Initial OHS Training
Pursuant to the Labor Code, the employer is obliged to ensure that the newly hired employee is trained in OHS before allowing him/her to work. Therefore, the initial training should take place on the first day of work and, what is important, during working hours and at the expense of the employer.
What is their purpose and scope?
Their purpose is to provide the employee with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform work, taking into account the regulations and safety rules, and to familiarize with the hazards present at specific workplaces. It is divided into General Instruction, which is conducted by our OHS Specialist, and Workplace Instruction, which is the responsibility of the supervisor.
Who are the initial health and safety training courses for?
According to the law, initial training (Article 2373 § 1 of the Labor Code) applies to all employees, regardless of the type of work performed, including persons employed under civil law contracts, employees employed for the purpose of training to perform a specific job, as well as apprentices.
The employer must not allow the employee to work for which he does not have the required qualifications or necessary skills, as well as sufficient knowledge of regulations and principles in the field of occupational health and safety.
Who and how should conduct the General Instruction?
General training is conducted by an OHS Specialist, a person performing the tasks of this service at the employer’s or the employer who performs such tasks himself.
It can also be carried out by an employee designated by the employer, having knowledge and skills to ensure proper implementation of the training program, having a current certificate of completion of the required training in the field of occupational health and safety.
Importantly, the initial training should last:
- not less than 3 teaching hours (general instruction), i.e. 2 hours and 15 minutes
- at least 8 teaching hours (on-the-job training).
Purpose and stages of on-the-job training
On-the-job training takes place at the workplace where the employee will work. Its purpose is to familiarize the employee with the hazards present at this position, ways to protect against them and methods of safe performance of their work.
The instruction should include the following steps:
- initial interview of the instructor (e.g. employee’s supervisor, master, foreman) with the employee
- demonstration and explanation by the instructor of all activities to be performed by the employee at the workplace, while maintaining safe working methods
- trial performance of the activities by the employee and their possible correction by the instructor
- independent work of an employee under the supervision of an instructor.
The on-the-job training should end with a test of knowledge in the field of safe work performance. Its positive result is the basis for admitting the employee to work in a specific position.
The purpose of the on-the-job training is to provide its participants with:
- factors of the working environment occurring at their workplaces
- occupational risk related to the work performed
- ways to protect against the threats that these factors may cause
- methods of safe performance of work at these positions.
What about documentation?
The employee’s completion of general and job training should be confirmed by him in writing and recorded in the employee’s personal file. The employee’s statement on the completion of the initial training should contain his name and surname, place and date of the training and signature.
In addition to the declaration discussed above, the employer should ensure that the so-called initial training cards in the field of occupational health and safety.
What are the forms of initial training?
Initial training can be organized in the form of stationary, e-learning or online using a specific platform. Our offer includes training in all the variants given, due to the fact that we have a proprietary e-learning platform called znamBHP.pl.
It is currently the most convenient and safest form of training, which turned out to be extremely useful in the era of a pandemic.
What makes us stand out?
- we conduct initial health and safety training for each group of employees, both at our company’s headquarters and at the client’s
- we adjust the materials and tools to the individual needs of the participants
- we use various types of technical innovations that are an added value to our training, e.g. VR goggles
- we use clear and understandable language
- we emphasize and make the participants aware of the importance of complying with all kinds of rules and regulations for their health and life
- we build a culture of safety from the first day of the employee
- we do not scare health and safety, we only show its value!
Let's remember!
Initial training organized on the first day of work of a newly hired employee is his first contact with the company!
Professionally conducted, content tailored to specific threats, interesting, understandable and exhaustive, it will give him a sense of confidence that his new employer cares about his health and safety. This is a huge added value, which from the very first moment of the meeting will pay off in the development of the safety culture in your company.