Occupational safety International framework and country guides
What OSH training must employers provide to workers in Kazakhstan?
Part of: Occupational safety and health in Kazakhstan: law, authorities and employer duties
Short answer
Briefings (introductory, at the workplace, repeated every six months, unscheduled, targeted) plus OSH training and an exam within one month of hiring and at least yearly. Managers and OSH staff train every 3 years in a listed organisation; HPO staff add industrial safety exams.
Employers in Kazakhstan must give every worker OSH briefings (an introductory briefing on hiring, a primary briefing at the workplace, a repeat briefing at least every six months, and unscheduled and targeted briefings when needed) and OSH training with a knowledge exam within one month of hiring and then at least once a year. Managers and persons responsible for OSH are trained and tested every 3 years in a training organisation on the ministry's list, and staff of hazardous production facilities also need industrial safety training and exams.
Short answer
- Legal basis: Labour Code Articles 181 and 182; Rules and terms of OSH training, briefing and knowledge testing (Order No. 1019 of 25 December 2015, rules restated by Order No. 223 of 30 May 2026, in force 12 July 2026).
- New or transferred workers: training and exam within one month of the contract or the change; nobody works without them.
- All workers: training and exam at least once a year; at least 10 academic hours of theory and at least 16 hours of practical training.
- Briefings: introductory, primary at the workplace, repeated at least every six months, unscheduled, targeted; recorded in paper or electronic logs.
- Managers and OSH staff: every 3 years in a listed training organisation, 16 to 40 academic hours depending on the role.
- Hazardous production facilities: industrial safety exams every year for workers (10 hours of training) and every 3 years for managers and engineers (40 hours).
Training and exams for workers
The employer sets the list of jobs and the form of training in agreement with worker representatives (where they exist), and approves the training programmes. Training is organised by the OSH service with the department responsible for training; if the employer has no such department it uses a training organisation from the ministry's list. Theory covers the OSH instructions, the workplace, the equipment and the risks, and lasts at least 10 academic hours; practical training of safe methods lasts at least 16 hours.
Training ends with an exam before a standing commission of at least three people appointed by the employer; worker representatives take part where they exist. A worker who passes receives a paper or electronic certificate; a worker who fails is retrained, retested within a month and kept off the job until passing. Workers are warned at least a month before scheduled training. Workers back after a break of three years or more in the same work, or more than one year in high-hazard work, are retrained and retested before working alone.
The five briefings
| Briefing | When | Who gives it |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory (вводный) | On hiring; also temporary and seconded workers, trainees, visitors and contractors at hazardous production facilities | OSH service or appointed person; ends with a short oral check |
| Primary at the workplace (первичный) | Before independent work, individually with practical demonstration | Direct supervisor (foreman, section head) |
| Repeated (повторный) | At least once every six months, in working time | Direct supervisor |
| Unscheduled (внеплановый) | New or revised rules, changed process or equipment, a breach that caused or could cause harm, inspector's request, new hazards found in risk assessment, a break of more than 60 calendar days | Direct supervisor |
| Targeted (целевой) | One-off tasks outside normal duties, emergency clean-up, work under a permit-to-work | Work supervisor |
Each briefing is signed for in the register; electronic logs are allowed. Staff whose work involves no equipment, power tools or materials (for example some office roles) may be exempted from the primary briefing by an approved list. On-the-job training under supervision (стажировка) follows the briefings for jobs where it is required.
Managers, OSH staff and worker representatives
Article 182 requires managers and persons responsible for OSH to be trained and tested at least once every 3 years in organisations providing further training. The 2026 rules set the minimum durations of the general programme:
| Role | Hours (academic) | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| First managers, persons authorised for OSH, sole traders with employees | at least 16 | 3 years |
| Heads of OSH services and persons performing OSH service functions | at least 40 | 3 years |
| Technical inspectors for labour protection | at least 24 (plus at least 40 of special training every year) | 3 years |
| Chairs of production councils | at least 24 | once per term of office |
Results are entered in the unified digital system as electronic certificates.
Hazardous production facilities
Under Article 79 of the Law on Civil Protection, the head of an organisation operating a hazardous production facility must ensure industrial safety training and exams for managers, specialists and workers, including contractors brought in to work there. Workers are examined every year after at least 10 hours of training; managers, specialists and engineers every 3 years after at least 40 hours. Training and exams take place in the facility's own training centre or a training organisation holding an industrial safety attestation, before a standing commission of at least three; those who fail are retested within a month and may not work in the meantime.
Example: A contractor brings 20 welders to a refinery turnaround. On arrival each receives the refinery's introductory briefing and the contractor's primary workplace briefing with a demonstration, and each holds a valid OSH exam certificate and an industrial safety certificate from the last 12 months. For the hot work on a column, the supervisor gives a targeted briefing and records it in the permit-to-work.
Related on excodex
- Occupational safety and health in Kazakhstan: law, authorities and employer duties
- Must an employer in Kazakhstan appoint a safety professional or an occupational physician?
- OSH competence and training: needs analysis, induction and effectiveness
- What are the penalties for breaking occupational safety rules in Kazakhstan?
Standards and further reading
- Labour Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 414-V of 23 November 2015, Articles 181 and 182: adilet.zan.kz
- Rules and terms of OSH training, briefing and knowledge testing, Order No. 1019 of 25 December 2015, rules restated by Order No. 223 of 30 May 2026: adilet.zan.kz
- Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 188-V of 11 April 2014 "On Civil Protection", Article 79.
This article is general occupational safety and health information prepared by the excodex editorial team. It does not replace the applicable legislation, standards, manufacturers' instructions or the assessment of a competent OSH professional or occupational physician.
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Part of: Occupational safety and health in Kazakhstan: law, authorities and employer duties