On 30 September 2026 the Riigikogu adopted amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act that reduce bureaucracy. The amendments were published in Riigi Teataja on 16 October 2026 (RT I, 16.10.2026, 2) and come into force on 26 October 2026.
Several reporting obligations disappear, but the main duties remain. The changes below follow the text of TTOS (version from 26.10.2026).
What disappears or gets simpler
- Risk assessment in TEIS: only an employer with at least 10 employees has to prepare or submit the risk assessment in the database (§ 13⁴ subs. 7).
- The annual review of internal control is abolished. Internal control must still be checked regularly, but the law no longer names a fixed deadline (§ 13 subs. 1).
- The first health check must be done within 6 months of starting work (previously 4 months). For night work, biological hazards, carcinogens, lead and asbestos it is still required before starting work (§ 13¹ subs. 6–7).
- Safety instructions: instructions are needed for the work equipment in use, unless the manufacturer's user manual already contains safe-use information (§ 13 subs. 1 cl. 14). The law no longer requires separate instructions for the work being done.
- A first aider does not need to be appointed if employees work alone or if a shared first-aid arrangement has been agreed for a common working environment (§ 13² subs. 1¹).
- A working environment representative is elected if at least 10% of employees want one; otherwise the employer consults the employees. The requirement to notify the Labour Inspectorate of the representative's name was removed from § 17 subs. 4.
What remains mandatory (also for a firm with fewer than 10 employees)
- A written risk assessment with an action plan (§ 13⁴ subs. 2 and 6). A risk assessment not entered in the database is kept by the employer for 55 years (§ 13⁴ subs. 9).
- Instruction and training of employees.
- Safety instructions for work equipment (if the manufacturer's manual is not enough).
- Health check – the first within 6 months.
- Personal protective equipment chosen on the basis of the risk assessment, and a record of its issue.
- Reporting and investigating an accident at work.
One-person private limited company (osaühing)
New § 1 subsection 3¹: the Act does not apply to a private limited company (OÜ) whose sole shareholder is also its only management board member and only employee. As an exception, § 12 subsections 4–9, §§ 12²–12⁵ and § 24 subsection 2 still apply to them. If anyone else works in the company, the Act applies in full.
Why this matters
In July 2026 the Labour Inspectorate inspected 83 construction sites and found 290 deficiencies. 45 orders were issued, work was stopped in 22 cases and use of work equipment was banned in 26 cases. In areas with a risk of head injury, the use of safety helmets was not compliant on 28 of 82 sites (summary of the targeted inspection). During an inspection, they ask specifically about the risk assessment, instruction records and personal protective equipment.
Summary in a table
| Obligation | Until 25.10.2026 | From 26.10.2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Risk assessment in TEIS | all employers | employer with at least 10 employees |
| Written risk assessment | yes | yes |
| First health check | Within 4 months | Within 6 months |
| Internal control review | every year | regularly, no fixed term |
| Working environment representative | In a company with 10+ employees | if at least 10% of employees want it |
| One-person OÜ | the Act applies | the Act does not apply (except § 12(4)–(9), §§ 12²–12⁵, § 24(2)) |
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