Ensuring balcony safety: Temporary solutions must not pose any additional risks

The Safety Investigation Authority is investigating an accident that occurred in Hietalahti, Helsinki on 17 September 2025, in which a person died after falling through the balcony railing board of an apartment block onto the ground.

The Safety Investigation Authority issued an accident risk notification on 21 May 2026 after strength tests confirmed that fibre cement boards are too fragile to be used as fall protection. The Safety Investigation Authority urged the supervisory authorities, the Ministry of the Environment and the City of Helsinki (Building Control Services), to take supervisory measures to promote balcony safety. It also issued the accident risk notification as a public notification addressed to building control services of municipalities and cities and to housing companies.

Finland lacks a single national entity to provide instructions on the matter. Each city or municipality has its own building control department that acts as an independent authority. For example, the City of Helsinki’s Building Control Services has instructed housing companies to take action to ensure the safety of the boarding of balconies and terraces if the buildings use fibre cement boards as fall protection. 

“The Ministry of the Environment has stated that it is advisable to exercise caution when using balconies with fibre cement balcony boards. For example, the City of Helsinki’s Building Control Services has instructed housing companies to consider prohibiting the use of balconies until their safety has been ensured. It is a good thing in itself to investigate whether the balcony solutions are safe, but housing companies would now need practical instructions for assessing the safety of their balconies,” says Timo Naskali, Investigator in Charge.

“The fact is that fibre cement boards as the only fall protection in balcony railings are insufficient to prevent falls, as they are not tough enough if someone falls against them.  These boards are primarily used for façade cladding,” adds Timo Naskali.

“The Safety Investigation Authority has received inquiries from housing companies on who to turn to in the matter of assessing balcony safety. Authorities cannot guide them to contact any individual service provider. In the construction sector, there is no single entity or agency that would provide practical guidance or determine acceptable safety solutions. This is a nationwide issue. In the end, each property owner chooses the solution that best suits them,” Timo Naskali continues.

Patience with corrective actions: the risk assessment must be proportionate to the measures to be taken

“We hope that property owners or housing companies would be patient and not resort to taking corrective actions, such as removing handles from balcony doors, that may pose other risks to people in the apartment. For example, in case of fire the balcony serves as an emergency exit, and evacuation would be jeopardised if the handles have been removed,” Timo Naskali emphasises. 

There are no official instructions on the matter, but the Façade Association Finland, for example, has issued temporary instructions (in Finnish), which already give a good direction.

The safety investigation is expected to be completed at the turn of the year.

“As part of its investigation, the Safety Investigation Authority will give recommendations for preventing similar accidents. The recommendations will highlight the problem areas, but the ways in which they are implemented will remain at the discretion of those to whom the recommendations are given,” Timo Naskali says.