Safety is fundamental for the use of buildings. The property owner’s responsibility concerning the safety of buildings is quite strict, which means safety should be paid special attention to.
© Photo: Terho Pelkonen
The construction site must be designed, built and equipped in such a way that its use, servicing or maintenance does not cause a risk of incident, accident or damage that could be considered to be unacceptable. Buildings must fulfil the essential technical requirements concerning fire safety and the strength and stability of primary structures. User safety covers the normal, usually foreseeable uses of the building, excluding the risks taken by users deliberately or with full awareness.
The essential technical requirements on the safety of buildings are laid down in Section 117 of the Land Use and Building Act 1999/895 (Finlex), complemented by the technical regulations and instructions in the National Building Code of Finland. The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for the authoritative guidance related to the structural, fire and user safety of buildings.