Guidelines for operations and planning of premises

The operator is responsible for ensuring that the ventilation on the premises is sufficient and meets the requirements specified in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Decree 545/2015(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish):

• The outdoor air flow rate in schools, day care centres and other similar premises must be at least 6 dm³/s per person during use.
• Alternatively, the outdoor air flow rate may be 4 dm³/s per person, provided it can be ensured that indoor air pollutant concentrations or temperature levels do not rise to a level that would cause a health hazard. Indoor air humidity must not be persistently so high that it poses a risk of microbial growth in structures, equipment  or surfaces.

In addition:

• The ventilation system must not cause draughts or disturbing noise.
• The operator must ensure that ventilation ducts and systems are cleaned regularly.

In sheltered housing units, nursing homes, day care centres, educational institutions and similar premises, indoor temperatures must not exceed or fall below the action level specified in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Decree 545/2015(external link, opens in a new window) (tables below).

Read more about the statutory requirements for healthy indoor conditions (Finnish Supervisory Agency)(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish).

Read more about heatwaves and ways to prevent their negative effects (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, THL)(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish).

Sound insulation and noise abatement in the premises must be designed and implemented in such a way as to prevent echoing and other noise disturbances.

Attention should be paid to the acoustics of the premises. In particular, when the premises are located in a residential building, they must be well soundproofed so that disturbing noise does not carry into neighbouring apartments.

The premises must have adequate lighting for the purposes of the activities. Lighting must be particularly good when work is carried out at a table. In addition, it is important to ensure that task lighting is sufficient, for example for beauty salon services or sauna cleaning.

The owner of a building is responsible for ensuring that the risk management of water systems is carried out in accordance with section 19b, subsection 2 of the Health Protection Act (763/1994)(external link, opens in a new window) no later than 12 January 2029. This applies in particular to priority premises, i.e. premises where water systems may pose a health risk due to the number of users or the nature of the activities.

Examples of priority premises include:

• premises intended for accommodation services (excluding barracks and furnished apartments, holiday homes and other smaller units offered for accommodation)
• public spas, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and saunas
• social welfare units providing round-the-clock sheltered housing, supported housing services, or residential care
• hospital and health centre inpatient wards
• other premises where water systems may cause health hazards.

Radon is an odourless and invisible radioactive gas that can be present in indoor air. Radon cannot be detected by human senses, so measuring is the only way to determine indoor radon levels.

The operator is responsible for establishing whether their premises need to be measured for radon and whether such measurements have been carried out. If radon measurement is mandatory and has not yet been performed, it must be carried out. The measurement method must be reliable. Read more about radon measurement (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, STUK).(external link, opens in a new window)

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) is responsible for monitoring employees’ radon exposure. The health protection authority is responsible for monitoring customers’ radon exposure.

Rats, bedbugs or other pests may cause damage to the premises or the surroundings of the building.

Read more about rats.

Read more about bedbugs and other pests.

In beauty salons and tattoo or piercing services that require special hygiene, particular attention should be paid to the following:

• The premises must have a separate, properly equipped hand-washing station. There must be unobstructed access to the hand-washing station from the treatment area.
• In a business located in a shopping centre, the back area of the premises must include the necessary water points and sinks for hand-washing and instrument cleaning, as well as a properly equipped cleaning storage area.

In schools and other educational institutions, particular attention must be paid to the following:

• adequate ventilation
• acoustics
• properly and safely arranged and equipped cleaning storage areas
• condition and cleanability of surface materials
• sufficient number of toilet facilities.

In sports facilities and saunas, particular attention must be paid to the following:

• cleanability of premises, surfaces, materials and equipment
• ventilation
• water point for customers
• adequate toilet facilities and shower rooms
• cleaning storage and laundry areas
• storage facilities.

Sauna benches and floor drains must be cleanable, including the area under the benches. This can be achieved, for example, with benches that can be lifted.

In accommodation facilities, particular attention must be paid to the following:

• cleanability
• ventilation
• adequate toilet facilities and shower rooms
• cleaning storage and laundry areas
• storage facilities.

In addition, living areas should have at least one window that can be opened for ventilation.

If necessary, the health protection authority (Espoo Region Environmental Health Services) may issue individual orders to prevent health hazards. Such orders may concern things like hygiene or domestic water.

In day care centres, group family day care units and clubs, particular attention should be paid to the following:

• There must be enough space, considering the age distribution of the children, to allow proper play, rest and mealtimes. The space available to children should be at least 5 m² per child. This area does not include mudrooms or toilet facilities.
• Group rooms should be separable from each other with doors to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Each group room must have water points for hand-washing and access to drinking water.
• We recommend that the group room area include at least 70 m² of living space. This space can be divided into two or more areas for play, meals and rest.
• There must be at least one toilet and one hand-washing station for every ten children or part thereof.
• The premises must also include storage space for things like toys, craft supplies, sports equipment and toilet paper and paper towel supplies.
• There must be a draught lobby or similar at the entrances.

Guidelines for nature- or outdoor-based day care centres:

• The day care centre must have an indoor space reserved for activities if, for example, the weather prevents activities outdoors or in an outdoor shelter. Indoors:
  • Ventilation must be sufficient for the maximum number of users allowed in the premises.
  • There must be facilities for storing spare clothing and drying clothes.
  • There must be a sufficient number of toilet facilities in relation to the number of users, taking into account the age distribution of the children (for example, in pre-primary education, the recommendation is one toilet facility per 15 children).

In social welfare units, particular attention must be paid to the following:

• sufficient space
• ventilation
• adequate toilet facilities and shower rooms
• cleaning storage and laundry areas
• sufficient storage facilities
• separate storage of clean and dirty laundry on each floor
• intact surfaces that are suitable for the activities and easy to keep clean.

If you have questions regarding the health conditions of residents’ rooms in social welfare units, you can contact the Housing Health Unit of Espoo Region Environmental Health Services.