In brief
The minimum time is 5/10/15 minutes per worker per month for the workplace physician and 10/20/40 minutes for the OHS specialist; DSP (other health personnel) are also required in very hazardous workplaces with 10 or more workers. In a workplace above the threshold, one full-time person is assigned for each threshold, and minutes are calculated for the surplus workers.
What are the times based on?
How much time the workplace physician and the OHS specialist must spend in your workplace each month, at a minimum, depends on two variables: hazard class and number of workers. Article 6 of Law No. 6331 obliges the employer to assign a specialist and a physician; the minutes are set in Article 12 of the Regulation on Workplace Physicians and Other Health Personnel and of the Regulation on OHS Specialists.
These times are minimums. Shift work, a scattered layout or high-risk processes may require more time; but under no circumstances can you go below these times. When comparing OSGB (joint health and safety unit) quotations in Bursa, the first thing to check is whether the monthly minutes written in the quotation meet this minimum.
Because the calculation depends entirely on the hazard class, if you are not sure of your class, first read our hazard class guide.
Monthly minimum times per worker
| Role | Less hazardous | Hazardous | Very hazardous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workplace physician | 5 min | 10 min | 15 min |
| OHS specialist | 10 min | 20 min | 40 min |
| Other health personnel (DSP) | Not required | Not required | 10–49 workers: 10 min · 50–249 workers: 15 min · 250 and above: 20 min |
The basic calculation is simple: number of workers × minutes per worker = monthly minimum time.
DSP, for example an occupational health nurse, are mandatory only in very hazardous workplaces with 10 or more workers. Under Article 6/3 of the Law, assigning DSP is not mandatory in workplaces where a full-time workplace physician is assigned. For the scope of the DSP service, see our occupational health nursing page.
Full-time assignment and the "surplus worker" calculation
When the number of workers reaches certain thresholds, full-time assignment comes in alongside the minutes calculation:
| Role | Less hazardous | Hazardous | Very hazardous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time workplace physician | 1 for every 2,000 workers | 1 for every 1,000 workers | 1 for every 750 workers |
| Full-time OHS specialist | 1 for every 1,000 workers | 1 for every 500 workers | 1 for every 250 workers |
If the number of workers is not an exact multiple of the threshold, an additional assignment is made for the surplus workers using the minutes calculation. The steps are as follows:
- Divide the number of workers by the threshold; the whole number is the number of full-time people.
- Subtract the number of workers covered by the full-time people from the total; the remainder is the number of surplus workers.
- Multiply the number of surplus workers by the minutes per worker; the result is the monthly time required in addition to the full-time people.
For example, in a very hazardous workplace with 600 workers, the calculation 600 ÷ 250 gives 2 full-time specialists for the specialist role; for the remaining 100 workers, an additional 100 × 40 = 4,000 minutes is needed.
The calculation with three examples
Hazardous workplace with 45 workers
A workshop with 45 workers carrying out machining and welding (25.53.01):
- Workplace physician: 45 × 10 = 450 min/month, i.e. 7 hours 30 minutes.
- OHS specialist: 45 × 20 = 900 min/month, i.e. 15 hours. The specialist must hold at least a class B certificate.
- DSP: Not mandatory in the hazardous class.
Very hazardous workplace with 120 workers
A facility with 120 workers carrying out metal coating (25.51.01):
- Workplace physician: 120 × 15 = 1,800 min/month, i.e. 30 hours.
- OHS specialist: 120 × 40 = 4,800 min/month, i.e. 80 hours. The specialist must be class A.
- DSP: In the 50–249 worker range, 15 minutes per worker applies: 120 × 15 = 1,800 min/month, i.e. 30 hours.
Hazardous workplace with 1,100 workers
A factory with 1,100 workers producing automotive parts (29.32.20):
- Workplace physician: As the threshold is 1,000, 1 full-time physician; for the surplus 100 workers, 100 × 10 = 1,000 min/month (16 hours 40 minutes).
- OHS specialist: As the threshold is 500, 2 full-time specialists; for the surplus 100 workers, 100 × 20 = 2,000 min/month (33 hours 20 minutes).
- DSP: Not mandatory in the hazardous class.
| Example | Workplace physician | OHS specialist | DSP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 workers, hazardous | 450 min/month | 900 min/month (at least B) | Not required |
| 120 workers, very hazardous | 1,800 min/month | 4,800 min/month (A) | 1,800 min/month |
| 1,100 workers, hazardous | 1 full-time + 1,000 min/month | 2 full-time + 2,000 min/month (at least B) | Not required |
You can do the same calculation for your own number of workers in seconds with the OHS obligation calculator. The tool also shows first aiders, support staff and training hours on the same screen.
