As of 8 July 2026, violations of occupational health and safety regulations carry a fine of PLN 2,000 to 60,000, and a labour inspector can impose an on-the-spot fine of up to PLN 5,000 - or up to PLN 10,000 in case of a repeated violation. That is a doubling of the previous court-fine ceiling and a 2.5x increase in the maximum on-the-spot fine. This article explains exactly what changed, on what legal basis, and what it means for employers.

Legal basis: the March 2026 amendment

The fine increase comes from the Act of 11 March 2026 amending the Act on the National Labour Inspectorate and certain other acts (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 473). It entered into force on 8 July 2026 and amends not only the Labour Inspection Act but also the Labour Code, the Code of Proceedings in Misdemeanour Cases and several other acts.

The key change to the Labour Code concerns Article 283(1), which covers misdemeanours against employee rights in the area of occupational health and safety. Until 7 July 2026, the fine ranged from PLN 1,000 to 30,000. The amendment replaced those amounts with a range of PLN 2,000 to 60,000 (Article 3(3) of the amendment).

New OHS penalties - overview

Penalty	Until 7 Jul 2026	From 8 Jul 2026
Court fine for OHS violations (Art. 283(1) LC)	PLN 1,000 - 30,000	PLN 2,000 - 60,000
PIP on-the-spot fine - standard	up to PLN 2,000	up to PLN 5,000
PIP on-the-spot fine - repeated violation	up to PLN 5,000	up to PLN 10,000
Court fine - employing an alimony debtor (Art. 281(2), 282(3) LC)	PLN 1,500 - 45,000	PLN 3,000 - 90,000

The amount of an on-the-spot fine for Labour Code misdemeanours is governed by Article 96(1a) of the Code of Proceedings in Misdemeanour Cases, which as of 8 July 2026 allows an inspector to impose a fine of up to PLN 5,000, and in the cases listed in Art. 96(1b)-(1bc) - up to PLN 10,000 (Article 6 of the amendment).

Who is liable for an OHS violation?

Important: misdemeanour liability under Article 283 of the Labour Code rests with a natural person - not a company. A fine of PLN 2,000 to 60,000 therefore does not target the company as such, but a specific individual. The primary category is set by Section 1: liability falls on anyone who, being responsible for the state of occupational health and safety or directing employees or other natural persons, fails to comply with OHS regulations or rules. In practice this means not only the employer, but also a site manager, foreman or crew leader directing a team.

The catalogue in Section 2 specifies what exactly is punishable. The first group covers organisational and technical violations: carrying out the construction or alteration of a building with work premises without designs that take OHS requirements into account (point 2), equipping workstations with machinery or supplying personal protective equipment that fails conformity-assessment requirements (points 3-4), and using materials and technological processes without prior assessment of their harmfulness, including unlabelled chemicals or substances without safety data sheets (point 5).

The second group concerns information duties and cooperation with the authorities: failing to notify the district labour inspector, prosecutor or other competent authority of a fatal, serious or collective accident, failing to report an occupational disease or suspected occupational disease, concealing an accident, or presenting false information or documents (point 6); failing to comply within the set deadline with an order issued by PIP (point 7); and obstructing the activities of the inspection, for example by preventing a workplace inspection (point 8). A separate provision (point 9) punishes allowing a child under 16 to work or perform gainful activities without the labour inspector’s permission.

Regardless of the fine, the inspector also has supervisory measures at their disposal: orders to remove deficiencies, reassignment of an employee to other work, and - where there is a direct threat to life or health - halting work or the operations of the establishment. Everyone who shapes safety conditions or directs the work of others is responsible - not just the owner.

Note: PLN 90,000 does not apply to OHS violations

Media reports have mentioned “fines of up to PLN 90,000”. To clarify: that ceiling was introduced only for specific offences under Article 281(2) and 282(3) of the Labour Code - among others, failing to confirm in writing an employment contract with an alimony debtor (undocumented employment) or paying an alimony debtor wages without making the required deductions.

