Online OHS training
Traditional training is adapting to the needs of the market, and more companies are seeing the value of moving it online.
Part of occupational health and safety training may be delivered remotely under the Regulation of the Minister of Economy and Labour of 27 July 2004, supplemented in 2007 to allow guided self-study using the internet. Periodic training and the general briefing can be online; the workstation briefing must take place at the workstation.
With a large workforce and high turnover, classroom training becomes a bottleneck: a group has to be assembled, a date and a room found, while a new starter waits for clearance to enter the site. E-learning solves that — but not across the whole scope, and it is exactly that distinction that causes confusion.
What the regulations say
The Regulation of the Minister of Economy and Labour of 27 July 2004 on training in occupational health and safety (Journal of Laws No. 180, item 1860) makes all employees subject to training, regardless of position, length of service or form of employment.
In 2007 the regulation was supplemented. It clarified guided self-study based on materials supplied by the training organiser, in particular using the internet — and this is the legal basis for e-learning in occupational safety.
What can move online, and what cannot
- General briefing — safety rules in force at the plant, regulations, first aid. Suitable for remote delivery.
- Periodic training — for most groups of workstations it can be delivered as guided self-study with a knowledge test.
- Workstation briefing — showing the specific workstation, machine, protective equipment and working method. It must take place on site. No platform replaces it.
What the employer gains
- Staff train at a convenient time, without halting a shift.
- The organisational cost of training ten and a hundred people is practically the same.
- Test results are recorded automatically, making training easier to evidence during an inspection.
- Subcontractors take the same induction before entering the site, on the same terms as own employees.
What to watch for
A platform does not remove the duty of substance. The material must reflect the actual hazards at the plant, and the test must genuinely check knowledge rather than serve as a box to tick. Training unrelated to the workstation is a problem even when the paperwork is in order.
Our VITRIX platform was built on that premise: materials are matched to the plant's profile and the interface to the client's visual identity. See also HSE outsourcing.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, as guided self-study based on materials supplied by the training organiser, in particular using the internet — under the 2004 regulation as supplemented in 2007. The permitted scope depends on the group of workstations.
No. It concerns a specific workstation, machinery and protective equipment, so it remains an on-site activity. The general briefing and periodic training are the parts that can be delivered online.
All employees, regardless of position, length of service or form of employment. Subcontractors entering the site must also know the internal procedures in force there.
Need a quote for testing or remediation?
Describe the site and the planned investment — we will prepare a free quote and advise which scope of testing the regulations require.