Health and safety training - when and how often employers and managers should do it

Before starting work, every employee is required to take an initial course in occupational health and safety. It should be repeated periodically, at least once every 5 years. Employers and persons in charge of employees are also obliged to undergo training in occupational health and safety. Persons in charge of employees include, among others, foremen, masters and department heads.

The obligation to undergo training in occupational health and safety is contained in the Regulation of the Minister of Economy and Labour of 27 July 2004 on training in occupational health and safety. According to this regulation, each periodic training ends with an examination.

A health and safety course for this group should be organised as a course, seminar or guided self-study. It should be conducted on the basis of a detailed training programme, which is drawn up by the training organiser. Appropriate teaching aids must be used during training. These include films, transparencies to display information, whiteboards. In the form of self-study, the trainees should be provided with materials to help them assimilate the issues. These include, for example, legal regulations or scripts.

Management training should last no less than 16 lesson hours. The thematic scope of the course is broad. The subject of the regulation of the law on min:

• Rights and obligations of employees
• Adolescent health protection
• Protecting the health of pregnant and breastfeeding women
• Preventive health care
• Health and safety at work

Those who manage employees should increase their knowledge of assessment occupational riskharmful, hazardous and strenuous working environment factors and accidents at work.

An important element will be the rules of behaviour in case of emergencies, first aid and fire.

Another important element of instruction is a thorough discussion of Article 212 of the Labour Code. It defines the responsibilities of this group of workers. It is also important to mention the liability for failure to comply with health and safety obligations.

Purpose of the course  

It is for its participants to acquire knowledge or skills in:

• Creating safe and hygienic working conditions
• Protect workers from the hazards that are associated with their work.
• Assessments of hazards that may arise in work processes
• Risk assessments for hazards

Who can provide such training

A health and safety course designed for employers and those who manage employees should be conducted by specialised bodies that provide training in this field. These include:

• Scientific institutions
• Practical or continuing education establishments
• Further and further training centres
• Research and development units
• Associations whose purpose is to carry out activities related to health and safety at work

Online courses

When the workshop takes place in an online format, the final exam is most often conducted in the form of a health and safety test. It consists of questions and answers that are formulated on the basis of the material discussed during the training. It is the quickest and most effective way to test trainees' knowledge. Its advantage is undoubtedly the time between the test and the result, which you receive practically immediately.

The online health and safety exam can be repeated until a passing score is achieved. By achieving a set number of points in the online health and safety exam, the course is completed. Upon completion, each participant will receive a corresponding certificate.