What OSH training must employers provide to workers in Iraq?

Every employer in Iraq must train workers on how to avoid occupational hazards, inform each worker in writing of the hazards and prevention measures before work starts, and post the hazard rules visibly (Labour Law No. 37 of 2015, Articles 114 and 117). The law does not fix course hours, topics or a renewal period, so the content and frequency follow the hazards, the ministerial instructions and, on most projects, the client's contract.

Short answer

• Training duty: train workers on how to avoid occupational hazards and spread an OSH culture (Article 114(2)).
• Written briefing: before starting work, each worker receives written information on the hazards and the means of prevention (Article 117(1)).
• Posted rules: hazard rules and prevention measures displayed visibly at the workplace (Articles 114(2), 117(2)); in quarries and mines, the employer also draws up and posts the enterprise's health and safety instructions (Articles 107 and 110).
• Language: written documents must be in Arabic, plus Kurdish in the Kurdistan Region (Article 16).
• No legal minimum for hours, renewal or trainer qualification in the law; check the current OSH instructions with the National Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
• Worker duty: follow OSH instructions and use protective equipment (Article 119).

What the law requires

Chapter 13 of the Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 (قانون العمل رقم 37 لسنة 2015) treats cooperation between employer and workers as the basis of OSH (Article 114(1)). Training is one of the listed duties: train workers on how to avoid occupational hazards and disseminate an OSH culture, with the rules on occupational risks displayed in a visible place (Article 114(2)).

Article 117 adds a written information duty before work begins. This is the closest Iraqi law comes to a mandatory induction: the worker must know, in writing, the hazards of the job and the preventive measures. Article 118 requires the employer to provide preventive means, and the National Centre for OSH sets instructions on preventive equipment and how to use it, which implies training in correct use.

Workers must follow the orders and instructions on preventive means and safety, wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and cooperate with the employer (Article 119). Repeated breach of OSH instructions is a ground for dismissal (Article 141), which an employer can only rely on if the instructions were given and understood, so documented training also protects the employer.

A practical training plan

Deliver training in a language workers understand; many sites in Iraq employ Arabic, Kurdish and foreign workers. Written documents must be in Arabic, with Kurdish as well in the Kurdistan Region, and a document in another language cannot be relied on against a worker even if signed (Article 16), so give foreign workers a translation in addition, not instead. Record attendance, content and trainer, because inspection committees may examine any records required by the law and instructions (Article 129).

Example: A construction contractor in Erbil runs a two-hour induction for each new worker, gives a one-page written hazard sheet in Arabic and Kurdish (with a translation for foreign workers), signed on receipt, trains scaffolders before they build, and holds weekly toolbox talks. In June it adds a heat-stress session on water, shade and early warning signs. Before applying the plan, it confirms with the Kurdistan Region labour directorate which instructions apply there.

Common mistakes

• Relying on verbal briefings: the hazard information must be in writing before work starts.
• Training in a language the worker does not read well.
• Keeping no records: without them the employer cannot show compliance or rely on Article 141.

Related on excodex

• Occupational safety and health in Iraq: law, authorities and employer duties
• Is a written risk assessment mandatory in Iraq?
• What is the main OSH law in Iraq and who enforces it?

Standards and further reading

• Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 (قانون العمل رقم 37 لسنة 2015), Articles 16, 107, 110, 114, 117 to 119, 129, 141; unofficial English translation: alnoor.edu.iq. The Arabic text in Al-Waqai al-Iraqiya is authoritative.

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.