to a safe working life. It is the employer’s responsibility to insure employees against occupational accidents and diseases. Your security is based on the Occupational Accidents and Diseases Act, and compensation is paid through the statutory accident insurance taken out by the employer.
What is an occupational accident?
An occupational accident is a sudden, unexpected event caused by an external factor that results in injury or illness. An occupational accident can occur, for example:
at work or in the workplace
in an area belonging to the workplace
while traveling between home and work
on a work or business trip ordered by the employer
while performing tasks for the employer or saving property or human lives
abroad on assignment from a Finnish employer.
Injuries that occur within a short period of time (no more than one day), such as skin symptoms caused by corrosive substances or sudden muscle and tendon injuries, may also be considered occupational accidents.
Serious occupational accidents
The employer must immediately report serious occupational accidents to the police and the occupational safety and health department of the regional state administrative agency. A serious accident is, for example, a situation in which an employee dies or suffers a permanent or severe injury (e.g., multiple fractures, severe brain injury, loss of an eye, extensive burns).
The occupational safety and health authority investigates all serious accidents to determine the causes and prevent similar situations in the future.
How is an occupational disease defined?
An occupational disease is an illness whose main cause is a physical, chemical, or biological factor at work.
The definition of an occupational disease is based not only on medicine, but also on legislation.
Work-related illnesses are all those that are connected to work. However, only those in which work is the main cause are considered occupational diseases.
Common occupational diseases include noise-induced hearing loss, respiratory allergies and asthma, skin diseases caused by chemicals, asbestos-related diseases, and upper limb strain injuries.
Occupational diseases can be prevented by identifying and eliminating the factors that cause the disease from the workplace.
Doctor’s duty to report
If a doctor suspects an occupational disease or other work-related illness, they must immediately report it to the occupational safety and health department of the regional state administrative agency, regardless of confidentiality regulations.
What to do if you have an accident at work or suspect an occupational disease
Notify your employer or supervisor immediately.
Ask for an insurance certificate and take it with you to the treatment. This will enable you to receive treatment free of charge. If you do not have a certificate, you will have to pay first, but the insurance company will reimburse you against receipts.
Make sure that your employer reports the accident to the insurance company. This is the first step in claiming compensation. If your employer does not report the accident, you can do so yourself in writing to the insurance company. The insurance company’s details should be posted on the notice board at your workplace. If you cannot find this information, you can report the accident to any accident insurance company.
If your employer does not have insurance, the Accident Insurance Center (TVK) will handle the compensation case and payment.
Make a note of the events, times, and circumstances.
See a doctor immediately and tell them that it is a work-related accident or suspected occupational disease.
What compensation can you receive?
Accident insurance can cover, among other things:
medical care, examination, medication, and travel expenses
daily allowance for the period of incapacity for work (up to one year)
accident pension if the incapacity for work continues for more than one year
disability allowance for permanent disability (at the earliest one year after the accident)
in the event of death, funeral assistance and family pension for the widow/widower and children.
You can always obtain detailed information from the insurance company that provides your employer’s insurance.
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