# Labour Code – chemical agents and CMR (Arts 221, 222, 227)

Act of 26 June 1974 – Labour Code (Kodeks pracy) (Section X – occupational health and safety)

- Status: In force
- Legal order: Poland
- Legal area: Chemicals and worker health
- Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1245 (consolidated text)
- Business profile: Mining, Smelting, Semi-fabrication, Recycling, Scrap trade

## In brief

Statutory basis for the employer’s obligations concerning chemical substances and CMR: labelling, inventory and safety data sheets, substitution, registers of work and workers, measurements and maximum admissible concentrations (NDS).

## Key obligations

- prohibition on using hazardous substances without an up-to-date inventory, safety data sheets and appropriate packaging (Art. 221 § 2)
- replacement of CMR substances with less harmful ones or other measures reducing exposure (Art. 222 § 1)
- register of work involving CMR agents and register of workers employed in such work (Art. 222 § 2)
- tests and measurements of harmful agents at the employer’s expense, recording and making available of results (Art. 227 § 1(2))
- prohibition on using materials and processes without determining their harmfulness (Art. 220 § 1)

## Competent authority

National Labour Inspectorate; State Sanitary Inspection (occupational hygiene conditions)

## Penalties

Petty offence: fine of PLN 2,000 to 60,000 for failure to comply with occupational health and safety rules (Art. 283 § 1)

## Entry into force

01.01.1975

## Application

in force; consolidated text – announcement of 1.09.2026

## Key dates

- 24.09.2026: publication of the consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1245

## Related acts

- [Regulation of the Minister of Health – CMR agents in the working environment (registers)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-cmr-rozp/)
- [Regulation on Polish occupational exposure limits (NDS/NDN; lead 0.03 mg/m³)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-nds/)
- [Regulation of the Minister of Health – tests and measurements of harmful agents](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-pomiary/)
- [CMRD – carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/eu-cmrd/)
- [Directive 98/24/EC – chemical agents at work](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/eu-cad/)

## Official sources

- [Text of the act](https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU19740240141)
- [Consolidated text](https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20260001245)
- [Journal of Laws – Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1245](https://dziennikustaw.gov.pl/DU/2026/1245)

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Register as of: 22.10.2026. The official text of the act prevails. IGMNiR. On the website: https://igmnir.org/en/law/#akt-pl-kp-chemikalia