Social labor inspection is a social service performed by employees. This service should represent the interests and protection of employee rights.

Most often, a social labor inspector is a member of a trade union and is elected by employees for a term of office of 4 years. Elections are conducted by company trade unions. It is also less common for a person who is not a trade union member to be appointed.

A social inspector should not hold a managerial position. Additionally, he should have knowledge of issues that fall within the scope of activity of social labor inspection, at least five years of work experience in the industry to which the plant belongs and at least two years of work experience in a given plant. If he is not effective in his function, the inspector is dismissed by the employees of the workplace.

Social labor inspection is primarily a social service performed by employees to ensure safe and hygienic working conditions in workplaces.

The rights and obligations of social labor inspectors include:

• inspection of the condition of buildings, machines, technical and sanitary equipment and technological processes from the point of view of occupational health and safety
• control of compliance with labor law provisions in the plant
• participating in monitoring compliance with environmental protection regulations;
• participating in shaping appropriate safety conditions in the company
• taking part in analyzing the causes of accidents at work, occupational diseases and monitoring the implementation of appropriate preventive measures in this regard by the workplace.

In order to exercise his/her powers, the social labor inspector has the right to: enter the premises and equipment of the workplace at any time, receive the necessary information from competent persons and show him/her documents regarding matters falling within the scope of his/her activities.

In addition to monitoring occupational health and safety conditions, the social labor inspector may issue recommendations and enter his comments in the book of recommendations, as well as request an inspection by the state labor inspectorate. Moreover, he participates in the team delegated to determine the circumstances and causes of accidents at work. He also serves as deputy chairman of the occupational health and safety committee at the workplace.

As for the employees of a given workplace, the social labor inspector may draw their attention if he notices a violation of safety rules. He may also ask his superior to retrain his subordinates.

Depending on the organizational structure of the company, social labor inspection consists of:

• company social labor inspector – for the entire workplace,
• branch (departmental) social labor inspectors – for individual branches (departments),
• group social labor inspectors – for organizational units of branches (departments).

It is the responsibility of company trade unions to adapt this to the structure of the workplace.

Social labor inspectors should perform their work outside working hours. If, if necessary, they perform their tasks during working hours, social labor inspectors retain the right to remuneration.

• In the event of a significant workload, the manager of the workplace, at the request of the company’s trade union organizations, may establish a flat-rate monthly remuneration up to an amount not exceeding the remuneration for 30 hours of work of a person acting as a social labor inspector. And in particularly justified cases, the remuneration of a social labor inspector may be increased to an amount not exceeding the remuneration for 60 hours of work.
• In workplaces where there is a particular threat to the health and life of employees and working conditions require constant social supervision, the employee may be released from the obligation to perform work while retaining the right to remuneration for the period of performing the function of the company’s social labor inspector.

To sum up, a social labor inspector performs his function in the interest of his colleagues. He ensures appropriate safety conditions and verifies employees’ compliance with occupational health and safety regulations and labor law, so that the plant has as few accidents and occupational diseases as possible. He cooperates closely with managers and the health and safety committee, and also ensures the protection of employee rights specified in labor law.

Source: https://www.bhp-center.com.pl/kim-jest-i-co-robi-spoleczny-inspektor-pracy/

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