In brief
Annex 1 of the training regulation of 2 April 2026 groups basic training into four topic groups: general (4 sub-headings), health (5), technical (12) and risks specific to the job and workplace. Basic training is given by the workplace's OHS specialist and workplace physician and by the institutions listed in the regulation; the trainer's field of expertise must match the topic taught. The "experienced employee" who may give induction training cannot give basic training.
Basic OHS training topics: what does Annex 1 set out?
Basic OHS training topics are set out under the name "Table of Training Topics" in Annex 1 of the Regulation on the Procedures and Principles of Occupational Health and Safety Training for Employees, published in the Official Gazette of 2 April 2026 (annex text). Under Art. 9 of the regulation, basic training covers these topics as a minimum: you cannot remove topics from the list, but you can add topics to suit your workplace. When you add topics, the minimum duration in Art. 13 is also reasonably increased (Art. 9/6).
Annex 1 gives the topic headings; it does not specify how many minutes are allocated to each heading. Time is distributed across topics according to the activities at the workplace and the needs of employees (Art. 13/2). The content of topics is prepared to suit the participants' level of education and illustrated with elements of the work and environment in the areas where employees work (Art. 9/2–3). This article focuses on how to fill in each heading when preparing the curriculum. For the full rules on durations, examinations and distance learning, see our article on the new OHS training regulation.
1. General topics
General topics consist of four sub-headings. They make sure employees know their rights and obligations; so although they may seem independent of the workplace, the examples should be chosen from your own workplace.
- a) Information on labour legislation: The basic structure of Law No. 6331, the workplace's hazard class and its effect on the frequency of training, examinations and inspections.
- b) Legal rights and responsibilities of employees: The right to refuse work under Art. 13 of the Law, employee obligations under Art. 19, and to whom and how to report a hazard.
- c) Workplace cleanliness and order: The link between walkways, stacking, waste and spilt material and slip and trip accidents.
- ç) Legal consequences of workplace accidents and occupational diseases: The legal and criminal consequences of an accident for the employer and the employee; notifying SGK of the accident within 3 working days.
2. Health topics
Health topics consist of five sub-headings:
- a) Causes of occupational diseases: How factors such as dust, noise, chemicals and vibration turn into disease over the years.
- b) Principles of disease prevention and application of protection techniques: The role of control at source, ventilation, PPE and health surveillance; the purpose of pre-employment and periodic examinations.
- c) Biological and psychosocial risk factors: Infection risks, shift work, workload, violence and bullying.
- ç) First aid: What to do first at the scene, who the first aiders are, where the first aid cabinet is.
- d) Harms of addictive substances and technology addiction.
The first aid heading in basic training is an awareness topic; it does not replace the first aider certificate obtained under the First Aid Regulation. For the certification process, see our article on the first aid certificate.
3. Technical topics
With twelve sub-headings, technical topics are the largest group. Explaining each heading with a concrete example from the site makes the training memorable:
| Sub-heading | How is it made concrete on site? |
|---|---|
| a) Chemical, physical and ergonomic risk factors | Chemical labels at the workplace, noisy areas, repetitive movements |
| b) Manual lifting and carrying | Correct lifting with a real carton or part |
| c) Flash fires and explosions | Areas with solvents, paint, dust build-up |
| ç) Fire and fire protection | Location and type of extinguishers |
| d) Safe use of work equipment | Presses, forklifts, hand tools; guards |
| e) Working with display screen equipment | Office and control room layout |
| f) Electricity, its hazards, risks and measures | Area in front of panels, residual current device, damaged cables |
| g) Causes of workplace accidents and principles of protection | Accident and near miss examples from the workplace |
| ğ) Health and safety signs | Signs and colour codes in the facility |
| h) Use of personal protective equipment | Putting on and maintaining the PPE issued |
| ı) General OHS rules and safety culture | Workplace rules, the habit of reporting |
| i) Emergencies, evacuation and rescue | Escape route, assembly point, alarm |
Do not cover the safety culture heading with just a list of rules; explain how an employee's report of a hazard is received. Our article on OHS culture may give you ideas on this.
4. Risks specific to the job and workplace
The fourth topic group is prepared in two different ways depending on the hazard class:
- Hazardous and very hazardous workplaces: The content is based on the risk assessment, the emergency plan, the explosion protection document if any, and other OHS documents. Annex 1 lists as examples working at height, working in confined spaces, fire, environments with radiation risk, welding, equipment involving specific risks, carcinogenic or mutagenic substances, and work with chemical and biological agents.
