2005 saw us celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. At the end of 1944, Dr Leo Noro and Professor Arvo Vesa presented their concerns about the rise in occupational diseases to the National Board of Health. They saw great opportunities for the development of occupational health practice. Decision-makers acted quickly, and on 04.04.1945 a new department for occupational diseases was opened in the Clinic of Medicine of the University Hospital in Helsinki. The original staff comprised three doctors, three nurses and two cleaners, and operations focused mainly on lead, benzene and carbon monoxide poisoning, which sometimes proved fatal.
However, as such a small occupational disease unit, it was unable to produce the research information needed to effectively prevent and control occupational disease. Thus planning began of an institute whose tasks would include research, training and the dissemination of information in addition to the main clinical work. Many bodies concerned with research on work and illness joined in: state authorities, industry, insurance companies and labour market organizations.
In six decades we have grown to be a multidisciplinary, internationally acclaimed research and specialist institute. We work for the good of Finnish work life, workplaces and workers. We keep up with the times and work to meet the constantly changing challenges of work life. We are active throughout Finland. The network of Regional Institutes was founded in the mid 70's, and last year Kuopio, Lappeenranta and Uusimaa Regional Institutes celebrated their 30th anniversary.
Keeping our finger on the pulse of work life
Work life has changed over the past 60 years. The modern workplace seldom induces acute poisoning nowadays, but extended exposure to even the smallest amount of chemical agents can cause chronic illness. And although we have succeeded in solving many work life problems, we will not rest on our laurels.
New chemicals, mould and damp problems in workplaces, the development of nano- and biotechnology and many other changes are presenting new risks and health problems. We need more knowledge about how to cope with different illnesses such as the allergies which are becoming increasingly common in work life. Time pressure, uncertainty, the constant need for further training, irregular work hours and an invariably growing information load have caused issues such as wellbeing and staying on at work to rise on the agenda.
Emphasis on new work life problem areas
We have set up two Units of Excellence for the period 2005-2010, which will undertake top level research and promote international co-operation. We expect them to produce scientific innovation which the rest of our organization can further develop into exploitable applications for work life.
The Unit of Excellence for Immunotechnology studies the mechanisms behind the origins and progression of occupational and work-related allergies. When these mechanisms are known, new opportunities will open up for the diagnostics, prevention and treatment of allergic illness.
The Unit of Excellence for Psychosocial Factors produces information on which work-related psychosocial factors affect health, which factors promote health, and which worker groups are at most risk. So far we have seen that the extensive downsizing of companies and resulting redundancies have increased sick leaves among those still working, heightened the risks of unemployment pensions and the risk of dying from coronary and vascular disease. Research also shows that fair and effective management lowers the risk of coronary disease among workers, and that working while sick increases the risk of heart attacks and cardiac deaths. When we more closely understand how psychosocial factors affect the emergence and progression of illnesses, we can better promote the health of the working population.
We have also set up a "Brain and Work Research Centre" for the period 2005-2010. Here we study how stress, working hours, sleep and ageing and the amount of information we handle at work affect brain and sensory functioning and thus work performance. Based on this knowledge, we can make recommendations on how to design people-friendly information environments. We have shown that correctly organized shift work improved ageing workers' activeness, performance and quality of sleep, and that it also positively affected the work/life balance. These positive experiences have meant that our working time model is now in use in various industries.
Work disability- getting to the roots of the problem
Two thirds of all disability pensions are granted for either mental disorders or muskuloskeletal disorders. For this reason we strengthened our focus on finding the causes and possibilities of prevention of these illnesses in the period 2005-2010.
In the Musculoskeletal Centre we concentrate on the causes, prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. In addition to this, we are in the process of creating a work load evaluation system. We have also started to investigate whether partial sick leave could help decrease musculoskeletal pain and the resulting disability, promote rehabilitation and prevent displacement from work life.
In the area of Work and Mental Health we investigate which occupational factors affect mental disorders, especially the onset of depression, and how we can detect the symptoms as early as possible. We also look into how wellbeing at work can be improved, so that a career can continue regardless of illness, and so that return to work after sick leave is as easy possible. We are also developing a mental workload evaluation system.
Enjoying work
The negative aspects of work often rise to the fore when we discuss the development of work life. Our research shows however, that it is as important to concentrate on the positive aspects of our jobs and organizations, which carry us over busy times. For we can also experience enthusiasm at work: energy, dedication and being totally engrossed in our work because we enjoy it. These resources spill over into other parts of life and help promote the work/life balance. At best, work inspires enthusiasm and energy in all areas of life, which in turn increases commitment to work and increases the desire to stay in work life for as long as possible.
Events of the anniversary year
We organized an occupational health sector conference for our international partners on 25-27.1.2005 together with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The International Conference on Occupational Health Services (OHS2005) attracted over 300 researchers and experts from 53 different countries to discuss the contents, scope, economic impact and challenges of occupational health services in a changing world.
Representatives of Finnish interest groups and 84 invitees convened for the "Work, Health and Wellbeing" seminar on 12.4.2005. In her speech the President of Finland Tarja Halonen wished the FIOH success in the building of a more humane society. Other guest speakers in the seminar were Leif Fagernäs, the Director General of the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), and Lauri Ihalainen, the president of the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions.
Our own staff got together at the Finnair Stadium in Helsinki on 10.6.2005 to celebrate the achievements of the last decades, and to gather strength for the challenges to come.
New strategy, new image, new challenges
To mark the anniversary, we redesigned our image. The new logo and colour of our printed materials represent the search for new knowledge, innovativeness, cooperativeness and vitality.
These are also the goals of our new strategy and organization, the planning of which the whole of our staff had the opportunity to take part in over the last year. These have come into force as of 1.1.06.
The best results come through cooperation. This is why we have formed even tighter alliances with the other research institutes under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, namely the National Public Health Institute (KTL), the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) and the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK). During the past year, we explored new ways of working together through developing joint activities in researcher training, risk assessment, mental health and substance abuse support, and the promotion of health. Domestic and international co-operation is a central part of the FIOH's operations and will continue to be so in the years to come.
Work life continues to change
Work life will change in many ways in the future, and it may be difficult, based on present knowledge, to make predictions as to the kind of risks we will come to face. It is clear, however, that in the midst of growing international competition, Finland's competent and well-rounded workforce will prove to be its strength. Issues such as high quality training, safe and healthy working conditions, a work culture without excessive demands, well functioning labour markets and stable costs will become integral factors. And in this change, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health will have its own significant role.