Poland is updating worker health regulations to align with a new EU directive that lowers permissible lead levels and strengthens protections.
Changes to Lead Exposure Assessments for Workers
Poland is implementing new regulations concerning medical examinations for workers exposed to lead, aligning national law with EU Directive 2024/869. The directive tightens standards regarding exposure to lead and its inorganic compounds.
The amendment to the regulation on conducting medical examinations of employees, the scope of preventive healthcare for employees, and medical opinions issued for the purposes provided for in the Labor Code, is driven by growing knowledge about the harmfulness of lead. Lead is classified as a reprotoxic agent, potentially negatively impacting fertility and fetal development.
Lead as a Reproductive Hazard
According to findings cited in the EU directive, lead accounts for approximately half of all occupational exposure to substances harmful to reproduction. Scientists have been unable to identify a completely safe level of exposure, leading to a principle of maximizing contact limitation.
Lower Permissible Lead Levels
The most significant change concerns the permissible level of lead in workers’ blood. From January 1, 2029, this will be 15 μg Pb/100 ml of blood, a substantial tightening of existing regulations intended to improve worker health protection.
Regular Medical Examinations
The new regulations also mandate regular medical examinations in specific situations. This includes workers whose lead levels exceed the permissible value but remain below 30 μg Pb/100 ml of blood, if resulting from prior exposure (before April 9, 2026). Continued employment will be possible in such cases, contingent on improving test results.
Transitional Period
The draft regulation is one of two legal acts implementing EU Directive 2024/869. The second concerns safety and hygiene in the workplace related to chemical agents. This act introduces a transitional period where the permissible biological value for lead is 30 μg Pb/100 ml of blood until December 31, 2028. The new regulations will take effect on April 9, 2026.
