A person who wants to conduct OHS training must have knowledge in this field, but above all, meet the assumptions contained in the Regulation on training in the field of occupational health and safety. Interestingly, periodic training should not be conducted by OHS employees employed on a full-time basis in a given company, i.e. performing the tasks of the OHS service.

This is clearly defined in the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of September 2, 1997 on occupational health and safety services (Journal of Laws, item 704, as amended). The employee of the OHS service has to perform strictly defined duties. During his work, whether he is employed full-time or part-time, he should not perform any other tasks, which should be remembered by the employer. What’s more, the Labor Code also states that the OHS service is to perform advisory and control functions, but not training.

The duties of an occupational health and safety service employee include, among others, inspection of working conditions, participation in occupational risk assessment and acting as part of a team investigating the circumstances and causes of accidents at work.

An employee performing the tasks of the service may conduct general training, he is also obliged to cooperate with external persons and companies that will conduct periodic training for his company. His tasks include taking care of the appropriate level of knowledge and preparation of training programs taking into account the risks prevailing in the workplace.

On-the-job training, i.e. part of the initial training, is provided by the employee’s supervisor, who himself has a valid health and safety training. It is good that he also completed training in the methods of conducting instruction.

According to the Regulation of the Minister of Economy and Labor of 27 July 2004 on training in the field of occupational health and safety (Journal of Laws No. 180, item 1860, as amended), training in occupational health and safety may lead a person with the appropriate knowledge, professional experience and didactic preparation ensuring the proper implementation of training programs. In practice, companies very often outsource periodic training to an organizational unit that conducts training activities in the field of occupational health and safety.

The organizational unit that will conduct OSH training should meet the requirement to register the business activity and the requirements of an organizational nature, i.e.:

• the requirement for the lecturer to have knowledge and skills, as well as experience and didactic preparation necessary to conduct training in the field of occupational health and safety
• local and didactic requirement
• keep records appropriately – in terms of training programs, logs and issued certificates