Skip to content
  • Finnish Government
    • Prime Minister's Office
    • Ministry of Defence
    • Ministry of Transport and Communications
    • Ministry for Foreign Affairs
    • Ministry of Finance
    • Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
    • Ministry of Justice
    • Ministry of Education and Culture
    • Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
    • Ministry of the Interior
    • Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
    • Ministry of the Environment

Valitse kieli:

This page is in Finnish. Go to the English site »

Or choose language:

Den här sidan är på finska. Gå till den svenska versionen av sidan »

Eller välj språk:

Dát siidu lea suomagillii. Sirdás davvisámegielat siidduide »

Dahje vállje giela:

Язык этого сайта финский. Перейти на русскоязычный сайт »

Или выберите язык:

Cette page est en finnois. Aller sur le site en français »

Ou choisir la langue:

Diese Seite ist auf Finnisch. Wechseln Sie zur deutschen Version »

Oder wählen Sie Ihre Sprache:

Tämä sivu on englanniksi. Siirry suomenkieliseen sivustoon »

Tai valitse kieli:

Choose language:

Den här sidan är på engelska. Gå till den svenska versionen av sidan »

Eller välj språk:

Язык этого сайта английский. Перейти на русскоязычный сайт »

Или выберите язык:

Dát siidu lea eŋgelasgillii. Sirdás davvisámegielat siidduide »

Dahje vállje giela:

Cette page est en anglais. Aller sur le site en français »

Ou choisir la langue:

Diese Seite ist auf Englisch. Wechseln Sie zur deutschen Version »

Oder wählen Sie Ihre Sprache:

Tämä sivu on ruotsiksi. Siirry suomenkieliseen sivustoon »

Tai valitse kieli:

This page is in Swedish. Go to the English site »

Or choose language:

Välj språk:

Язык этого сайта шведский. Перейти на русскоязычный сайт »

Или выберите язык:

Dát siidu lea eŋgelasgillii. Sirdás davvisámegielat siidduide »

Dahje vállje giela:

Cette page est en suédois. Aller sur le site en français »

Ou choisir la langue:

Diese Seite ist auf Schwedisch. Wechseln Sie zur deutschen Version »

Oder wählen Sie Ihre Sprache:

Tämä sivu on pohjois-saameksi. Siirry suomenkieliseen sivustoon »

Tai valitse kieli:

This page is in North Saami. Go to the English site »

Or choose language:

Den här sidan är på nordsamiska. Gå till den svenska versionen av sidan »

Eller välj språk:

Язык этого сайта северосаамский. Перейти на русскоязычный сайт »

Или выберите язык:

Vállje giela:

Cette page est en same du Nord. Aller sur le site en français »

Ou choisir la langue:

Diese Seite ist auf Nordsamisch. Wechseln Sie zur deutschen Version »

Oder wählen Sie Ihre Sprache:

Tämä sivu on venäjäksi. Siirry suomenkieliseen sivustoon »

Tai valitse kieli:

This page is in Russian. Go to the English site »

Or choose language:

Den här sidan är på ryska. Gå till den svenska versionen av sidan »

Eller välj språk:

Dát siidu lea ruoššagillii. Sirdás davvisámegielat siidduide »

Dahje vállje giela:

выберите язык:

Cette page est en russe. Aller sur le site en français »

Ou choisir la langue:

Diese Seite ist auf Russisch. Wechseln Sie zur deutschen Version »

Oder wählen Sie Ihre Sprache:

Tämä sivu on ranskaksi. Siirry suomenkieliseen sivustoon »

Tai valitse kieli:

This page is in French. Go to the English site »

Or choose language:

Den här sidan är på franska. Gå till den svenska versionen av sidan »

Eller välj språk:

Dát siidu lea fránskkagillii. Sirdás davvisámegielat siidduide »

Dahje vállje giela:

Язык этого сайта французский. Перейти на русскоязычный сайт »

Или выберите язык:

Choisir la langue:

Diese Seite ist auf Französisch. Wechseln Sie zur deutschen Version »

Oder wählen Sie Ihre Sprache:

Tämä sivu on saksaksi. Siirry suomenkieliseen sivustoon »

Tai valitse kieli:

This page is in German. Go to the English site »

Or choose language:

Den här sidan är på tyska. Gå till den svenska versionen av sidan »

Eller välj språk:

