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I. Before You Start Working: Why Are Medical Examinations Important?

Before an employee begins work – whether in an office or on a production floor –they must undergo initial medical examinations. An employer cannot allow an employee to start work without a valid medical certificate confirming that there are no contraindications to working in the specific position.

• Initial examinations – mandatory before the first day of work.
• Periodic examinations – every 1 to 5 years, depending on working conditions.
• Control examinations – required after an absence due to illness lasting more than 30 days or when changing to a more demanding position.
• Sanitary and epidemiological examinations – required for individuals taking up or performing work where there is a risk of transmitting infections or infectious diseases to others.

Why is this important?

• Assessing ability to work: Ensuring that the employee can perform the duties of a specific position without posing a risk to their own health or the health of others.
• Preventing accidents: Determining whether the employee can cope with potential workplace hazards such as noise, chemicals, or physical strain.
• Detecting contraindications: Identifying conditions that may prevent the employee from performing their job or require workplace adjustments (e.g., modified duties or an adapted workstation).

II. Informed Work Is Safe Work – The Role of OHS Training

The employer is primarily responsible for ensuring safe and healthy working conditions, but employees also play an essential role. For this reason, employers must not only create safe working environments but also provide training, instruction, and clear guidelines for safe behaviour.

What types of training are there?

• Initial training – conducted before an employee is allowed to begin work. This includes:
  • General instruction, which introduces employees to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations contained in the Labour Code, workplace rules, and basic first aid principles.
  • On-the-job instruction, which familiarises employees with workplace-specific risks and methods for performing tasks safely in their particular role.
• Periodic training – repeated throughout the duration of employment. Its purpose is to refresh and reinforce OHS knowledge and to introduce employees to new technical or organisational safety solutions. The frequency of such training depends on the type and conditions of the work performed.

Periodic training must be conducted[1]:

• At least once a year – for employees working in positions involving particularly hazardous tasks.
• Every 3 years – for employees in manual positions.
• Every 5 years – for employers and other persons managing employees, particularly supervisors, foremen, and team leaders; for engineering and technical staff, including designers, machine and equipment constructors, technologists, and production planners; for OHS officers and individuals performing OHS-related duties; for employees whose work exposes them to harmful, burdensome, or dangerous factors; and for employees whose responsibilities involve health and safety oversight.
• Every 6 years – for employees in administrative and office positions.

III. Documentation: The Key to Order and Legal Protection

In addition to personal files, an employer must maintain separate records for each employee related to their employment:

• Work time records, including time sheets, employee requests for leave to handle personal matters, and records of individual arrangements regarding work schedules.
• Documents related to applying for and taking annual leave.
• Payroll records, including wages and other employment-related benefits, as well as employee requests for payment to be made directly to them.
• Records of issued work clothing, footwear, and personal protective equipment (PPE),along with documents concerning the payment of cash equivalents for using, cleaning, and maintaining personal clothing and footwear.

All documentation must be retained for at least 10 years after the end of employment (art. 94 point 9b of the Polish Labour Code). Employee records must be stored in a manner that ensures confidentiality, integrity, completeness, and availability, protected against damage or destruction.

Both current and former employees may request a copy of all or part of their employment records.

Requests can be submitted either in paper or electronic form.

A copy of the requested documentation must be provided no later than 30 days from the date the request is received.

What Every Employer Should Know

• Initial medical examinations and initial OHS training – must be completed before an employee begins work.
• Medical examinations – carried out periodically.
• OHS training – repeated annually or every 3, 5, or 6 years, depending on the type of work.
• Documentation – must be retained for 10 years.
• Employee or former employee – may request a copy of their employment records.

In summary, Proper preparation of an employee for their duties involves initial medical examinations, OHS training, and maintaining accurate employee records from the start. Each of these elements plays a crucial role: medical examinations assess the ability to work safely, training supports safe performance of duties, and documentation ensures formal order and legal protection for both parties.

[1] Biz­nes.​gov.​pl, https://​www.​biznes.​gov.​pl/​pl/​portal/​00184, Szko­le­nia BHP