Conducting initial and periodic occupational health and safety training is one of the obligations of the employer. The purpose of health and safety training is not only to make the employee familiar with the principles of health and safety at work, but also with regulations concerning the rights and obligations of employees in this field. In addition, health and safety training must also cover how to act in the event of an emergency situation and how to provide first aid.  

Health and safety training can be organised either in a classroom or online format. From an employer's point of view, it can be a bit more problematic to organise in-house training. You need to find a venue, an instructor and plan the time for your employees. Online training is a good solution, as it can be done at a convenient time and place, all you need is access to the network. After the training, the employee is obliged to confirm in writing that he or she is familiar with the safety rules and relevant regulations. 

 

Health and Safety at Work in English: 

If the company has employees who do not speak Polish, it is possible to organise health and safety training in English, for example, or with the participation of an interpreter. 

 

Attention! 

The only case in which an employee is not required to undergo pre-employment health and safety training is when the employee takes up a job in the same position that he or she held with the employer - before entering into another employment contract. 

 

Important: 

  • Health and safety training for workers in manual occupations may only take place on site, 
  • Online training can only take place for employees in administrative and managerial positions, as well as for e.g. teachers, IT specialists or health care workers.  

Occupational health and safety training must be repeated from time to time. This ensures that employees are kept up to date with health and safety information and that knowledge already acquired is consolidated. The cost of training is fully covered by the employer.  

 

Health and safety training can be divided into: 

  • preliminary, 
  • periodic. 

Occupational health and safety training preliminary: 

Their task is to introduce the employee to the procedures and rules that prevail in the company. Such training must be attended by every new employee in the company, even in cases where such training has been given in previous jobs.  

Every company should comply with legal regulations in the area of health and safety and may introduce detailed rules, procedures or workflows within the scope of the regulations. In practice, during the course of work, various hazards or situations may occur that carry risks. This is why every new employee should undergo initial health and safety training. Health and safety training Preliminary is essential to ensure not only your safety, but also the safety of your colleagues. 

Initial training in occupational safety and health should include both general and job-specific instruction. This course should not last less than 90 minutes. The cost of such training is approximately PLN 60 per employee. 

In general, initial health and safety training is valid for up to 12 months after starting employment. It is worth mentioning here that the initial safety training for managers is valid for a period of 6 months.  

When the initial OSH training is no longer valid, the employee must undergo periodic OSH training.  

 

Who must undergo initial health and safety training? 

  • new employee, 
  • a vocational school pupil employed for the purpose of apprenticeship, 
  • apprentice. 

 

What should such training look like? 

Important elements of initial training are: 

  • a conversation between the trainer and the employee, 
  • showing and explaining the activities that the worker will perform on the job and indicating safe working methods, 
  • the employee's performance of the activities that were previously presented, 
  • independent work of the worker (supervised by an instructor). 

 

Training preliminary We can divide them into: 

  • instructional, 
  • standpoints. 

The employee shall confirm in writing that he/she has attended both instructional and on-the-job training.  

Training instructional provide participants with the opportunity to learn about health and safety regulations, the company's health and safety rules and first aid 

Such training can be provided by: 

  • employer who performs the same tasks, 
  • safety and health professionals, 
  • an employee, designated by the employer, who has the appropriate knowledge and a current certificate, certifying that he has completed the relevant training in occupational safety and health. 

 

Training position enables the participant to become acquainted with the occupational risks present in the workplace, the ways of protecting against these risks and the principles of safe work performance. 

A worker who performs work in more than one position shall receive position instruction for each position. 

Instructional training on the job shall be carried out:  

  • the employer, if he/she is qualified and trained in the provision of workplace instruction, 
  • the person in charge of the workers designated by the employer. 

The position instruction concerns: 

  • student, 
  • a student doing, for example, a work placement, 
  • the staff member being transferred to another post, 
  • a worker in an occupational position where he/she may be exposed to harmful agents. 

 

Occupational health and safety training periodic:  

Periodic health and safety training is carried out to update information and draw attention to new or recurring risks. The centre that has been selected to conduct such training may receive information from the employer on what to pay particular attention to when designing the training programme. Periodic training in occupational safety and health may take the form of a course, seminar or self-study. The deadlines for carrying out periodic training should not be exceeded. In the case of a potential inspection, when OSH training is no longer valid, a fine may be imposed on the employer. Therefore, every company should have a person in charge of keeping track of examination dates.  

Periodic training ends with an examination. During the examination, the trainee is tested on his or her knowledge of the training programme, including the principles of occupational health and safety and the ability to organise work. If you pass the exam, you will receive a certificate from the training provider.  

Periodic training does not have to be given to employees who have a valid certificate of training in a similar position in the last 6 or 12 months.   

Such examinations, depending on the position, are valid for between one and six years.  

Validity of health and safety training in relation to the position held: 

  • workstations - 3 years or 1 year if carrying out particularly hazardous work, 

The first periodic training must be completed within a year of employment. In the case of particularly hazardous work, this training must be repeated once a year.  

  • workers who manage others, supervisors, foremen - 5 years, 
  • technologists, production organisers, designers, engineers - 5 years. 

 

Important!  

In 2019, it was decided to abolish the obligation of periodic training for administrative and office workers. It was stated that this work does not bring new risks and the knowledge acquired does not need to be reinforced so often. In addition, employees in non-hazardous industries also no longer need to repeat periodic OHS training. 

We are talking about people who deal with: 

  • manufacture of clothing, leather,  
  • manufacture of computers, 
  • printing, 
  • detective activities, 
  • scientific activities, 
  • financial activities, 
  • insurance business, 

and people working in: 

  • aviation, 
  • transports, 
  • communication, 
  • education.