Язык этого сайта немецкий. Перейти на русскоязычный сайт »

Или выберите язык:

Cette page est en allemand. Aller sur le site en français »

Ou choisir la langue:

Wählen Sie Ihre Sprache:

  • Valitse kieli Suomi
  • Välj språket Svenska
  • Select language English
  • Vállje giela Davvisámegiella
Media
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Navigation
  • Frontpage Frontpage
  • Areas of expertise
    • Promotion of welfare Health promotion, harm and crime prevention, environmentional health, inclusion
    • Social and health services Services, healthcare and social welfare system, wellbeing services counties, status of clients, personnel, pharmacotherapy
    • Income security Allowances and benefits, pensions
    • Insurance Insurance institutions, statutory insurance
    • Working life Occupational safety and health, wellbeing at work
    • Gender equality Gender equality policy, equal pay
    • EU and international cooperation EU, Nordic cooperation, WHO, UN, ILO
    • Preparedness Preparedness planning, Medical Helpline 116 117
  • Current issues
  • Columns
  • Projects and legislation
  • Publications
  • Ministry
  • Contact
  • Press releases
  • News
  • MSAH on social media
  • Statistics
  • Sign up for news
  • Service by publication
suomiLue artikkeli suomeksi svenskaLäs artikeln på svenska English

Press release of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of the Environment
New COVID-19 risk assessment instructions for construction sites 

Ministry of Social Affairs and HealthMinistry of the Environment
Publication date 15.4.2021 10.06 | Published in English on 15.4.2021 at 11.20
Type:Press release

Instructions have now been created for the construction industry for assessing the risk of COVID-19 infections. According to the instructions, the main contractor of the construction site is responsible for having a general risk assessment made. Everyone working at the construction site must comply with the assessment-based measures. In addition, other employers involved in the construction site assess the risks of their operations.

The instructions provide guidelines that support risk assessment. They focus on the prevention of employees’ exposure and what to do in the event of a possible exposure or infection or when an occupational disease is suspected.

The instructions are intended for all construction industry workplaces where employees may be exposed to COVID-19.

“It is important to keep the wheels of the construction industry turning also under exceptional circumstances. During the first months of this year, COVID-19 infections have occurred at construction sites. We must now work together to turn this trend and to make sure that the virus does not spread at construction sites. The instructions that are now published will help construction industry employers identify places where risks may occur and act in a responsible manner,” says Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen.

The instructions have been created by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s specialists together with the construction industry organizations and unions (the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT, the Finnish Construction Trade Union, Trade Union Pro and RAKLI), the Regional State Administrative Agency and the Ministry of the Environment.

Risk assessment applies to all situations

Construction industry employers must assess the personnel’s risk of COVID-19 infection at work and in other workplace situations, such as during breaks.

When preparing instructions, everyone working in the area of the construction site as well as different work situations must be taken into account and, whenever necessary, the expertise of occupational health services must be used when it comes to risk groups. 

“Occupational health service personnel are experts in work-related health and safety. This expertise must be put into good use, especially now during the COVID-19 epidemic. Occupational health services provide support and guidance for risk assessment and for arranging healthy working conditions,” notes Minister of Social Affairs and Health Aino-Kaisa Pekonen.

In the event of an infection, the risk assessment must be updated – infection clusters may also damage reputation

It is advisable to prepare instructions for initiating the tracking of those exposed to coronavirus at the workplace. If there are any suspicions of an exposure at a construction industry workplace, they should be addressed to local or regional infectious disease authorities.

“A potential cluster of infections damages the reputation of the construction site and the entire company. Closing a workplace becomes costly for all parties and causes long-term damage to reputation,” says the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s Director General Antti Koivula. 

“The significance of the subcontracting chain for reputation should also be understood. The brand and responsibility are important elements in the management of subcontracting chains.”

In the event of a COVID-19 infection, the workplace’s risk assessment must be updated and the protective measures must be improved, if necessary. During an official quarantine, the employee must not go to work. An employee officially placed in quarantine is entitled to sickness allowance on account of an infectious disease.

Communications should also cover non-working time

The main contractor of the construction site is responsible for COVID-19 safety communications. Each employer is responsible for providing induction training for its personnel and ensuring the instructions are complied with. 

The employer should encourage employees to manage COVID-19 risks also outside the workplace and the working time, in shared transport and shared accommodation, for instance. The key issues are keeping a safe distance, practising good hand hygiene and wearing surgical masks, just as at the workplace.

