Noise is a major danger
TEXT HEIKKI JOKINEN AND TIIA KYYNÄRÄINEN
PICTURE ISTOCK
Hearing damage caused by noise is the most common occupational disease within industry. In 2023, industry workers had a total of several hundred confirmed occupational diseases.
The dangers of noise exposure are well known, and the problems are easily verified.
– On the basis of numerous research studies, we know that being exposed to loud noise for a long time can cause hearing damage, says Chief Medical Officer Kirsi Koskela from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
According to Koskela, the number of occupational diseases is going down. For instance, hearing damage caused by noise has clearly diminished due to better personal protective equipment.
– Hearing damage caused by noise that is diagnosed now is typically linked to exposure to noise that has taken place over many years or even decades. Protection from noise has improved since the 1990s.
Koskela believes that because of better protection, noise damage will continue to diminish. The same will happen with other diseases connected to asbestos. Nonetheless, an increase in infectious diseases is clearly evident.
Another example of a common disease in the field of industry is the hand-arm vibration syndrome. It can appear as fingers becoming white or numb, clumsiness, or lack of strength.
Koskela’s advice to those suspecting occupational disease is to take their own initiative and seek occupational health care if they deem it necessary.
When there is a case of suspected occupational disease, the task of the occupational safety and health representative is to monitor, give advice, and guide. His or her role is to ensure everything happens according to the rules and report problems to the employer.
THIS IS THE LAW
What is an occupational disease? It is an illness that has been caused primarily by working conditions, such as physical, chemical, or biological factors at work. The most common occupational diseases include hearing damage caused by noise, respiratory allergies, skin diseases, asbestos-related illnesses, and strain injuries in the upper limbs.
Since 1964, Finland has had an official register of occupational illnesses. It includes illnesses that do have a proven causal link with exposure agents encountered at work. However, the list is not exclusive. Illnesses caused by psychological factors are not counted as occupational diseases.
The Workers’ Compensation Act stipulates that employers must take out workers’ compensation insurance. It is paid by the employer.
This insurance pays out compensation for occupational accidents and diseases. It covers hospital treatment, loss of income and permanent disability, and rehabilitation, for example. Employees are always entitled to compensation covered by the insurance, even if the employer has neglected to take it.
In Finland, 70 to 90 employees die each year from occupational diseases covered by workers’ compensation insurance. The majority of these are caused by exposure to asbestos. In 2025, ten people died in accidents at the workplace.
