Since September 1, 2024, a new methodology for conducting a special assessment of working conditions (SAWC) has been in effect in Russia, which introduces a number of innovations. What an employer should pay attention to when conducting a SAWC using a new methodology — this was discussed at the master class «SAWC with an excellent mark. Step-by-step instructions for employers». It was conducted by experts from EcoStandard group as part of the IX St. Petersburg International Labor Forum and the CUBE EXPO exhibition «Personnel. Management. Security», taking place at the Expoforum.

The main changes related to the procedures for the study of industrial health and safety hazards (IHSH) and the distribution of working conditions in workplaces by class according to their degree of harmfulness and/or danger based on the data obtained, said Tatiana Kucherenko, head of the St. Petersburg EcoStandard group’s SAWC department. The procedure for conducting the SAWC has also undergone a number of changes, she added.

The expert gave some practical advice on conducting the SAWC using the new methodology. First, it is necessary to check the availability of the organization selected for the special assessment in the register of accredited companies. Second, it is necessary to keep the numbering of certified workplaces in accordance with the one that was used in the previous SAWC. We also must not forget about the need to approve the protocol of the commission on the results of the identification of the IHSH — this is a new document that now needs to be drawn up.

Special attention should be paid to the final stage of the SAWC: within 30 calendar days, the employer must familiarize employees with the results of the special assessment, submit an appropriate declaration to the FGIS and post the information on the company’s official website. «Companies often forget about the need for the last step. Meanwhile, failure to post the results of the SAWC on the website may be qualified by the labor Inspectorate as a violation of the procedure for conducting the SAWC, and this entails administrative liability — a fine of 50 thousand to 80 thousand rubles,» Tatiana Kucherenko recalled. The new methodology empowers the employer to accept the results of the SAWC in electronic form, and the companies that order the SAWC procedure are increasingly using this, the expert emphasized.

A special assessment of working conditions is not a formal procedure, Daria Kosheva, Project Manager for Strategic Development at EcoStandard group, reminded. The results of the SAWC are used in the development of measures to improve working conditions and the matrix of medical examinations, in monitoring the state of working conditions in the workplace and during the assessment and management of occupational risks. The results of the special assessment are also used to develop standards for the distribution of PPE and are an important element for updating or compiling training programs on occupational safety at enterprises, Daria Kosheva emphasized.