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s guides and posters, such as the “Stop coronavirus infections!” poster, available in multiple languages, can also be used in communications.

Instructions

COVID-19 risk assessment instructions for the construction industry (in Finnish, English translation will be published later nex week)   

Further information

Pia Perttula, Senior Research Scientist, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. +358 43 820 0499,  firstname.lastname@ttl.fi
Arto Teronen, Director Of Field Operations, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 29 516 3493,  firstname.lastname@stm.fi
Kirsi Martinkauppi, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 295 250 177, firstname.lastname@]ym.fi

See also

  • Instructions for workplaces for assessing the risk of COVID-19 infections (Finnish Institute of Occupational Health)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
  • COVID-19 and work (Finnish Institute of Occupational Health)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
construction coronaviruses epidemics epidemics health care services health service industrial safety labour protection occupational health care pandemics protection service working life
Back to top
Ministry of Social Affairs and health
Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö
Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet

Meritullinkatu 8, 00170 Helsinki

PL 33, 00023 Government, Finland

Switchboard +358 295 16001

registry.stm(at)gov.fi 

About the site

Data Protection

Sitemap

Accessibility statement for the stm.fi website

Feedback

Search page
  • Frontpage
  • Areas of expertise
    • Promotion of welfare
      • Legislation
      • Health promotion
        • Fighting infectious disease
          • Fighting infectious disease: Responsibilities of the authorities
          • COVID-19 disease in Finland
            • Press releases about Coronavirus
          • Avian influenza
      • Promoting participation
        • Key areas of participation and inclusion
        • Roma policy
        • Immigrants' social security, welfare and health
      • Substance harm prevention
        • Alcohol policy
          • Alcohol Act
        • Drug policy
          • Narcotics control
        • Tobacco and nicotine policy
          • EU regulation and cooperation
          • Other authorities’ responsibilities
          • Actions to reduce the use
          • Interaction with the tobacco industry
        • Harm caused by gambling
          • Gambling Policy Programme
          • Assessment of risks associated with gambling
          • Parties responsible for gambling policy
          • Gambling system
      • Preventing violence and crime
        • Combating domestic and intimate partner violence
          • NAPE – Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
        • Combating trafficking in human beings
        • Mediation in criminal and civil cases
        • Violence against children and its prevention
        • Responsibilities in preventing domestic and family violence
      • Environmental health
        • Radiation protection
        • Chemical oversight
          • Cosmetic products
          • Tattoos
      • Advisory Board for Public Health
    • Social and health services
      • Legislation
        • Children, young people and families
        • Old people
        • Secondary use of health and social data
          • Frequently asked questions about the Act on Secondary Use of Health and Social Data
          • Amending the Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data
      • Responsible agencies
        • Wellbeing services counties
          • Wellbeing services counties on the map
          • Guidance of the wellbeing services counties
          • Collaborative areas
        • Municipalities
        • Supervisory authorities
        • Private providers of health and social services
        • Centres of excellence on social welfare
        • Organisations and associations
      • Social services
        • Disability services
        • Child welfare
          • Frequently asked questions concerning child welfare in Finland
      • Health services
        • Primary health care
          • Screening
            • Prenatal screening
          • Vaccinations
            • HPV vaccinations
          • Maternity and child health clinics
          • School health care
          • Student health care
        • Occupational health care
        • Private health care
        • Mental health services
        • Services for substance abusers
        • Hospitals and specialised medical care
        • Urgent and emergency health services
        • Client and patient safety
        • Healthcare and social welfare for undocumented persons
        • Termination of pregnancy
      • Rehabilitation
      • Pharmacotherapy
        • Value chain for pharmacotherapy
        • Legislation, steering and supervision, cooperation
        • Safety of pharmacotherapy
        • Rational pharmacotherapy
          • Implementation of sensible pharmacotherapy
          • Information management
            • Digital services
      • Client and patient rights
      • Client fees
      • Social and health care personnel
      • Children, youth and families
        • Services to families
      • Older people services
        • Services and benefits
      • Social security and services of asylum seekers in Finland
        • Healthcare and social welfare for illegal residents
        • Health and social services for people arriving from Ukraine
      • Information management
    • Income security
