Inspection oversight of occupational safety and health is carried out by the State Labour Inspectorate, under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Labour Inspection Act. The inspector works from an official checklist with precisely defined questions, and the measures imposed range from a warning to a prohibition on work. Here is the whole procedure — step by step, with the fines exactly as the Act states them.
Who carries out the oversight
Oversight is split: administrative oversight rests with the Ministry of Economy and Labour, and inspection oversight with the State Labour Inspectorate (Article 48). Until the amendment published in Official Gazette of RNM no. 74/25, competence lay with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy; that amendment moved it to the Ministry of Economy and Labour, and the second-instance appeal body became the State Commission for Decision-Making in Administrative Procedure and Employment Procedure at Second Instance.
Under the amendment to the Labour Inspection Act (Official Gazette of RNM no. 16/25), the director of the Inspectorate is appointed by the Government for a four-year term, and the annual work plan is published on the Inspectorate's website.
Three types of inspection
Under the Inspection Oversight Act (Official Gazette of RNM no. 102/2019), an inspection may be routine, extraordinary or follow-up.
Routine inspection. Carried out under the annual and monthly plan and announced by written notice of the timing and scope. The notice, together with the checklist, is delivered at least three working days before it begins, and a routine inspection by the same service at the same entity takes place no more than once a year. Exception: the inspection will not be announced where there are grounds for urgent action or a public interest in removing a danger to life and health — but the inspector must then record those grounds in the inspection record.
Extraordinary inspection. Carried out ex officio or on the initiative of a natural or legal person — an employee complaint, for instance. As a rule it is unannounced and is conducted within ten working days of receiving the initiative.
Follow-up inspection. A check on whether the irregularities from the previous inspection were remedied within the deadline set.
What the inspector may do
Before starting, the inspector must show their official identification and badge. During the inspection they have the right to enter business premises, sites and vehicles at any time and to examine all documentation and production processes without hindrance; to photograph and record the premises; to inspect identification documents of persons present; to seal premises or objects to secure evidence; to issue a warning or another inspection measure with a deadline for remedy; and to file a request to initiate offence or criminal proceedings. They may also request the presence of a police officer and remove a person obstructing the inspection.
The checklist — what exactly is checked
The State Labour Inspectorate maintains an official Checklist for the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The questions on it are mandatory during a routine inspection, and the list is published on the Inspectorate's website and updated at least once a year.
Each question is scored "YES / NO" and rated from 1 to 5 points. This is what the list contains:
| Article | What the inspector checks |
|---|---|
| 11(1) and (4) | A safety statement prepared and implemented in writing |
| 13 | Employee participation and consultation on the choice of work equipment |
| 14 | Access to hazardous workplaces only under specific instructions |
| 16 | OSH measures are at the employer's expense |
| 17, indents 1 and 2 | A safety professional appointed; an authorised health institution engaged |
| 17, indents 3 and 4 | Fire prevention measures and first aid and evacuation measures adopted |
| 17, indent 6 | Personal protective equipment provided and used |
| 17, indent 7 | Periodic inspections and testing of the working environment and equipment carried out |
| 22 | Employee health examinations carried out |
| 23(1) and (2) | Inspectorate notified 8 days before the activity and of the construction works location |
| 24(4) and (5) | An evacuation and rescue plan established; first aid organised |
| 25(1), (2) and (4) | Employees informed in writing; no liability for leaving in the event of danger |
| 26(1) and (2) | Information on every risk, including for temporary staff |
| 27(1) and (2) | Participation in discussions and the safety statement presented |
| 28 and 29(1) | A representative elected, in a number matching headcount |
| 30(2) | The representative able to perform their function without hindrance |
| 31(1) | Theoretical and practical training for every employee on every prescribed occasion |
| 33(1) and (3) | Work equipment maintained and inspected; no untested equipment in service |
| 34 and 35 | Hazards, microclimate and illuminance tested, within one year and after every change |
| 36 | The 48-hour deadline observed for reporting a fatality, accident or injury |
| 37(1) | Whether the records required by law are kept |
| 41(1) and (2) | Employees observe the measures and use the protective equipment |
| 42-а and 42-б | Students on practical placement in mines — briefed and with a signed statement |
| 49(3) | Action taken on the inspector's earlier decision |
A practical consequence: if you have these documents ready during a routine inspection, it will be short. The inspector may also request a self-assessment report with supporting evidence in advance.
Inspection record, warning, decision, prohibition
Inspection record. The inspector draws up a written record on site; where the scope makes that impossible, the record is drawn up at the Inspectorate's premises within three days. You have the right to refuse to sign it and to submit a written objection with reasons. If you do not respond to the delivered record within eight days, you are deemed to agree with its content.
