Legal regulations relating to office work
In Polish law office work conditions are governed by:
- ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy dated 1 December 1998 on safety and hygiene of work in the work-places equipped in screen monitors (Journal of Laws dated 10 December 1998, Journal of Laws 98.148.973)
and in certain issues - ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy dated 26 September 1997 on general principles of work safety and hygiene.
The ordinances impose on the employer an obligation to organize work-places in such a way so that minimum requirements regarding safety and hygiene of work and ergonomics are met in the scope of :
Other obligations of the employer as specified in the ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy dated 1 December 1998 on safety and hygiene of work in the work-places equipped in screen monitors are:
1. An obligation to evaluate the working conditions, including:
- arrangement of furnishings
- condition of furnishings
- strain on the musculoskeletal system and vision organs
- stress caused by lighting, noise and other physical factors
- mental stress due to the way the work is organized
2. An obligation to inform employees about all aspects of health protection and safety at work and an obligation to train in industrial safety.
3. An obligation to provide at least a 5 minute break (included in the work time) after each hour of work at the screen monitor or to mix the work at the computer with the work that does not put a strain on vision and can be performed in other body positions.
4. An obligation to provide preventive health care and to provide glasses correcting vision according to a physician’s recommendations.
Prepared on the basis of ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy dated 1 December 1998 on safety and hygiene of work at stations equipped with screen monitors and ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy dated 26 September 1997 on general work safety and hygiene regulations.
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