OHS Contracts and Service Times for Multi-Branch Businesses

Why does OHS in multi-branch businesses work by registration?

A company with its head office in Osmangazi, its warehouse in Gürsu and its stores in Nilüfer, Yıldırım and İnegöl must set up its OHS service not for "the company" but for each workplace. This is the short answer to the question of OHS for multi-branch businesses, and everything from service times to documents follows from this rule.

In practice, a workplace is identified by its SGK (Social Security Institution) workplace registration number. On ISG-KATİP (the Ministry's online OHS registration system), each SGK registration appears as a separate workplace; the contract and appointment are set up on that registration. The hazard class is also determined by the workplace's own main activity: the same company's head office may be less hazardous, while its warehouse or production facility may be in a higher class. We explain how the class is determined in our article on how to find out your hazard class.

The first job is to draw up a full list of your branches. Ask your accountant for a table containing each branch's SGK registration number, NACE code and current number of workers. Every address with its own registration is a separate workplace for OHS purposes.

Is a separate OSGB contract needed for each branch?

The appointment is made separately for each registration; so even if you work with the same OSGB (joint health and safety unit), there is a separate contract record for each branch on ISG-KATİP. Art. 14 of the Regulation on OHS Services sets the rules for this record:

• The contract is prepared in line with the template on ISG-KATİP and approved by both parties through the system within 5 days at the latest (Art. 14/3).
• The specialist and physician cannot start work with an appointment that has not been approved (Art. 14/7).
• A contract is made on ISG-KATİP for every OHS service an OSGB provides to a workplace (Art. 14/11).
• When the contract ends, the OSGB reports this to the system within 5 working days (Art. 14/9).

We explain step by step what to look for on the approval screens in our article on ISG-KATİP contract approval. The most common mistake in multi-branch businesses is giving approval on the wrong registration; compare the registration number with your list before every approval.

Branch worker number calculation: minutes by registration

The minimum monthly time is calculated with each workplace's own number of workers and hazard class. The monthly times per worker are: for the workplace physician, 5 minutes in less hazardous, 10 in hazardous and 15 in very hazardous workplaces; for the OHS specialist, 10, 20 and 40 minutes. In very hazardous workplaces with 10 or more workers, other health personnel (DSP) are also appointed.

In the example below, the classes are assumed only to illustrate the calculation; check the class of your own workplaces from the NACE code.

There are two things that must not be done with this table. First, adding up the 129 workers of the five workplaces and calculating a single time; because the classes are different, the result is both wrong and indefensible in an inspection. Second, "shifting" the time calculated for the warehouse to the stores; each workplace's time is used at that workplace. The physician and specialist regulations require the service to be provided at the workplace for the time specified in the contract, and state explicitly that, for those working at more than one workplace, travel time between workplaces does not count as working time (Art. 12/5 of the Workplace Physician Regulation and the OHS Specialists Regulation).

The calculated time also cannot be divided up and given to more than one physician or specialist. For specialists, there is an exception allowing appointment by shift in workplaces operating shifts. You can work out the times for your own workplaces with the OHS obligation calculator, and for details of the times see our article on working times for workplace physicians and specialists.

Combining time in small branches

In store chains, most branches may be small. For a 6-person store, 30 minutes of physician time and 60 minutes of specialist time per month cannot be used efficiently with a separate visit every month. Art. 11/7 of the Regulation on OHS Services provides flexibility here: in less hazardous workplaces with fewer than 50 workers, monthly service times can be combined within the same contract year and service intervals can be set.

For the İnegöl store in the example, the annual specialist time is 12 × 60 = 720 minutes. Provided it is written in the contract, this time can be divided into several longer visits during the year. When combining time, pay attention to three points:

1. The schedule should be written in the contract. It must be clear how many minutes of service will be provided in which month; a phrase such as "visits will be made during the year" is not enough.
2. Mandatory work should not be put on hold. Induction training for a new worker, a work accident investigation or a change requiring a risk assessment does not wait for the planned visit.
3. Combining is only for less hazardous workplaces with fewer than 50 workers. This flexibility does not apply to the hazardous-class warehouse in the example.

In less hazardous workplaces with fewer than 50 workers, there is also the option for the employer or their representative to complete the Ministry's training and provide the service themselves; in this case, an undertaking is made on ISG-KATİP, and pre-employment and periodic examinations remain outside this option. For details, see our article on OHS in workplaces with fewer than 50 workers.

Chain store workplace safety: the visit plan

Where OHS breaks down in a chain is usually not the legislation but the schedule. For a workable plan:

• Geographical grouping: Put branches in the same district or on the same route on the same day. In Bursa, the Nilüfer and Osmangazi branches and the İnegöl branch may not fit into the same day's plan.
• Store hours: Schedule site walks and training during the store's quiet hours; observe the warehouse and loading dock at goods-in times.
• Busy periods: The weeks before sales and public holidays are periods when temporary hiring increases. Plan induction training before these periods.
• Common areas: In business centres with more than one workplace, OHS coordination is provided by the management under 6331 Art. 23/2; this is important for stores in shopping centres. Your emergency plan should be aligned with the building's common plan; for details, see our article on the emergency plan in a shared building.
• Store-specific risks: For shelf stocking, goods-in, checkout ergonomics and evacuation in crowds, you can use our article on OHS in supermarkets and stores.

Documents that must be kept separately at each branch

If you transfer a worker from one branch to another in the same job, under the 2026 training regulation it is sufficient to repeat only the section on job- and workplace-specific risks. You can find how to update the ISG-KATİP record when branches open and close in our article on when the number of workers changes on ISG-KATİP.

For multi-branch businesses in Bursa and the surrounding provinces, we plan our OHS specialist and workplace physician services by registration and prepare an annual visit schedule that groups branches by route. For topics specific to retail businesses, see our office and retail page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a separate OSGB contract needed for each branch?

Because each SGK registration is a separate workplace, there is a separate contract record and appointment for each branch on ISG-KATİP. All branches can receive services from the same OSGB; however, the records are separate by registration and each is approved by both parties within 5 days.

Can time be calculated by adding together the branches' worker numbers?

No. The time is calculated according to each workplace's own number of workers and hazard class and is used at that workplace. Travel time between branches also does not count as service time.

Must our small stores be visited every month?

In less hazardous workplaces with fewer than 50 workers, monthly times can be combined within the same contract year. The visit schedule must be written in the contract, and work that cannot wait, such as training for new workers, must be covered separately.

Can an OSGB in Bursa serve our branch in another province?

Only if the branch is in Bursa or a province neighbouring Bursa (Yalova, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bilecik, Kütahya, Balıkesir). For branches in other provinces, a contract is made with an OSGB established in that province or a neighbouring province.