The new occupational safety training standard PSK 6803 has been published: What changes and impacts does the new standard have on occupational safety training?

The importance of occupational safety continues to grow in an ever-evolving work environment. Published in April 2024, the new occupational safety training standard PSK 6803 brings significant changes and improvements to industrial occupational safety training.

Background and objectives of the standard

A need for high-level safety expertise has been identified within the industrial work environment. Standardization work was initiated as early as 2021, when the creation of uniform content for safety training began. The goal of the standardization working group has been to create content for safety training that covers the basic information required in industry and provides a uniform foundation before workplace-specific orientation.

The PSK 6803 standard has been developed to meet the needs of the industry to harmonize the content and implementation of occupational safety training. The objective of the standard is to ensure that all persons working at industrial production plants or construction sites have uniform basic knowledge of occupational safety. This improves worker safety and reduces the risk of occupational accidents, while also making it easier to ensure the quality of occupational safety training and reducing the need for overlapping training.

Key contents of the PSK 6803 standard

The PSK 6803 standard presents the content of basic general occupational safety training targeted at all persons working at an industrial production plant or construction site.

The standard defines the minimum requirements for the knowledge content of basic occupational safety training—that is, the content of basic training that covers fundamental safety information. The standard also sets requirements for the implementation of the training. The purpose of the basic training referred to in the standard is to create a foundation for safe working by providing trainees with an understanding of key safety issues.

It is important to note that even training in accordance with the standard does not replace workplace- and task-specific orientation, nor can it be considered to cover all necessary occupational safety training. The development of occupational safety thinking and culture requires continuous competence development in a constantly changing work environment.

How does the publication of the standard change occupational safety training?

Uniformity: The standard harmonizes the content of general industrial occupational safety training for all persons working at an industrial production plant or construction site. The standard defines the minimum requirements for the knowledge content of basic occupational safety training. This ensures that all persons who have received training in accordance with the standard have uniform basic competence.

Training implementation: PSK 6803 also sets requirements for the implementation of the training. This improves the quality and efficiency of the training, as training providers must follow methods and practices in accordance with the standard. The standard allows for several different implementation methods, such as classroom teaching, distance learning, online learning, and a combination of these. The duration of the training and the maximum group size for classroom and distance learning are also defined to ensure the quality of the training and learning.

Comparability: The standard can be used to compare occupational safety training from different providers, including international ones, as well as different implementation formats. In practice, this means that an employer or client can be assured of the comprehensiveness of the training content and the quality of the implementation method whenever training is conducted according to the standard. This is particularly important in industrial sectors where the turnover of labor and subcontractors is high and work takes place in a very international environment. Until now, foreign workers and subcontractors have most often been required to complete Finnish occupational safety training because there has been no certainty about the content and implementation of foreign training, or it has been insufficient from a Finnish perspective. Overlapping training has caused delays and additional costs in these situations, and with the publication of the standard, such issues can be avoided.

Broader acceptance of occupational safety training options: Until now, the majority of industrial companies have used the Occupational Safety Center (TTK) Occupational Safety Card training as a requirement for their employees and subcontractors to ensure a certain basic level of occupational safety competence at shared workplaces. With the publication of the standard, many large industrial companies will also accept all other occupational safety training programs that comply with the PSK standard—whether they are implemented as traditional classroom training or completed as independent online study. This is expected to increase the training options available on the market and increase competition between training providers, which should be reflected in the industry as improved training quality and lower training prices.

Impacts of the standard on the industrial sector

The adoption of the new standard brings several positive effects to the industry:

Improved occupational safety: Uniform training ensures that all employees receive the necessary information and skills for safe working. This is likely to reduce the risk of occupational accidents and improve the safety of the work environment.
More efficient training: Training methods and practices in accordance with the standard improve the efficiency of training, as different forms of training can be utilized more broadly in occupational safety training depending on the target group, without compromising quality and impact. For the occupational safety training sector, the change brings more competition, which will likely also affect the cost-effectiveness of training through a reduced cost level.
International cooperation: The standard can facilitate international cooperation and mobility within the industrial sector. Uniform training makes it easier for workers to move internationally and between different companies.

Is compliance with the PSK 6803 standard mandatory?

Compliance with the PSK 6803 standard is not mandatory for all companies. However, it is strongly recommended, especially in the industrial sector where occupational safety is a critical factor. Several large industrial companies have already proactively announced that they intend to accept only occupational safety training that complies with the new standard in the future. This means that companies that do not comply with the standard may be excluded from competition or face challenges in cooperating with other operators. The commitment of large industrial companies is evidenced by the fact that representatives from several major industrial firms were involved in the preparation of the standardization working group.

Koulutustukku also provides training in accordance with the PSK 6803 standard

You can switch to using standard-compliant training without delay by purchasing your occupational safety training through Koulutustukku. At Koulutustukku, you can also find traditional Occupational Safety Card training implemented as commissioned training in accordance with the PSK standard. We also provide other types of standard-compliant occupational safety training on a company-specific basis.