Dr Małgorzata Pęciłło Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute ul. Czerniakowska 16, Warsaw, Poland TRAINING, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE IN OSH – EXAMPLE FROM POLAND

Main activity of CIOP-PIB: interdisciplinary research in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH) including:  identification, assessment and limitation of occupational hazards (noise and vibration, mechanical factors, chemical and aerosol factors, lighting, optical radiation, electromagnetic fields, electric hazards, biological factors, explosions and fires, thermal load, MSD, stress),  determination of exposure limits,  development of personal and collective protective equipment,  investigation of accidents at work,  occupational risk assessment and management.

Content:  Education in OSH  Training employees in OSH  Training and ensuring qualifications of OSH specialists

 The Minister of National Education is obliged, by the Labour Code, to include in the scope of the educational programmes issues concerning occupational safety, health and ergonomics in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Education in OSH (Art Labour Code)

 The Minister of National Education sets up the basic scope of content of educational programmes for primary, secondary and high schools. The scope includes such issues as ergonomics and safe working conditions, which are adjusted to a stage of education and type of school and profession. Education in OSH

 Educational materials have been prepared for all stages of education

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 The scope of educational programs for particular faculties is defined by the Main Council of University Education and is confirmed by the Minister of National Education. Education in OSH at a university level

 Education in the field of occupational safety and health is a part of educational system in Poland and it can be provided by professional colleges and at universities both private and public ones. Education in OSH at a university level

The occupational safety and health issues are taught through: obligatory trainings for the first-year students, obligatory lectures and tutorials on ergonomics, occupational safety and health, legal protection of labour etc., including occupational safety and health issues in the content of some lectures. OSH faculties and post-graduated studies preparing OSH specialists Education in OSH at a university level

Occupational safety and health training (Art Labour Code)  An employee shall not be admitted to work without having the required qualifications or necessary skills to perform it, and sufficient knowledge of regulations and rules of occupational safety and health.

 An employer shall inform employees about provisions and rules of safety and health at work relating to the work tasks they perform, and give detailed instructions and guidance concerning occupational safety and health at workstations.  Employees shall confirm in writing that they have acquainted themselves with the provisions and rules of safety and health at work.

 The employer is obliged to provide training to the worker on occupational safety and health before allowing him to work and to hold periodic training in this area.  Training takes place during working hours and at the cost of the employer. Occupational safety and health training (Art Labour Code)

 Training of a worker before allowing him to work is not required when commencing work at the same work post as he occupied immediately before he concluded a successive employment contract with the same employer. Occupational safety and health training (Art Labour Code)

 Employer should be trained in OSH aspects to be able to perform his tasks in this field. The training should be provided periodically. Occupational safety and health training (Art Labour Code)

Training employees in OSH (the regulation of the Minister of Economic and Labour of 27 July 2004)  Employers are responsible for ensuring the training in occupational safety and health adjusted to an employees’ work as well as information for employees about provisions and rules of safety and health at work relating to the work tasks they perform, and for giving detailed instructions and guidance concerning occupational safety and health at workstations.  The training in occupational safety and health includes:  preliminary training,  periodical training.

 Employers can organise and conduct trainings for employees themselves or charge authorised training providers.  Trainings for employers, OSH specialists and OSH trainers are conducted by authorised training providers.  An employer is also obliged to inform subcontractors’ employees performing work at his worksite about occupational risk. The information obtained shall be confirmed by an employee in written. Training employees in OSH (the regulation of the Minister of Economic and Labour of 27 July 2004)

 An employer who employs more than 100 employees shall establish an occupational safety and health service,  An employer who completed training necessary to perform tasks of the OSH service can perform them by himself if:  1) he employs up to 10 employees, or  2) he employs up to 20 employees and and is classified into a business activity group where the risk category, within the meaning of regulations on social insurance for accidents at work and occupational diseases, is defined as level three or lower  An employer engaging up to 100 employees may entrust the performance of OSH service's tasks to specialists from outside the workplace or to an employee engaged to perform another job. A competent labour inspector may order the employer engaging up to 100 employees to establish OSH service, if it is justified by identification of occupational hazards. NOTE!

