© All rights reserved. The trade union press is hearby authorised to use this material. E-mail your comments, questions and subscription requests to get the latest stories from this service sent free of charge directly to your e-mailbox. The news service is sponsored by SAK, the largest central trade union in Finland, and ten of its 23 affiliated unions. If you want the text quicklyto be translated into French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish, you may try Babel fish, but remember what its provider says: "Machine translation produces reasonable results in many cases. But you should not rely on it." |
New book: Everything at stake - safeguarding interests in a world without frontiers Struggle for tighter wood dust standards Helsinki (20.06.2001 - Juhani Artto) "About 6,000 cases of occupational illness are discovered in Finland every year, but there is very little public debate on the problem", professor Jyrki Liesivuori stated last year at a seminar organised by the Wood and Allied Workers' Union. There has been no change in the situation since that time. One example of an underestimated risk mentioned by prof. Liesivuori was wood dust, which in Finland mainly originates from birch, pine and spruce processing. The wood dust problem focuses on the furniture, board and joinery industries, and at sawmills employing almost 30,000. According to the Centre for Occupational Safety, roughly half of these workers are exposed to wood dust. The presently wood dust standard in Finland is 5 milligrams of dust per cubic meter of air. However, studies suggest that concentrations of as little as 1 milligram per cubic meter already cause symptoms in the eyes, nose, throat, skin and lungs. The most serious consequence is cancer, while other serious diseases caused by wood dust include asthma, allergies and persistent rashes. Although the Wood and Allied Workers' Union has long fought for a tightening in the standard to 1 milligram per cubic meter, the employers have so far managed to resist such reforms. The Union's occupational health and safety secretary Pirkko Heikura told Trade Union News from Finland in May that a working group of experts and representatives of public authorities, employers and organised labour is once again examining the standard. "Rank and file pressure for an improved standard has steadily increased as details of the latest findings have reached workplaces," she noted. Especially dangerous are jobs in which workers are exposed to a combination of risks such as wood dust, solvents, paints, hardeners and lacquers. Pirkko Heikura reports that larger enterprises have invested more heavily than small businesses in technical protection against wood dust. One further problem is that young male workers often neglect to use protective masks. The other large Nordic countries: Sweden, Norway and Denmark, currently apply a wood dust standard of 2 milligrams per cubic meter. Even here the trade unions are campaigning for the 1 milligram per cubic standard. |
Documents of the SAK 16th Congress 28-30.5.2001 Ten years of working conditions in the European Union, Eurofound's research summary (pdf-file) In terms of real property, one Finland equals two Nokias, Helsingin Sanomat 08.01.2001 The growth of the Finnish economy did not eradicate unemployment, Helsingin Sanomat 03.01.2001 Only one Finn in nine actually retire as late as 65, Helsingin Sanomat 02.01.2001 Incomes policy agreement approved; The incomes policy agreement in a nutshell;The economic backgrounf of the incomes policy agreement SAK 15.12.2000 Collective bargaining in Finland 1999-2000, Pekka Sauramo, Labour Institute for Economic Research, Helsinki (pdf-file) Working environment greater cause of absenteeism than lifestyle Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 05.12.2000 New job creation down 50 % this year Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 01.12.2000 Made in Hong Finland Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 28.11.2000 Bars and restaurants among Finland's most hazardous work places Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 27.11.2000 Finland faces labour shortage in all sectors in 2005 Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 23.11.2000 New two-year incomes agreement announced Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 17.11.2000 Increased disparities in wealth distribution Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 09.11.2000 Floating shopping centers might become a thing of the past Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 24.10.2000 SAK member unions vote to go with two-year wage deal Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 03.10.2000 National Economy and State Finances Ministry of Finance Occupational Safety and Health Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Dispute highlights threats to Finnish seafarers' jobs eironline Strikes break out as bargaining round nears conclusion eironline "Barometer" examines industrial relations in Baltic states eironline Strike levels fall in 1999 eironline Action programme launched to promote "ability to cope" at work eironline SAK computer campaign proves successful eironline European working time conference held in Helsinki eironline
Etusivu - The Finnish Link Resource |