Are Your Staff’s Qualifications Up to Date? – A Comprehensive Autumn Checklist
Aug
Are Your Staff’s Qualifications Up to Date? – A Comprehensive Autumn Checklist
Summer is behind us and everyday work is returning to full speed. New employees have started, projects are launching, and next year’s budgets are being planned. Right now is the best time to pause for a moment and verify that your company’s staff qualifications are in order before the busy autumn months.
An expired card or missing qualification can prove costly: it can mean work interruptions, insurance issues, or even failure to meet statutory requirements. The good news is that these matters are easy to put in order – as long as you check them in time.
Why is autumn the best time to check qualifications?
In many companies, spring and summer have been busy: holiday arrangements, summer workers, and projects. The validity of safety cards may have taken a back seat. September is a natural checkpoint because:
Company operations are at full speed and all key personnel are present. Next year’s budget planning is underway, so training investments should be considered now. Many construction and industrial projects launch in autumn, when qualifications are critical.
Furthermore, planning ahead always pays off: training acquired in a last-minute rush is stressful and may be more expensive than calmly planned in advance.
Checklist: these qualifications are worth reviewing
1. Työturvallisuuskortti (Occupational Safety Card) – valid for 5 years
The Työturvallisuuskortti is one of the most common and important qualifications in Finnish working life. It is required at most industrial, construction, and logistics sites, especially when working at another company’s premises or on a shared worksite.
The card is valid for five years. Do you have multiple employees whose cards are expiring at the same time – this is easy to check now.
👉 Työturvallisuuskortti online – remote training 👉 Renewing Työturvallisuuskortti online
2. Electrical Safety Card SFS 6002 – special attention to the 2025 update
Those working in the electrical sector know that the SFS 6002 standard was updated in February 2025. The revised standard brought updated requirements concerning electrical safety practices and competence. If your company has electrical professionals whose training is based on the old standard, now is the time to consider refresher training.
The Electrical Safety Card is a statutory requirement for everyone who performs electrical work or works near electrical installations. It is not merely a formality – it is concrete proof that a person knows how to work safely.
👉 Electrical Safety Card SFS 6002 – online training
3. Hot Work Permit Card – valid for 5 years
The Hot Work Permit Card is mandatory for everyone who performs hot work outside permanent hot work areas. For those working on construction sites, in industrial facilities, and in repair shops, it is part of everyday work. The card is valid for five years, and its absence can completely prevent work from starting.
We offer both initial Hot Work Permit Card training and refresher training for those who already hold the card.
👉 Hot Work Permit Card – classroom training 👉 Hot Work Permit Card refresher – renewal training online
4. First aid qualifications – EA1 card valid for 3 years
First aid preparedness is a statutory obligation for every employer. The law requires that every workplace has a sufficient number of first aid trained personnel in relation to staff size and work risks. The Finnish Red Cross EA1 card is valid for three years – a shorter validity period means it expires faster than other cards.
Check now: does your company have enough first aid trained personnel? And are their cards valid? The three-year cycle means that first aid training is needed more frequently than, for example, Työturvallisuuskortti renewals.
👉 Emergency First Aid Course 4h online 👉 Emergency First Aid Course 8h online
5. Forklift License – always required for independent operation
The Forklift License is valid for 5 years. The employer is obliged to ensure that an employee operating a forklift has been properly instructed – training is a clear way to demonstrate this instruction. 👉 Forklift License – online training
Practical tip: create a training calendar for the entire year
The best way to manage your team’s qualifications is to keep track of when each card expires. When you know upcoming training needs in advance, you can:
schedule training evenly throughout the year so everything doesn’t need to be done at once, budget training costs in advance without surprises, book training in good time calmly without additional costs from rushing, and ensure that work doesn’t need to be interrupted due to an expired card.
Online training is a very flexible solution for this: it can be completed at your own pace, anytime and anywhere. The entire team doesn’t need to be away from work on the same day; instead, each person can complete the training at a convenient time.
Start the review today
Take a moment, compile your staff’s current qualifications, and note whose cards need renewal in the next 6–12 months. A little planning now saves major hassle later – and above all, keeps your staff safe.
Would you like help mapping out training needs? Contact us and we will help you find the right training for your company’s needs.