For violations in the area of occupational health and safety (Art. 283(1)), the ceiling is PLN 60,000. This distinction matters in practice - a PLN 90,000 fine cannot be imposed for an OHS misdemeanour.

PIP inspections in 2026 - not just fines

The amendment also changes the inspection service itself. First, in justified cases an inspection - or part of it - may be carried out remotely, by electronic means of communication (new Art. 26(5)-(8) of the Labour Inspection Act). Second, PIP now exchanges data with ZUS and the tax administration (KAS), including the new Articles 14a and 299j, so gaps between civil-law contracts and the actual organisation of work will become visible faster. Third, the inspection’s budget is growing - from PLN 28.2 million in 2026 to around PLN 70 million annually from 2032 (Article 19 of the amendment) - and more funding means, in practice, more inspections.

The most far-reaching change is a new administrative decision: as of 8 July 2026, the district labour inspector may issue a decision establishing the existence of an employment relationship in place of a civil-law contract. The decision takes effect under labour, tax and social-insurance law (Art. 11(1)(7a) and Art. 34(2j) of the Labour Inspection Act).

12 months to convert contracts voluntarily

Few people noticed the transitional provision in Article 16 of the amendment: an entity that on the day the act entered into force engaged a person under a civil-law contract even though the work met the characteristics of an employment relationship (Art. 22(1) of the Labour Code), and within 12 months voluntarily regularises the employment by concluding a contract of employment, bears no liability under Art. 281(1)(1) of the Labour Code. It is a real window to put employment arrangements in order without the risk of a fine - use it before it closes in 2027.

Key takeaways

From 8 July 2026, OHS fines reach PLN 60,000, and PIP on-the-spot fines - PLN 5,000 (PLN 10,000 for a repeat violation).
Liability falls on the individual - employer, manager, foreman or crew leader - not the company.
Voluntarily converting civil-law contracts into employment contracts within 12 months exempts the employer from liability under Art. 281 § 1(1) of the Labour Code.

How to prepare your company for a PIP inspection

A practical pre-inspection checklist:

Check that OHS training is up to date - initial and periodic, for all employees; missing training carries a fine under Art. 283(1).
Update the risk assessment - for every position, including remote work.
Verify work-station instructions - for work involving hazardous factors.
Prepare accident documentation - make sure accident-reporting procedures work.
Review B2B and mandate contracts - as of 8 July 2026, PIP can establish an employment relationship by administrative decision.
Assign OHS responsibility and make sure those people understand the new sanctions.

Need support preparing for an inspection or updating training? Lenax offers comprehensive OHS outsourcing as well as initial and periodic training - see our offer.

FAQ - the most common questions about the new OHS fines

What is the fine for missing OHS training in 2026? As of 8 July 2026, PLN 2,000 to 60,000 (Art. 283(1) of the Labour Code). An inspector may also impose an on-the-spot fine of up to PLN 5,000 (up to PLN 10,000 for a repeated violation).

Does the PLN 90,000 fine apply to OHS violations? No. PLN 90,000 applies to selected offences under Art. 281(2) and 282(3), mainly related to employing alimony debtors. For OHS misdemeanours (Art. 283(1)) the ceiling is PLN 60,000.

When did the new OHS fines enter into force? On 8 July 2026. The act of 11 March 2026 (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 473) entered into force three months after publication, i.e. on 8 July 2026.

Who can be fined for OHS - the company or an individual? Offences under Art. 283 of the Labour Code are committed by a natural person: an employer who is a natural person, or a person acting on their behalf - e.g. the person responsible for OHS, a manager, foreman or crew leader.

Need help preparing for a PIP inspection?

Lenax offers comprehensive OHS outsourcing along with introductory and periodic training - including e-learning for office staff. Check our OHS services or contact us - we will help you get your documentation inspection-ready.

Sources

Legal status: September 2026. This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. For individual cases, consult a lawyer or an OHS specialist.

New OHS fines 2026 - fines up to PLN 60,000 as of 8 July