Bridging Occupational Safety and Health Care: Lessons for Developing Countries

Dear Editor,

I read with great interest the article by Nissinen et al. (2026) titled “Analyzing Occupational Safety Managers’ and Representatives’ Assessments of Collaboration with Occupational Health Care,” which examined occupational safety managers’ and representatives’ assessments of collaboration with occupational health care (OHC). The study provides important evidence regarding the factors associated with effective collaboration between occupational safety and occupational health stakeholders in Finland. The authors reported that occupational safety managers generally perceived collaboration more positively than occupational safety representatives and identified several factors associated with seamless collaboration, including the active participation of OHC in workplace safety activities, access to workload-related information, comprehensive OHC agreements, and established collaborative procedures.

The article makes a valuable contribution to the occupational health and safety literature by emphasizing the importance of coordinated workplace practices. Effective collaboration between occupational safety and occupational health professionals has become increasingly important as workplaces face growing challenges related to psychosocial risks, workforce wellbeing, and organizational resilience. Consistent with previous research, the findings reinforce the view that workplace health outcomes are strengthened when occupational health services are integrated into broader organizational safety systems (Halonen et al., 2017).

While the study offers important insights, an aspect that warrants further consideration is the transferability of its findings beyond highly developed occupational health systems. Finland has a well-established occupational health infrastructure characterized by extensive service coverage, institutional support, and structured collaboration between employers and occupational health providers. These conditions may differ considerably from those found in many low- and middle-income countries, where occupational health resources are often limited, and access to specialized services remains uneven.

This issue is particularly relevant in the Philippine context. Although the country has strengthened occupational safety and health policies through legislative and regulatory reforms, implementation challenges persist in many workplaces, especially among small and medium enterprises. Limited availability of occupational health professionals, financial constraints, and variations in organizational capacity may affect the extent to which collaborative models similar to those identified in Finland can be implemented. Consequently, factors associated with successful collaboration in high-income countries may not necessarily produce comparable outcomes in developing settings.

The findings also have important implications for the growing emphasis on workplace mental health. Nissinen et al. (2026) identified workload-related information as a significant contributor to successful collaboration. This observation aligns with emerging evidence highlighting the importance of cooperation between workplaces and occupational health services in addressing psychosocial risks and promoting employee mental well-being (Majuri & Wallius, 2024). As work-related stress, burnout, and mental health concerns continue to increase globally, collaborative frameworks should extend beyond traditional occupational safety concerns and incorporate preventive mental health initiatives. Such an approach may strengthen both employee well-being and organizational performance.

Another noteworthy implication concerns organizational readiness. The study demonstrates that structured procedures, information sharing, and active stakeholder participation facilitate effective collaboration. These findings suggest that collaboration is influenced not only by interpersonal relationships but also by organizational systems that support coordinated action. Future research may therefore benefit from examining how leadership commitment, organizational culture, resource availability, and institutional readiness influence the success of occupational health and safety partnerships. Such investigations could provide a deeper understanding of why collaborative efforts succeed in some workplaces but remain challenging in others.

The study by Nissinen et al. (2026) represents an important step toward understanding the mechanisms that support collaboration between occupational safety and occupational health stakeholders. However, additional research involving low- and middle-income countries is needed to determine whether the identified factors remain applicable across diverse economic and organizational contexts. Comparative studies may help identify context-specific barriers and facilitators that can inform more inclusive occupational health policies and practices.

In conclusion, the article provides valuable evidence supporting the role of collaboration in promoting workplace health and safety. Building on these findings, future research should explore the applicability of these collaborative models in resource-constrained settings and examine how organizational readiness and mental health integration shape collaborative outcomes. Such efforts may contribute to the development of occupational health systems that are both effective and adaptable across different national and organizational contexts.