Good health is essential in rail services
Good health is essential for people working in rail services. Monitoring the wellbeing and health of employees is one of the duties of supervisors.
Monitoring and examining employees’ health is a systematic activity required by legislation, which the VR Group implements according to the Finnish Rail Agency’s instructions. Good health is also important for those working in road services with similar responsibility for traffic safety.
VR purchases occupational health services from professional occupational health bodies approved by the Finnish Rail Agency. The VR Group also employs its own medical staff in the interests of road and rail safety.
Measures to maintain work fitness
• Preventive action and other jointly agreed principles for improving work fitness have helped to curtail absences.
• VR has agreed with employees that superiors contact those absent on sick leave to arrange a meeting to discuss their ability to work, with the purpose of ensuring a smooth return to work after treatment and rehabilitation.
• It is also possible to determine with the work fitness coordinators in Group companies whether relocation to another unit is possible for an employee.
• VR’s personnel are active in using the rehabilitation services that VR offers as well as those provided by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution. VR employees receive full salary for almost all the time they spend in rehabilitation.
Focus on ergonomics
Since musculoskeletal problems are the main reason for absences due to illness, VR has given high priority to ergonomics for many years. VR’s Training Centre has for example given ergonomics training to job guidance personnel.
Particular attention was paid to the ergonomics and practical usage of the new ticket selling machine for conductors, and personnel were given an opportunity to express their views.
Zero tolerance
The VR Group follows a zero-tolerance substance abuse policy to ensure road and rail safety. Personnel may not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work or use alcohol or drugs on the job.
The cornerstone of the substance abuse policy is identifying the misuse of intoxicants and intervening to ensure proper treatment. Employees are encouraged to address their use of alcohol through grassroots campaigns such as ‘Alcohol-Free January’.
Smoking by personnel has also been addressed. VR has restricted smoking at Helsinki railway station as from autumn 2008, and employees were prohibited from smoking in customer service situations during working hours.