Planning time in shift-based and multi-site workplaces
The legal time is a total; how that total is distributed on site is planned according to the workplace's arrangements. Many production plants in Bursa work two or three shifts; visits made only during the day make it harder to see the risks on the night shift.
In a shift-based workplace, a good plan periodically allocates part of the monthly time to night and weekend shifts. Training is also divided by shift; each shift receiving its induction and basic training during its own working hours increases both attendance and effectiveness.
If you have more than one workplace, the time is calculated separately for each workplace. For example, a company with its head office in Nilüfer and its production in İnegöl cannot add up the number of workers at the two workplaces and calculate a single time; each workplace's own hazard class and number of workers are used. A separate assignment is required for each workplace with a separate SGK (Social Security Institution) registration.
Finally, as important as not going below the legal time is actually using that time on site. When visit dates, work done and findings are recorded in writing, it is easy to show in an inspection that the assignment has not remained on paper.
Less hazardous with fewer than 50 workers: combining times
In small offices, shops and service businesses, monthly times are short. For an accounting firm with 20 workers (69.20.02), the physician's time is 100 minutes a month and the specialist's time 200 minutes a month. Splitting this time into small pieces every month is often not efficient.
The Regulation on OHS Services therefore allows some flexibility: in less hazardous workplaces with fewer than 50 workers, the employer and the service provider may, by agreement, combine monthly service times or set service intervals within the same contract year. In the firm above, the total annual physician time is 1,200 minutes (20 hours) and the specialist time 2,400 minutes (40 hours). This time can be spread, for example, over longer visits every three months.
Note: combining does not reduce the total time, it only changes its distribution. Having the plan written in the contract keeps the answer ready to the question "why didn't anyone come this month?" later on. In these workplaces the employer also has the option of carrying out the service themselves; for details, see our article on workplaces with fewer than 50 workers.
Who is counted? Apprentices, interns and changing headcount
The number of workers in the time calculation is the total number of people working in your workplace; however, there is an important exception. Under Article 6/4 of Law No. 6331, apprentices and interns with student status under Vocational Training Law No. 3308 and Higher Education Law No. 2547 are not included in the number of workers when calculating assignment time.
This exception applies only to the time calculation. Apprentices and interns must also receive face-to-face, practical induction training of at least 2 hours before starting work; personal protective equipment and other measures apply to them in the same way.
If the number of workers changes during the year, for example because of a seasonal increase in production or the opening of a new line, the minimum time also changes. When the number rises, remember to update the time in the contract and the assignment in ISG-KATİP (the Ministry's online OHS registration system); an assignment made on the basis of the old number falls short after the increase. In particular, crossing thresholds such as 50, 250, 500 and 750 changes the DSP band or the need for a full-time assignment.
Specialist class and what to check in the contract
Calculating the time correctly is not enough; the assigned person's qualifications must also be appropriate. Under the Law, the OHS specialist must hold a class A certificate in very hazardous workplaces, at least B in hazardous and at least C in less hazardous workplaces. The physician, specialist and DSP assignments must also be approved in ISG-KATİP; for the process, see our guide to ISG-KATİP contract approval.
Ask to see the following in writing in the contract:
- The monthly minutes or full-time assignment for each role
- The names of the assigned persons and the specialist's certificate class
- The visit plan and, for shift work, how the night shift will be covered
- How the time will be updated when the number of workers changes
We explained how to compare quotations by minutes in our article on OSGB prices. Bursa Sistemer plans its workplace physician and OHS specialist services in Bursa and neighbouring provinces on the basis of these legal times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the times in the regulation upper limits?
No, they are minimums. More time can be planned for situations such as risky processes, shift work or more than one building; but under no circumstances can you go below these times.
Are DSP required when there is a full-time workplace physician?
No. Under Article 6/3 of Law No. 6331, assigning other health personnel is not mandatory in workplaces where a full-time workplace physician is assigned. For example, when there is a full-time physician in a very hazardous workplace with 750 or more workers, the DSP requirement no longer applies.
In a less hazardous workplace with 30 workers, does the specialist have to come every month?
The specialist's time is 300 minutes a month and the physician's 150 minutes. In less hazardous workplaces with fewer than 50 workers, the parties can agree to combine these times within the same contract year; visits can be planned less often but for longer. The total annual time does not change.
Can an occupational health nurse cover the physician's time?
No. The times for the physician, specialist and DSP are set separately and one cannot be counted in place of another. In a very hazardous workplace with 10 or more workers, the DSP time must be met in addition to the physician's time; DSP are no longer mandatory only when a full-time physician is assigned.
Are interns included in the time calculation?
Apprentices and interns with student status under Laws No. 3308 and 2547 are not counted when calculating assignment time. However, induction training, personal protective equipment and other measures apply to them too.
A physician assigned for the time your hazard class requires: pre-employment and periodic examinations, fitness-for-work reports and health surveillance.
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.