Bylaws

Version 16.5.2012

BY-LAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION "NORDIC ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH"

1. Name and domicile

The name of the association is NORDIC ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ry, hereafter “NOROSH”. Its domicile is Helsinki, Finland.

The association is established and operates according to the Finnish law.

2. Purpose and activity

The purpose of the NOROSH is to:

  • advance scientific knowledge and expertise within the field of occupational health and safety,
  • promote research in the fields of occupational and environmental health and safety, and
  • increase Nordic and international co-operation among those who work within the field of occupational health and safety.

For the realization of this purpose, NOROSH shall publish the non-profit journal "Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, hereafter “the Journal". The Editor-in-Chief and Assistant Editor-in-Chief are responsible of the scientific contents of the Journal. NOROSH may also promote occupational and environmental health and safety by publishing scientific articles, reviews and other information of interest within the field of occupational safety and health. In addition, it may organize international symposia, workshops and other meetings for professionals in this field and co-operate with other similar international organizations and associations. It shall follow closely the development of this field and make proposals on current issues for authorities in charge.

NOROSH may accept donations, grants and other corresponding financial support.

NOROSH may possess immovable and movable property that is necessary for its activities.

3. Members

Ordinary (full) members
Incorporated international professional organizations, institutes and universities advancing occupational health and safety, who adopt the purpose and by-laws of the NOROSH, may be accepted as ordinary members or NOROSH.
Contributing members
Any incorporated community and society including researchers within the field of occupational health, and individuals that wish to support the purpose and activities of the NOROSH may be accepted as a contributing member of NOROSH.
Honorary members
The meeting of the association may invite a juridical or natural person who has significantly contributed to and supported the activities of NOROSH to be an honorary member on the grounds of a motion of the executive committee.

4. Resignation and expulsion from the association

A member is entitled to resign from the association by informing the Executive Committee or its chairperson thereof in writing. A member may also resign by giving a notice thereof at a meeting of the association for entry in the minutes. The resignation will enter into force six months after receipt of the written notice.

The meeting of the association may expel a member who has failed to pay the due membership fee, or who has failed to fulfil the obligations to which the member was committed by joining the association; or whose action within, or outside, the association has substantially damaged the association; or who no longer meets the conditions for membership laid down by law, or by the by-laws of the association. With the resignation or expulsion all the rights and obligations of the member will be terminated.

5. Initiation and membership fee

A decision on the amount of the initiation and yearly membership fee for both ordinary and contributing members separately shall be taken annually by the annual meeting of the association.

Honorary members are not obliged to pay initiation or membership fee.

6. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall run the affairs of the association. It shall consist of a chairperson, from five (5) to seven (7) ordinary members and from five (5) to seven (7) deputy members, all voted in by the annual meeting of the association from among the representatives of the ordinary members. The Editor-in-Chief and the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of the Journal are to be elected to the Executive Committee.

Term of the Executive Committee is the period between the annual general meetings of the association (ie, 1 year).

The Executive Committee shall elect a vice-chairperson from among its members.

The Executive Committee shall convene by the summons of the chairperson, or, when the chairperson is prevented, of the vice-chairperson, whenever they consider it necessary, or when at least a half of the members of the committee demand it.

The Executive Committee is competent when at least one half of its members including the chairperson or vice-chairperson, are present. When voting, the absolute majority system shall be followed. In case of a tie, the vote of the chairperson is decisive, except in the case of an election, where appointments shall be decided by drawing lots.

7. Persons entitled to sign in the name of the association

Both the chairperson of the Executive Committee and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal, singly, have the right to sign in the name of the association.

8. Accounting period and auditing

The accounting period of the association is a calendar year. A financial statement, with all the necessary documents and the annual report of the Executive Committee, must be presented to the operations inspectors or the auditors not later than a month before the annual general meeting of the association. Operations inspectors or auditors are obliged to give their report to the Executive Committee in writing, not later than two weeks before the annual general meeting.

9. Meetings of the association

The annual general meeting of the association shall be organized in April-June at a date determined by the Executive Committee.

Each ordinary member will authorize on its behalf a person that will represent the member and execute its voting right in the meetings of the association. The Editor-in-Chief of the Journal and the chairman of the Executive Committee can join the meeting of the association without a vote.

The meeting of the association is competent when it has been convened in accordance with the by-laws.

Every ordinary member has one vote in the meetings of the association.

In the meeting of the association the motion to be carried by the association shall be the motion supported by more than one half of the votes cast. When voting, the absolute majority system shall be followed. In case of a tie, the vote of the chairman is decisive, except in the case of an election, where appointments shall be decided by drawing lots.

An extraordinary meeting of the association must be organized when a meeting of the association so decides, or when the Executive Committee considers it justified, or when at least 1/10 of the members of the association entitled to vote demand it for the handling of a specific matter by notifying the Executive Committee in writing. The meeting must be organized within 30 days of the receipt by the Executive Committee of the written notification.

10. Convening the meetings of the association

The Executive Committee must convene the meetings of the association at least 14 (fourteen) days before the meeting in writing, by letters addressed to the members or by e-mail to those members who have provided the association with their e-mail addresses and authorized the association to be convened via e-mail.

11. Annual general meeting of the association

Matters to be decided on by the annual general meeting of the association include:

  1. Opening the meeting,
  2. Electing the chairman of the meeting, secretary, two examiners of the minutes and, when necessary, two vote counters,
  3. Establishing the lawfulness of convening the meeting and the presence of a quorum,
  4. Adopting the agenda of the meeting,
  5. Presenting the financial statements, the annual report and the operations inspectors' or auditors' report
  6. Deciding on adopting the financial statements and on discharging the Executive Committee and other accountable persons from liability,
  7. Adopting the plan of action and the budget and deciding on the amount of initiation, membership and contributing fees,
  8. Electing the chairman of the Executive Committee,
  9. Election of three to six members of the Executive Committee and a deputy member for each of them;
  10. Electing one or two operations inspectors or one operations inspector and one deputy or one or two auditors and one deputy
  11. Considering other matters recorded in the Notice of Meeting

Should one of the members of the association wish to propose a matter for consideration at the annual general meeting of the association, the member must inform the Executive Committee about it, in writing, one month before the meeting in order to include the matter in the Notice of Meeting.

When needed, the nomination and resignation of the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor-in-Chief and the Associate Editors must be done in the meeting of the Society. The Executive Committee decides upon the detailed terms of the employment contracts of employees working in the association.

12. Amendments to the by-laws and dissolution of the association

Decisions on amendments to the by-laws and the dissolution of the association must be supported by a majority of at least three-quarters of the votes of the meeting of the association. The Notice of Meeting must include a note about amendments to the by-laws, or the dissolution of the association.

When the association has decided to dissolve, the assets meant for the realization of the purpose of the association shall be used in a manner determined by the meeting of the association that has made the decision to dissolve the association. If the association is abolished, the assets shall be used for the same purpose.