Training employees in OSH (the regulation of the Minister of Economic and Labour of 27 July 2004) Preliminary training includes: General instruction Instruction specific to the work post

Training employees in OSH Preliminary training includes: General instruction is provided for: all newly employed workers, trainees and students who are on internships or who are practically learning the trade, Scope: basic regulations on OSH defined by the Labour Code, the work regulations, as well as the OSH rules and regulations in force in a given enterprise, as well as with the principles of administering first aid.

Training employees in OSH  General instruction is conducted by Employers or Workers designated by the employers, who have undergone courses on occupational safety and health workers from the OSH service  General instruction should be confirmed in written by the worker of having received general instruction

Training employees in OSH Preliminary training includes: Instruction specific to the work post is for: workers employed at posts in positions where work is related directly to production or production control or there is exposure to hazardous, harmful or arduous agents, workers transferred to these positions in the event of changes in technical and organisational conditions, trainees and students who are on internships or who are practically learning the trade. Scope: the threats of hazardous, harmful and arduous agents that are present at a given work post, the method of protection against these threats and methods of safely performing the work at a given work post

Training employees in OSH Preliminary training includes: Instruction specific to the work post is conducted by: a person nominated by the employer who manages the workers, who has the appropriate qualifications and professional experience and has been trained on methods of conducting such instruction. Instruction specific to the work post is confirmed by: examination of the knowledge and skills in performing the work in accordance with the occupational safety and health regulations, (written) confirmation by the worker of having received instruction specific to the work post

 Periodical training is coducted for:  Employers and managerial staff  blue-collars - every 3 years, and when he is exposed to particularly harmful hazerds – every 1 year (istruction at a post)  technologists and production engineers – every 5 years (seminar, trainig or self-trainig)  occupational safety and health specialists and employees performing OSH tasks - every 5 years (as a/m)  white-collars and other employees exposed to harmful and dangerous agents - every 5 years (as a/m) Training employees in OSH

 First periodical training for employers and managerial staff is provided during first 6 months or work, for other during 1st year of work  It is confirmed by examination of the knowledge and skills in performing the work in accordance with the occupational safety and health regulations and a certificate Training employees in OSH

training for OSH specialists  Safety and health professionals must meet the relevant requirements concerning education and job experience and can be employed at the following positions: inspectors, senior inspectors, specialists, senior and chief specialists in the health and safety.

Legally required education and job experience for OSH specialists :  OSH inspector: vocational college training in occupational health and safety  Senior OSH inspector: vocational college training in occupational health and safety technicians and a minimum of 3 years of experience in OSH services, or a university education at the faculty of occupational health and safety, or postgraduate diploma in OSH services  OSH specialist: university education at the faculty of occupational health and safety or postgraduate diploma in OSH and a minimum of 1 year of experience in OSH services  Senior OSH specialist: university education at the faculty of occupational health and safety or postgraduate diploma in OSH and a minimum of 3 years of experience in OSH services  Chief OSH specialist: university education at the faculty of occupational health and safety or postgraduate diploma in OSH and a minimum of 5 years of experience in OSH services

 According to the Regulation the OSH expert working in one-person-OSH department should meet at least requirements for senior OSH inpsector. The OSH expert supervising two- or more- person-OSH department should meet at least requirements for OSH specialist.

OSH specialists  The first periodic trainings for employee safety and health professionals above mentioned, must take place within 12 months of starting work in this position a further periodic training should take place within 5 years. The aim of the trainings is to ensure that OSH professional gain up-to-date knowledge and to support them in solving OSH- related problems.  The scope of the training include: legal requirements in OSH, identification and analyses of occupational risks and methods of developing safe and healthy working conditions

Certification of competences  The first Polish Centre for Certification of Personnel’s Competence was accredited at the Institute in It checks and confirms the qualifications of lecturers, industrial hygienists, OSH services, and auditors of management systems.

Strengthening capacities of occupational safety and health services  a network of regional training, consultation and promotion centres operating in the field of OSH, accredited and co-ordinated by CIOP-PIB

Thank you!