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 Further information
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 Further information
Natural gas, LPG and oil heating equipment Responsible person When installation, maintenance and inspections of natural gas, LPG and oil heating equipment are carried out. Must have a certificate of qualification issued by the Lämmitysenergia Yhdistys ry association (several sections of law) Yes, with the form Hakemus hyväksytyksi liikkeeksi for applications 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 Further information
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