Hazardous working environment

What it means

A hazardous work environment is one where an employee works exposed to harmful factors such as dust, chemicals, noise, vibration, radiation, extreme temperatures or biological agents, to an extent that cannot be eliminated even by protective equipment. Such work entitles the employee to a wage supplement.

The Labour Code sets the minimum supplement as a share of the hourly minimum wage for each hour worked in a hazardous environment. The employer may pay more, for example under a collective agreement.

Whether the environment counts as hazardous follows from the risk assessment and job categorisation prepared by the occupational health service. Jobs in the higher risk categories generally qualify; for lower categories the specific situation is assessed.

How it works in practice

For manufacturing and construction clients we carry the job categorisation into the payroll system. Each role is marked as entitled to the supplement or not, and the system calculates it from hours worked. When a role or categorisation changes, we update the settings.

The supplement does not replace protection. Even in a hazardous environment the employer must provide personal protective equipment, arrange medical examinations and follow health and safety rules, including limiting exposure where regulations require.

In combination with night work, overtime or weekend work, supplements add up. Working time records must therefore show how many hours the employee worked in the hazardous environment.

What to watch out for

Outdated categorisation is a common problem. If technology or the workplace changes and the assessment is not updated, employees may miss a supplement they are entitled to, and the employer will have to pay it retroactively.

Inspections by the labour inspectorate or public health authority check that assessments, categorisation, supplements and medical examinations are consistent. Inconsistency between them leads to fines and to employees’ claims for back pay.