H&S DOCUMENTATION IN A COMPANY – WHAT SHOULD IT LOOK LIKE?
Are there differences between OSH documentation for a small company and OSH documentation for a large organisation?
Below you will find some useful information on obligatory OHS documentation.
1. OCCUPATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT
Did you know that the employer is obliged to assess and document occupational risk occurring at workplaces and inform employees about it?
-In addition, once the assessment has been carried out, you must apply the necessary preventive measures to reduce occupational risk.
-Please note that the employer is responsible for carrying out risk assessments for individual workplaces within the company. However, you are not obliged to carry out the risk assessment yourself. It is advisable that persons carrying out risk assessments
– know and understand the principles of occupational risk assessment,
– have the knowledge necessary to identify hazards on the assessed jobs,
– know the principles of applying protective measures to prevent hazards,
– be able to assess the harmful consequences of the risks involved.
If you need advice on developing and documenting your risk assessment – contact EHS Consulting.
2. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
In accordance with Art. 209(2). § 1 of the Labour Code: , “In the event of a possible danger to health or life, the employer is obliged to: 2) immediately provide employees with instructions enabling them, in the event of imminent danger, to stop work and move away from the place of danger to a safe place.” Proper maintenance of OHS documentation should therefore be based on the preparation of procedures for ordinary situations, but also on proper planning of response to emergencies and extraordinary states such as fire, explosion, etc. Even in the case of health and safety documentation in a small company, it is necessary to remember about job instructions. According to Art. 237(4) § 2 of the Labour Code: “The employer is obliged to issue detailed instructions and directions on occupational safety and health at workstations.” The instructions should be relevant to the specifics of the work carried out and the type of activity of the respective enterprise. Only with instructions prepared internally are we better able to manage safety during individual work processes.
3. POST-ACCIDENT DOCUMENTATION FOR COMPANIES IN WARSAW
During the course of their employment, employees undergo various training courses, including training in occupational safety. It starts with initial OHS training, the completion of which is confirmed on the OHS initial training card, and continues with periodic OHS training, after which the training organiser issues a relevant certificate. These are the OSH training documents we come across most often. However, depending on the organisation, they may differ. OHS training documentation may also include certificates confirming completion of training in first aid, acquisition of necessary knowledge and skills in evacuation and fire fighting, or certifying completion of thematic training, e.g. in storing and using hazardous substances or working at heights.