Particularly dangerous work is performed in difficult conditions or with an increased risk to the health or life of the employee. A list of these can be found in Chapter 6 of the Ordinance on General Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, in other sectoral regulations on occupational health and safety, e.g. on construction works, and in instructions for the operation of equipment or installations. What is more, the employer is obliged to establish and update the list of particularly dangerous work performed by his employees. Upon written confirmation, the employer shall consult the list of employees.

Earthworks are not explicitly mentioned in the General Health and Safety Regulation – however, they pose an increased risk to people performing particular tasks within the road – so the employer should include them in their list of particularly dangerous works.

It is the employer’s responsibility to create specific health and safety requirements when performing particularly dangerous tasks. It also decides which works should be carried out on the basis of a written permit.

When performing hazardous tasks, the employer should provide workers with special working conditions, i.e.: in particular, it ensures:

• direct supervision of these works by persons designated for this purpose;
• appropriate safeguards;
• Employee instruction including, in particular: personal division of work, order of performing tasks, occupational health and safety requirements for individual activities.

The employer shall ensure that only authorised and properly instructed persons have access to places where particularly dangerous work is performed.

If the earthworks concern a road not excluded from car traffic, the entrepreneur should ensure the safety not only of his employees, but also of the road users. They are obliged to check whether the work area is properly secured (road signs, barriers, traffic lights). Employees are not required to have any additional qualifications, but to strictly comply with the safety rules they have learned during the training.

Source: https://www.bhp-center.com.pl/roboty-ziemne-przy-drodze-praca-szczegolnie-niebezpieczna-a-bhp/

Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.