- Less hazardous workplaces: The general hazards and risks of the activity are explained, such as working at height, falls from height, working in confined spaces, fire and work with equipment involving specific risks.
The footnote to Annex 1 states that in this section topics are selected according to the hazard class, the work done by the employee and the activity, and that additional topics are added if necessary. Within the total duration, at least 2 / 3 / 4 class hours (less hazardous / hazardous / very hazardous) are allocated to this group. In hazardous and very hazardous workplaces this section is delivered face to face; the first three groups may be delivered remotely, face to face or by a blended method (Art. 12).
Who may teach which topic?
Those who may give basic training are listed exhaustively in Art. 10 of the regulation:
- OHS specialists and workplace physicians providing OHS services at the workplace,
- The Labour and Social Security Training and Research Centre,
- Universities and the training units of public institutions,
- Professional organisations with public institution status,
- Workers', employers' and public servants' organisations, and their training foundations and joint training centres,
- Training foundations with public benefit status that provide free training to employees.
Organisations in the last three groups deliver training through persons employed by them who hold a workplace physician or OHS specialist certificate or a trainer certificate. In addition, in all cases the trainer's field of expertise must match the topic taught (Art. 10/2). The regulation does not assign topics to individuals one by one; in practice, the requirement for matching expertise leads to the following distribution:
| Topic group | Usual trainer | Note |
|---|---|---|
| General topics | OHS specialist or workplace physician | Legislation and rights are within both fields |
| Health topics | Workplace physician | Occupational disease and first aid require medical expertise |
| Technical topics | OHS specialist | Equipment, electricity, fire, PPE |
| Risks specific to the job and workplace | Specialist and physician together | Based on the risk assessment, delivered on site |
Sample distribution: a 12-hour hazardous class programme
Consider a machining workshop in Bursa with 35 employees (hazardous class). The minimum duration is 12 class hours, and at least 3 class hours must be allocated to topic group 4. A class hour consists of at least 45 minutes of teaching and a 15-minute break; each part split because of shifts must be at least one class hour (Art. 13/4).
| Topic group | Class hours | Method |
|---|---|---|
| General topics | 2 | Remote or in the classroom |
| Health topics | 3 | Blended; first aid part in the classroom |
| Technical topics | 4 | Blended; PPE and extinguisher practice on site |
| Risks specific to the job and workplace | 3 | Face to face; at the machine, in small groups |
| Total | 12 |
In machining, risks such as swarf, rotating parts, cutting fluid and moving loads by crane fill topic group 4. If welding is also done in the workshop, this time needs to be increased.
Common mistakes in the curriculum
Common gaps seen in training files are:
- Using a ready-made presentation unchanged at every workplace. The Annex 1 headings are the same, but Art. 9 requires the content to be prepared with elements from the areas where employees work. The technical topics of an office and a foundry cannot be taught with the same examples.
- Skimming over topic group 4 with general information. In hazardous and very hazardous workplaces, this section should draw on the risk assessment and the emergency plan. If the main risks in the risk assessment do not appear in the training record, the content is incomplete.
- Not writing the topic headings on the attendance record. The record includes the place, date and duration of the training, the topic headings, and the names and signatures of the participants and the trainer (Art. 17). A topic whose heading is not written may be considered not to have been given.
- Not ensuring that the trainer matches the topic. Having the physician teach health topics and the specialist teach technical topics is the easiest way to document the matching expertise requirement in Art. 10/2.
You can see your hour requirements with the obligation calculator and enter refresher dates in the OHS calendar. For sector-specific risks, see our metal and machinery page, and for our training programmes, our OHS training service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it mandatory to cover all the topics in Annex 1?
Yes. Under Art. 9 of the regulation, basic training covers the topics in Annex 1 as a minimum. Topics cannot be removed; topics specific to your workplace can be added, in which case the total duration is also increased.
Does the first aid topic in basic training replace the first aider certificate?
No. The first aid heading in basic training is an awareness topic for all employees. People to be designated as first aiders must additionally be trained and certified under the First Aid Regulation.
Can our experienced foreman give basic training?
Those who may give basic training are listed in Art. 10, and a foreman is not on that list. A foreman can support with demonstrations on site, but responsibility for the training lies with the workplace's specialist or physician or with an institution listed in the regulation.
Can the order of the topics be changed?
The regulation does not prescribe an order of delivery. In practice, starting with general and health topics and finishing with job-specific risks allows the on-site section to build on the earlier knowledge.
Induction, basic and refresher training in line with the 2026 regulation; on your premises, with examples from your own site and fully documented.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.