Responsible persons: good practices and appointment

A responsible person, operation manager or operation supervisor refers to a person employed by the company and tasked with monitoring that the operation complies with the regulations.

Good practices for employers and responsible persons are listed on this page. In the tables below, you can see in which fields responsible persons are needed, and what kind of qualifications are required to carry out the task.

Good practices for employers

Record
- the duties and areas of responsibility of the responsible person in as much detail as possible
- the number of working hours the responsible person can use to carry out the task
- the authority of the responsible person, such as the right to interrupt the operations
- training goals, with which the responsible persons maintain their competence.
Tell the responsible person about the changes and plans sufficiently far in advance.
Make sure that the responsible persons have understood their duties, and ask the responsible persons to give their consent to carrying out the duties in writing.
Consider in advance what should be done when the responsible person is not available due to a holiday or illness, for example.

Good practices for responsible persons

Find out
- the provisions of laws and decrees concerning your task as a responsible person
- for which duties you are responsible as a responsible person
- the possible permits and permit conditions related to the company’s operations
- the operating principles and plans that have been drawn up at the company to maintain safety, such as the rescue plan
- whether a substitute for the responsible person has been appointed.
Keep a record of the work you do as a responsible person.
Follow the changes in legislation and the communication in the field. Tukes publishes bulletins, news and newsletters that responsible persons find useful.
Notify the employer in writing, if carrying out the duties in the manner required by the legislation is not possible due to the working hours, competence, authority or other reasons.
If an accident occurs, the criminal responsibility and liability for damages of the responsible person is assessed based on the person’s own activities.

Dangerous chemicals

Sector	Title	When is it necessary to appoint a responsible person?	Qualification requirements	Notification to the authorities	Further information
Dangerous chemicals	Operation supervisor	When the scope of operations is large-scale, i.e. requires a permit from Tukes	Competence must be demonstrated in a test arranged by Tukes.	No	Operation supervisor for the industrial processing and storage of dangerous chemicals
Liquid gas	Operation supervisor	When the scope of operations is large-scale, i.e. requires a permit from Tukes.	Competence must be demonstrated in a test arranged by Tukes.	No	see above
Natural gas storage	Operation supervisor	An operation supervisor must always be appointed for storage.	Competence must be demonstrated in a test arranged by Tukes; must have sufficient work experience.	Yes	see above
Natural gas filling station	Operation supervisor	An operation supervisor must always be appointed for filling stations.	Competence must be demonstrated in a test arranged by Tukes; must have sufficient work experience.	Yes	see above
Natural gas pipeline	Operation supervisor	Transfer and distribution pipelines and installation pipework, in which the nominal fuel power of the equipment connected to the pipes is more than 1.2 MW in total.	Competence must be demonstrated in a test arranged by Tukes; must also have 1) sufficient work experience with distribution and installation pipework 2) degree in engineering or as a technician applicable for transfer pipelines as well as 2 years of work experience. (VNa 551/2009, 25 §)	Yes	see above

Pressure equipment

Sector	Title	When is it necessary to appoint a responsible person?	Qualification requirements	Notification to the authorities	Further information
Piece of pressure equipment	Operation supervisor and deputy operation supervisor	If the pressure equipment must be registered.	Must have expertise in the structure, use and maintenance of pressure equipment.	Yes, with the form Painelaitteen muutosilmoitus (in Finnish)
Boiler unit	Operation supervisor and deputy operation supervisor	The total boiler capacity is over 1 MW or the pressure is over 10 bar.	Special requirements depending on the site (L 1144/2016, 72 §	Yes, with the form Painelaitteen muutosilmoitus (in Finnish)

Explosives, fireworks, ammunition

Sector	Title	When is it necessary to appoint a responsible person?	Qualification requirements	Notification to the authorities
Explosives	Responsible person/Responsible manager	Must always exist, i.e. manufacture, storage and sales	Competence must be demonstrated in a test arranged by Tukes.	No
Explosives, cartridges and gunpowder	Person responsible for sales	Sales and related storage, excluding classes F1 and P1	Competence must be demonstrated in a test arranged by Tukes.	At the same time when the rescue authorities are notified about the start of the sales. Forms available on the rescue department's website.

Installation companies

Sector	Title	When is it necessary to appoint a responsible person?	Qualification requirements	Notification to the authorities
Natural gas, LPG and oil heating equipment	Responsible person	When performing installation and maintenance work on natural gas pipelines and equipment, liquefied petroleum gas systems, as well as oil heating systems, or inspecting oil tanks.	Certificate of qualification issued by the Lämmitysenergia Yhdistys ry association	Yes, application to become an approved company
Plastic natural gas pipelines	Responsible person	When installing plastic natural gas and biogas pipelines	Technical education and work experience or certification as a welder for plastic natural gas pipelines	Yes, application to become an approved company
Fire alarm and fire extinguishing equipment	Responsible person	When installation and maintenance of the fire alarm and fire extinguishing equipment is carried out	Must have suitable training and work experience and must have passed the competence test L 10/2007	Yes, with the form Hakemus hyväksytyksi liikkeeksi for applications to become an approved company
Portable fire extinguishers	Responsible person	When carrying out inspections and maintenance on the products in question	Must have the Finnish National Rescue Association SPEK’s certificate of the examination on the maintenance of handheld fire extinguishers L 10/2007 , A 917/2005	Yes,with the form Hakemus hyväksytyksi liikkeeksi for applications to become an approved company
Equipment containing refrigerants	Responsible person	When carrying out installation and maintenance on equipment containing refrigerants	Must have suitable training and work experience ( A 766/2016 section 2 )	Yes, application with the form on F gases

Electricity

Sector	Title	When is it necessary to appoint a responsible person?	Qualification requirements	Notification to the authorities
Electrical equipment	Operation manager	Connection capacity > 1600 kVA or the equipment has a voltage of over 1 kV	Suitable training and work experience as well as a passing grade of the electrical safety examination. The certificates of qualification are issued by SETI Oy (L 1135/2016, sections 66-71 )	Yes, within 3 months from when the equipment was commissioned
Electrical work	Manager of electrical work		Suitable training and work experience as well as a passing grade of the electrical safety examination. The certificates of qualification are issued by SETI Oy (L 1135/2016, sections 66-71 )	Yes, before the operation starts
Lift work	Lift work supervisor		Suitable training and work experience as well as passing Tukes’ lift safety examination. Qualifications are issued by SETI Oy.	Yes, before the operation starts

Mines

Sector	Title	When is it necessary to appoint a responsible person?	Qualification requirements	Notification to the authorities	Further information
Mineral mines	Mining safety coordinator	In mining activities defined in the Mining Act	Competence must be demonstrated in a test arranged by Tukes; must also have applicable training, work experience and knowledge of mining. (L 621/2011, section 118 and VNa 1571/2011, section 9)	No	Mining activity