1981

VTT

The Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) is a research institute carrying out work in a wide range of fields of technology. Its 30 laboratories deal with almost all areas of technology of importance to Finland. Most of the laboratories are situated in the region of Helsinki, but research work is also done in Tampere, Oulu, Jyväskylä and Outokumpu. VTT employs a total staff of 2000 people, 800 of them university graduates. The Occupational Safety Engineering Laboratory of VTT was established in Tampere in 1974. Its field of activity is research and testing related to the occupational safety and health. The aim of activity is the prevention of occupational risks and the improvement of working conditions. The main sectors of activity within the scope of the Occupational Safety Engineering Laboratory are n Machine Safety Technology n - Occupational Hygiene n - System Safety and Reliability Engineering. The laboratory carries out researches and testing partly on its own initiative at public expense, partly contractually from the funds of different foundations, private companies, authorities or individuals. As far as possible the subjects to be researched are chosen so that they will provide practicable solutions to improve the occupational safety or work environment. For this reason it is important that enough information about the studies and their results is given to potential users as well as other research workers. This list of projects includes concise data of the majority of studies being completed during the years of 1974-81, today current or planned in the Occupational Safety Engineering Laboratory. We hope that this brief presentation gives a general view of the activities of the Occupational Safety Engineering Laboratory and thus will facilitate the intercourse between research workers as well as the exchange of knowledge.