Planning and delivery of the service

This page contains a general description of leisure service providers' obligations under the Consumer Services Act 185/2025. For more detailed instructions, see Tukes instructions Safety in Consumer Services.

The service provider must plan and deliver the service safely. They must have essential documents concerning the planning and delivery of the service in their possession.

When planning and delivering the service, at least the following issues must be addressed appropriately, depending on the type of the service:

1. Number and competence of personnel

The service provider must have a sufficient number of personnel to provide the service safely, considering its content and delivery method. The personnel includes not only the service provider’s employees but also other persons involved in delivering the service, including subcontractors and volunteers.

The service provider must determine the personnel's competence requirements. The personnel must have sufficient competence to provide the service safely, considering its content and delivery method.

Personnel competence must be maintained and developed. For example, first aid skills need to be revised continuously.

Documents related to the personnel numbers and competence include a personnel list, shift rotas, training register and training plan as well as a general description of the number and competence requirements of the personnel in the service.

2. Methods, products and service environment

Suitable and safe materials, equipment, tools and machines and other products must be used to provide the service, as well as an environment that meets the needs of the service. The safety of the products and environment used in the service must be continuously monitored, for example by means of regular inspections, and any safety deficiencies observed must be rectified.

Documents related to products and the service environment include a property’s rescue plan, list of equipment or device, maintenance records and maintenance plan.

3. Preparedness for special situations, accidents and emergencies

The service provider must prepare in advance for any special situations, accidents and emergencies that may arise in the service. For example, this means having plans for and completing exercises in who will alert help, how the help will reach the site, who will administer first aid, who will do CPR, and who will take care of the safety of other people on the scene. The further the service environment is from third-party assistance providers, the more important it is for the service provider to have first aid skills and emergency preparedness.

The first aid and rescue equipment must be adequate, taking into account the content and delivery method of the service, and the personnel must know how to use them. Considering the content and delivery method of the service, the service provider must have sufficient preparedness for evacuating and searching for customers.

Documents related to special situations, accidents and emergencies include a rescue plan for a property or an event, a list of persons with first aid training, and a plan for maintaining first aid skills.

4. Provision of information

The service provider must give service users and persons directly affected by the service information that enables them to act appropriately and safely.

The information must be provided clearly and in a way that service users can understand. There are no specific language requirements. It is essential that service users and those directly affected by the service understand the information provided to them.

The methods of providing the information can be selected freely. They can include information and warning signs, oral or written communication, videos, animations or other methods appropriate for the service. The choice of the correct method and place for providing the information depends on such factors as the needs of customer groups participating in the service, their ability to understand instructions, and their familiarity with the service in question.

The service provider must ensure that the service user understands the information provided for them and is able to follow the instructions. If dangerous action in breach of instructions is observed in the service, service delivery must be interrupted and, if necessary, additional guidance must be provided.

Documents related to the provision of information include Information about what, how, and at what stage of the service safety information is provided to the service user and those directly affected by the service. 

5. Supervision of customer safety

The service provider must ensure adequate supervision of the safety of customers and the service venue. Depending on the content and delivery method of the service, the supervision may comprise physical monitoring by the personnel, camera surveillance or use of other technical surveillance systems.

If supervision is exclusively based on technical surveillance systems, service users must be clearly informed of this. They must also be told how they can contact the personnel if necessary, how they can get help in emergency situations, and how they can report any safety deficiencies they have observed in the service.

Documents related to the supervision of customer safety include instructions for staff on supervision, a description of the arrangement of camera surveillance, and the need for surveillance resources in relation to the number of customers.

6. Discontinuing a service safely

When a service or a part of it is no longer used, the service provider is responsible for eliminating any hazards caused by it. For example, winding down a service safely may mean preventing the use of the service, providing information about the service being discontinued, and removing any equipment from the environment.

Documents related to ending service provision include a decommissioning plan that describes the procedures for eliminating any hazards arising from the part of the service to be discontinued.