      • Legislation
      • Financial assistance for families with children
      • Conscripts allowance
      • Housing allowance
      • Unemployment
      • Sickness and rehabilitation
      • Pensions
        • Earnings-related pension
        • National pension
        • Guarantee pension
        • Disability pension
        • Survivors’ pension
      • Front veterans
      • Social security for athletes, grant recipients and students
      • Social assistance
      • Social lending
      • Support and benefits
      • International social security
      • Appealing income security decisions
      • Occupational accidents and illnesses
    • Insurance
      • Legislation and oversight
      • Insurance institutions
      • Supervision of the insurance sector
      • Investing insurance contributions
      • Statutory insurance
      • Social insurance contribution
      • Insurance related appeals
    • Working life
      • Legislation
      • Posted workers
      • Generally applicable collective agreements
      • Occupational safety and health
      • Supervising OSH
        • European cooperation on market surveillance
        • Workplace harassment
        • Vera ICT System
      • Occupational health care and maintaining work ability
        • Value of lost labour input in Finland
      • Wellbeing at work
      • Equality in working life
      • Young people and work
      • Family life and work
      • Older workers
    • Gender equality
      • Legislation
      • Mainstreaming
      • Gender equality in working life
      • Equal pay
      • International cooperation
      • Responsible agencies
      • Projects on gender equality
    • EU and international cooperation
    • Preparedness
  • Current issues
    • Press releases
    • News
    • MSAH on social media
    • Statistics
      • Statistics on the promotion of welfare and health
      • Statistics on social welfare and health care services
      • Statistics on income
      • Statistics on insurance
      • Statistics on employment
      • Statistics on equality
      • International statistics
    • Sign up for news
    • Service by publication
  • Columns
  • Projects and legislation
    • National service reform
    • Defining the principles for service choices in healthcare and social welfare
    • Social security reform
      • General social security benefit
    • Mental health policy strategy
    • Child Strategy
      • Preparations for a National Child Strategy in 2018-2019
    • RDI Growth Programme for Health and Wellbeing
    • Reducing homelessness with better-targeted health and social services
    • Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland
    • The European Accessibility Act
    • Personalized medicine
      • Improving health through the use of genomic data
      • Overall project description
      • Genome Center
      • National Cancer Center
      • Biobank Operations
      • National neurocenter
      • Drug Development Centre
      • People and contact details
      • European ‘1+ Million Genomes’ Initiative
    • Sufficiency and availability of healthcare and social welfare personnel
    • National health and wellbeing programme Terveydeksi
    • Completed projects
  • Publications
  • Ministry
    • Task and objectives
    • Management and organisation
      • Minister of Social Affairs and Health
      • Minister of Social Security
      • Senior Civil Servants
      • Department for Steering of Healthcare and Social Welfare (OHO)
      • Department for Insurance and Social Security (SVO)
      • Department for Safety, Security and Health (TUTO)
      • Department for Communities and Functional Capacity (YTO)
        • YPA - personnel
      • Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare (APO)
      • Department for Work and Gender Equality (TTO)
      • Strategic and Financial Management Unit (STAR)
      • Human Resources and Administration Unit (HEHA)
      • International Affairs Unit (KVY)
      • Communications Unit (VIE)
      • Responsibilities of ministers in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
    • Strategy
      • Economy of wellbeing
    • Administrative branch
    • Preparedness
      • Preparedness centres
      • Preparedness in the EU
      • Radiation accidents
      • Preparedness in Wellbeing Services Counties
      • Preparedness in wellbeing services counties
    • International cooperation
      • European Union
        • Preparation of EU affairs
      • Council of Europe
        • European Committee of Social Rights
      • United Nations
      • World Health Organization
        • WHO pandemic treaty
      • Global health security
      • Nordic cooperation
        • Finland's Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021
      • Northern Dimension
      • Barents cooperation
      • Arctic cooperation
      • International Labour Organization
      • OECD
    • Economy and activities
    • Forms
    • STEA grants
    • Expenditure
    • Advisory boards and commitees
    • The Ministry as a workplace
      • Working for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
      • Ministry personnel statistics
      • Principles of a safer space
      • Read more about jobs
    • Services
    • History
    • Whistleblower protection
  • Contact
    • Personnel search
    • E-invoice address
    • For media
    • Feedback
    • Data Protection
      • User's rights and requests for personal data
      • Information system descriptions
      • Publicity of documents and requests for information
      • Information on cookies on the website
    • Accessibility statement for the stm.fi website