Workplace Risk Management and Occupational Safety

Aalto University is an international university established in 2010, operating in the fields of technology, science, economics, and the arts. Formed through the merger of the Helsinki School of Economics, University of Art and Design Helsinki, and Helsinki University of Technology, Aalto University is named after the architect Alvar Aalto.

Aalto University has around 17,500 students and approximately 4,000 employees, including about 390 professors. The university’s six schools specialize in four key areas of expertise: ICT and digitalization, materials and sustainable use of natural resources, art and design, and business in a changing international environment.

Comprehensive risk management and safety are at the core of an organization that conducts diverse research, artistic activities, and teaching. Aalto University uses Granite’s digital tool for two areas of comprehensive risk management: occupational safety risk assessment (workshop and laboratory environments as well as office environments) and incident reporting (occupational safety and security).

Granite’s digital tools

Understanding the common principles of occupational safety and workplace risk management is crucial in Aalto University’s international and multicultural operating environment. Ensuring the health and safety of the work environment is essential for students, employees, and visitors alike.

“Modern systems and tools enable the development of work risk management and enhancement of occupational safety.”
Tiina Okkonen, Senior Specialist in Occupational Safety and Health, Aalto University

The development of workplace risk management at Aalto University is an intricate process that is continuously maintained. In the multidisciplinary world of research and teaching, needs grow and evolve, and the organization must be able to respond – ideally, in advance and during the planning phase.

Participatory and preventive work improves occupational safety. Aalto University is one of the largest universities in Finland, and the nature of its activities is rarely static. Especially with the advent of the pandemic and other global phenomena, the nature of work at the university has been changing. This had to be taken into account in workplace risk assessments.

“Granite has brought uniform principles to workplace risk assessments and provided insights into the development of these risks and threats.”
Tiina Okkonen, Senior Specialist in Occupational Safety and Health, Aalto University

To produce results and enhance workplace safety, workplace risk management must be continuous and well-managed. Transparency of risks is emphasized in Aalto University’s workplace risk management. With Granite’s system, the status of work risks can be examined, and actions can be promoted in a guided and standardized manner. The maturity level of workplace risk management, expertise, and the level of safety culture efficiently develop as part of normal work when everyone participates in occupational safety risk assessments and incident reporting.

At Aalto University, everyone has the opportunity to report incidents. This way, important information about near-miss situations is collected. When incidents can be investigated according to uniform criteria, their root causes can also be identified and corrected to prevent recurrence.

“The development of workplace risk management and workplace safety requires up-to-date information. Granite is clear and easy to use.”
Tiina Okkonen, Senior Specialist in Occupational Safety and Health, Aalto University

Occupational safety is a shared responsibility, and it won’t develop if the tools enabling its development remain limited to a narrow and restricted group. At Aalto University, occupational safety and workplace risk management have been approached by decentralizing the process of conducting occupational safety risk assessments to departments and units. This creates a precise, standardized picture of risks in each department, but also provides up-to-date information about the overall workplace risk situation across the organization.

“The Granite systems we use enable a proactive approach to workplace risk management.”
Tiina Okkonen, Senior Specialist in Occupational Safety and Health, Aalto University

The development of workplace risk management and safety in the university setting doesn’t happen on its own. It requires continuous effort and long-term commitment. Visibility into the larger picture of workplace risk management and safety allows corrective actions to be targeted effectively, ensuring they are implemented practically. However, this requires systematic commitment to workplace risk management, regular updates of risks, and an understanding of one’s own operating environment.

Granite’s usability and reporting have laid the foundation for systematic development of occupational safety at Aalto University. Risks, threats, and incidents related to work are identified and addressed, preventing their recurrence. Granite’s adaptable system and its reporting capabilities support Aalto University’s needs in developing its safety culture and guide safety improvement initiatives.