Occupational risk assessment: three employer obligations

This guide covers only occupational risk assessment, prevention, and familiarising employees with the assessment for their workstation. It is neither a general guide to hiring an employee nor a guide to referrals for medical examinations.

It is based on the “Occupational risk assessment” section of the official guide from Poland’s National Labour Inspectorate (PIP).

1. Assess and document risk associated with specific work

PIP states that employers must assess and document occupational risk associated with specific work. This obligation covers both assessing the risk and documenting it.

2. Apply the necessary preventive measures

Employers must apply the necessary preventive measures to reduce occupational risk. In an organisational check, therefore, do not stop at asking about documentation—also consider whether these measures are being applied.

3. Familiarise employees with the assessment for their workstation

Employers must familiarise employees with the occupational risk assessment for the workstation where they perform their work. Maintaining this connection is important: the assessment must concern the workstation where the employee actually works.

Optional organisational checklist

The following questions are a suggested supporting check, not an official form or an additional legal obligation:

• Connection to the work: does the assessment being checked concern the work actually performed and the employee’s workstation?
• Documentation: has the risk associated with that work been assessed and documented?
• Prevention: are the necessary preventive measures to reduce occupational risk being applied?
• Employee familiarisation: has the employee been familiarised with the risk assessment for the workstation where they perform their work?

You can use this checklist to organise your own review of these three obligations. Do not treat either the checklist or the documentation alone as a guarantee of safety or confirmation that all employment conditions comply with the law.

Summary

Keep the three obligations identified by PIP distinct: assess and document risk associated with specific work, apply the necessary preventive measures to reduce that risk, and familiarise employees with the assessment for the workstation where they perform their work. The optional organisational checklist serves only as a supporting check of these elements.