Ignorance is not bliss: statistical data helps promote occupational safety
The global labour market has undergone a profound transformation in recent decades, giving rise to new sources of occupational hazards. To protect employees against potential risks, we need up-to-date information on accidents that occur in the workplace.The results of MSc (Tech) Noora Nenonen’s dissertation demonstrate that there is a wealth of hitherto untapped information on occupational accidents available in Finland.
The EU member states have taken active measures to improve working conditions and have observed a downward trend in the number of occupational accidents in recent years. However, the advancements in accident prevention have slowed down due to the current economic recession.
According to Nenonen, statistical data on occupational accidents and diseases is key to their prevention. In Finland, the Federation of Accident Insurance Institutions maintains an extensive database of occupational accidents that has remained largely underused by researchers.
Public defence of a doctoral dissertation on Friday, 15 February
The doctoral dissertation of MSc (Tech) Noora Nenonen in the field of safety engineering titled “The Finnish Occupational Accidents and Diseases Statistics Database Employed for Safety Promotion” will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Business and Built Environment of Tampere University of Technology (TUT) in room Pieni Sali 1 in the Festia building (address: Korkeakoulunkatu 8, Tampere, Finland) at 12:00 on Friday, 15 February.
The opponents will be Professor Seppo Väyrynen (University of Oulu, Finland) and Adjunct Professor, DTech Kari Häkkinen (If Vahinkovakuutusyhtiö Oy). Professor Kaija Leena Saarela from the Department of Industrial Management at TUT will act as Chairwoman.
Noora Nenonen (34) comes from Jyväskylä, Finland, and works as a researcher at the Department of Industrial Management of TUT.
Further information:
Noora Nenonen, tel. +358 40 849 0352, noora.nenonen@tut.fi
The dissertation is available online at: http://URN.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-15-3015-9