Warning. For offences under Articles 56, 57 and 58 the inspector must first issue a warning by decision and set a deadline for remedy (Article 48-а). The decision is issued immediately, and at the latest within eight days of the record being drawn up. If the irregularities are remedied within that deadline, the proceedings are discontinued.
Decision with an order. Where the inspector establishes a breach of the regulations, a decision orders the irregularities to be remedied within a set deadline (Article 49(1)).
Prohibition on work. The inspector prohibits work by decision, entirely or on part of the equipment, plant or process, in two cases: where an immediate danger to safety and health exists (Article 49(2)) and where the employer has not acted on the decision within the deadline set (Article 49(3)). The prohibition lasts until the necessary measures are implemented. Where remedy requires substantial capital investment and life and health are not immediately endangered, the inspector may order the adoption of a programme for phased compliance (Article 49(4)).
Repeat offence. If the employer repeats the same offence within one year, having previously been subject to a decision under Article 49(1), the inspector prohibits work in the work premises by decision for 15 days and files a request for offence proceedings (Article 54(3)). An appeal does not suspend enforcement of this decision.
How high the fines go
The Act divides offences into three categories and grades the fines by the size of the employer. All amounts are in euro in denar equivalent.
Fines for an employer that is a legal entity
| Category | Micro and small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category I (Article 56) | €200 – 300 | €300 – 400 | €400 – 600 |
| Category II (Article 57) | €300 – 400 | €600 – 800 | €800 – 1,000 |
| Category III (Article 58) | €500 – 1,000 | €1,000 – 2,000 | €3,000 – 4,000 |
Fines for the responsible person within the legal entity
| Category | Micro and small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category I | €150 | €300 | €400 |
| Category II | €200 | €350 | €450 |
| Category III | €300 | €400 | €500 |
For an employer that is a natural person the fine is EUR 250 across all three categories. An employee who fails to observe the measures for correct use of work equipment or does not use personal protective equipment is fined EUR 30 (Article 57(4)).
Micro, small, medium or large — which are you
These categories are used by Articles 56, 57 and 58 themselves, but the Occupational Safety and Health Act does not define them — it contains no threshold either by headcount or by revenue. Classification by size is not specific to OSH: it derives from company law and is established from the annual accounts, which means your accountant knows the answer. Check it before estimating what you risk — for the same category III offence the range runs from EUR 500 for a micro employer to EUR 4,000 for a large one.
What falls into which category
Category I (Article 56) — information, consultation and records: failing to involve employees in identifying shortcomings; passing the cost of measures on to employees; failing to conclude contracts with external first aid and fire protection services; failing to inform employees in writing; failing to present the safety statement; obstructing the representative; and failing to keep the records required by Article 37.
Category II (Article 57) — system organisation: failing to appoint a safety professional; failing to engage an authorised health institution; fire prevention and first aid and evacuation measures not adopted; failing to notify the Inspectorate 8 days before commencing the activity or before construction works; no evacuation plan established; workplace environment testing not carried out within one year.
Category III (Article 58) — the most serious: a missing or improperly prepared safety statement; access to hazardous workplaces without specific instructions; untrained employees; personal protective equipment not provided; inspections and testing not carried out; health examinations not carried out; first aid not organised; work equipment not maintained and not tested; hazard and microclimate testing not carried out; failure to report within 48 hours a fatality, collective accident or injury causing incapacity lasting more than three working days; and failure to act on an inspector's decision.
Offence payment order, appeal and deadlines
Before filing a request for offence proceedings, the inspector must issue an offence payment order. If the fine is paid within eight days of issue, half the prescribed amount is payable; if not, a request to initiate offence proceedings is filed (Article 54(1) and (2)). Different bodies conduct the proceedings: for Articles 56 and 57 an offence commission established by the minister, and for Article 58 the competent court.
An appeal against the inspector's decision is lodged within eight days of receipt, and is decided by the State Commission for Decision-Making in Administrative Procedure and Employment Procedure at Second Instance. An appeal does not suspend enforcement of decisions prohibiting work under Article 49(2) and (3). For a warning decision under Article 48-а the appeal deadline is 15 days, and again it does not suspend enforcement.
How to prepare
Most of the offences on the list are prevented by having documentation in order: a current risk assessment, an appointed OSH professional, documented employee training, reports from workplace environment measurements and from equipment testing, and properly maintained records.
How we can help
We review your position against the same checklist the inspector uses and give you a list of what is missing and in what order to fix it. We then prepare the documentation and carry out the specialist activities we are authorised to perform. Request a quote with a brief note on your activity and headcount.
This article is informational and does not replace professional advice. Regulations change — last updated: August 2026.
This article is informational and does not replace professional advice.
