HSE Professional Guide · Safety & Health Coordination · Issue 6
Engaging with the Authorities – Before the Inspector Arrives
In 2024, the occupational safety authority inspected 7,739 employers in Hungary – and found a deficiency at nearly three-quarters of them (74.9%). The construction sector was the most severely affected industry for fatal occupational accidents in 2024: 41 serious accidents occurred, of which 22 were fatal – more than in any other sector.
From 1 March 2024, the stakes increased dramatically: the previous fine band of HUF 50,000–10,000,000 was replaced by a band of HUF 100,000–100,000,000 – the upper limit increased tenfold. A failure that was previously "manageable" now represents a serious financial risk factor in a company's planning.
In this environment, the BE Coordinator is frequently the only person on site with the professional qualification needed to substantively handle a regulatory inspection.
Who Can Inspect a Construction Site?
- County Government Office Employment Supervision and Occupational Safety Department – OHS Act compliance, occupational safety qualifications, Safety and Health Plan, accident investigation
- National Fire Service / Disaster Management Directorate – fire safety rules, fire-risk work permits
- National Public Health and Pharmaceutical Centre – occupational health conditions, social facilities
- Building authority – building permit compliance, construction documentation
- Environmental authority – waste management, soil contamination, noise emissions
What Should You Do When the Inspector Arrives?
Immediate notification – responsible technical supervisor and client's contact, in parallel
Identification of the inspector – under Section 84(1) of the OHS Act, the inspector verifies entitlement by presenting an inspector's identity card or, under Government Decree 320/2014., a letter of authorisation; the coordinator may request to see either
Accompaniment and documentation – record every question and response
Document preparation – Safety and Health Plan, risk assessment, training records, PTW register
Statements – only factual questions; reserve disputes until legal counsel is involved
Findings and deadlines – record in the Construction Log, prepare an action plan
ℹ️ Identifying the inspector is not distrust – it is mandatory procedure
Requesting the inspector's identity card or letter of authorisation is always a legitimate, expected step and does not obstruct the authority's work. The coordinator's proper procedure protects the client's interests.
Don't Just React – Take the Initiative
Most coordinators only engage with regulators reactively. The experienced coordinator uses regulatory relationships proactively:
- Mandatory advance notification – where the project meets the threshold (longer than 30 working days, >20 workers, or >500 person-days)
- Voluntary reporting of serious incidents – demonstrates good faith for serious near-misses
- Pre-emptive consultation in ambiguous cases – reduces the likelihood of later dispute
- Regulatory training and briefings – up-to-date legislative awareness
Behind the Numbers
Accident Notification
Fatal occupational accident
Immediately by phone to the authority and police · in writing within 8 hours · scene must be preserved
Serious occupational accident (incapacity exceeding 3 days)
In writing within 3 working days · mandatory accident investigation
Minor injury accident
Internal record and report mandatory · regulatory notification only if incapacitated
Release of hazardous substances, fire, explosion
Immediate notification to the fire service / disaster management authority
Protecting the Coordinator
⚠️ Important – the coordinator's legal position
- If the client instructs the coordinator not to make a regulatory notification – this instruction must be requested in writing, and the coordinator must make the notification regardless if a statutory obligation exists
- The coordinator's personal occupational safety liability remains in force – reliance on "client instruction" does not exempt from statutory obligation
- The coordinator should keep a personal record of all their own actions – in addition to the Construction Log
ℹ️ Proactive regulatory engagement protects the client
Well-prepared, documented regulatory engagement is not directed against the client – it serves precisely to protect them legally and financially. The presence of a well-prepared coordinator is often the single factor distinguishing a quick, formality-level inspection from a long, sanction-bearing proceeding.
ℹ️ This guide does not apply uniformly to every case
The procedures and authority list set out here apply to typical construction execution projects – special cases (mining activity, nuclear or hazardous industrial facilities, classified or protected sites) may involve different, extended procedures and additional authorities. This guide provides general direction and does not replace project-specific legal and technical advice.
"A regulatory inspection is not an unforeseeable event requiring a reaction – it is a predictable situation that can be prepared for."
Statutory references
Act XCIII of 1993 (OHS Act), Sections 64–67, 82/A, 84 · Government Decree 320/2014. · Decree 4/2002. (II.20.) SzCsM-EüM · Act C of 2023 (Méptv.)