Employers are bound by occupational health and safety regulations 

Any work that requires constantly standing or sitting still or involves a constant workload must be broken up with breaks that allow the worker to leave their workstation for short periods of time. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), section 31 

Read more about workplace temperatures and breaks

All changing rooms must be easy to access and sufficiently spacious for the type of work and the number of workers. The rooms must include seating. Workers must have the option to keep their clothes in locked storage. Storage facilities for work clothes must be separate from those of other clothes if required due to the nature of the work: hazardous substances, moisture, dirt, etc. A room for drying clothes must be provided, if necessary. 

Government Decree on Workplace Health and Safety Requirements (577/2003, in Finnish), section 5

The workers’ eating and resting facilities, including resting rooms, must be fit for the purpose and sufficiently spacious. The spaces reserved for these purposes must have an adequate number of tables and seats with backs for the number of workers. If necessary, appropriate equipment must be provided for workers to store and heat their own meals and drinks. 

Government Decree on Workplace Health and Safety Requirements (577/2003, in Finnish), section 4 

The structures and tools of workstations must be selected, dimensioned, and positioned appropriately and ergonomically for the type of work and the worker’s abilities. As far as possible, they must be adjustable, configurable, and have sufficient properties to allow working without strain or workloads that would be hazardous to the worker’s health. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), section 24 

Read more about ergonomics

Safe arrangements must be made for vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the workplace. The employer must issue appropriate traffic instructions for organising the workplace’s internal traffic, if necessary. How goods are lifted, transported, handled, and stored and where they are processed and loaded must be planned and organised so that the lifting and transporting equipment and the lifting or falling of goods cannot pose a hazard to the health and safety of workers. More detailed regulations about workplace traffic, lifting and transport work safety, and sites for loading goods may be issued by government decree. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), section 35 

Workplaces must be illuminated with lighting that is appropriate for the job and the workers’ abilities. Sufficient natural light must be let into the workplace whenever possible. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), section 34 

Workplaces must be organised and cleaned to the degree required for good health and safety. Cleaning must not pose a hazard to the health and safety of workers. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002) section 36

The exposure of workers to factors that may risk their health or safety – temperatures, noise, etc. – must be limited to a level that prevents these factors from posing a hazard to the worker’s safety or their general or reproductive health. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002) section 39 

Read more about indoor air quality
Read more about temperatures at work
Read more about noise

Appropriate seating must be available to workers at their workplace for work that may be done while seated without risk, as well as for resting when this is possible. 

Government Decree on Workplace Health and Safety Requirements (577/2003, in Finnish), section 3 

Read more about chairs at work

Washing facilities must have a heating option, if necessary, and warm washing water must be available. They must also have a sufficient number of washing devices and include bathing or showering equipment or a sauna. If the washing facilities are separate from the changing rooms, one must be easy to access from the other. Where necessary, separate washing, changing, resting, and toilet facilities must be provided for men and women. 

Government decree on workplace health and safety requirements (577/2003, in Finnish), section 6 

Workers must be provided with sufficient and appropriately equipped facilities, either at their workplace or in its immediate vicinity: 

• Washing facilities, changing rooms, and clothes storage 
• Eating, resting, and toilet facilities 
• Other staff facilities 

The facilities must account for the type of work and the number of workers. Workers must be provided with enough potable water for drinking. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002) section 48