- workplace safety fines
- PIP inspection
- labour law
- OHS regulations 2026
- BHP training
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 where statutory repeat-offence conditions are met. 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). Its principal provisions, including the fine increases, entered into force on 8 July 2026; Article 20 brought selected provisions into force earlier 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 - qualified repeat offence | up to PLN 5,000 | up to PLN 10,000 |
| Court fine - specified alimony-debtor offences (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).
The PLN 10,000 ceiling under Article 96(1b) is not triggered by every second breach. It requires at least two previous punishments for Labour Code offences against employee rights and commission of such an offence within two years of the last punishment.
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, using inadequately labelled chemicals and mixtures, and using dangerous or hazardous substances or mixtures without the required safety data sheets and protective packaging (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. Liability requires establishing that the individual was responsible for OHS or directed work and breached applicable duties; a job title alone is not enough.
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 such an employee more than the contractual remuneration without deductions for maintenance claims, subject to the specific conditions of Article 282(3).
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 reform allows justified remote inspections under art. 26(5)–(8) and expands data exchange with ZUS and KAS. Article 19 sets maximum expenditure on tasks arising from this reform, not PIP’s entire budget: PLN 28.2 million in 2026 and, for example, PLN 70.9 million in 2032. These limits do not establish how many inspections will take place.
The district labour inspector may issue a decision establishing an employment relationship under art. 11(1)(7a) and art. 33a. This is not an automatic conversion of every B2B arrangement: the conditions in Labour Code art. 22(1), an opportunity for the parties to state their positions, and non-compliance with the prior instruction under art. 11(2)(2) are required. The decision has the effects specified in art. 34 and can be appealed to the labour court under civil-procedure rules.
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. This excludes only the specified offence liability in the situations covered by Article 16. It does not automatically waive tax or contribution arrears, employee claims or liability for other breaches.
Key takeaways
- From 8 July 2026, OHS fines reach PLN 60,000, and PIP on-the-spot fines - PLN 5,000 (PLN 10,000 where statutory repeat-offence conditions are met).
- Liability falls on the individual - employer, manager, foreman or crew leader - not the company.
- Voluntary correction within 12 months of arrangements existing before commencement, subject to Article 16, excludes only liability under Art. 281 § 1(1).
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 employees subject to the relevant duty, taking account of statutory exemptions; 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 where statutory repeat-offence conditions are met).
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 checked: 15 October 2026. This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. For individual cases, consult a lawyer or an OHS specialist.