The regional safety representatives (RVO) have been working with HSE on construction sites since 1981. They are safety representatives for workers who do not have their own safety representative on the construction site – including one-person businesses.

The regional safety representatives' task is to contribute to better safety and working conditions for workers and one-person businesses in the construction industry. RVO visits construction sites unannounced. All businesses within the industry are covered by the scheme.

The scheme was established in 1981 based on the special working environment conditions found in the industry. The risk of health hazards and accidents is high. A constantly changing workforce within each company and changes of work sites make safety work difficult for the companies. The presence of multiple employers and subcontractors at the same construction site reinforces this effect. The RVO's task is to assess the conditions at the temporary workplaces and stimulate greater own effort in the occupational health and safety area.

This is done by pointing out deficiencies, informing about the regulations, and giving tips for solutions to occupational health and safety questions. In the companies where a safety representative has not been chosen, the regional safety representatives have the same duties and rights as a regular safety representative. Here, the RVO can halt work when he believes there is an immediate danger to workers' lives and health. The regional safety representatives have equivalent authority over sole proprietorships.

The regional safety representatives shall contribute to ensuring that safety representatives are elected and to the establishment of a Working Environment Committee.

The RVO regards it as important and necessary to have good cooperation with the Labour Inspectorate. It is crucial to have good cooperation with the union's various organizational units and the construction industry's various national associations. The RVO also has as a prioritized task to provide information at upper secondary schools offering construction trades and building technology programs.

See the overview of the regional safety representatives here.