Circular No. 29/2021/TT-BYT guides the activities related to professional training on occupational health

CIRCULAR

GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL TRAINING ACTIVITIES IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Pursuant to the Labor Safety Law dated June 25, 2015;

Pursuant to Decree No.39/2016/ND-CPdated May 15, 2016, of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Labor Safety and Health Law:

căn cứ Nghị định44/2016/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2016, of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Labor Safety and Health Law regarding technical safety and health inspection activities, occupational safety and health training, and workplace environmental monitoring; Decree 140/2018/ND-CPdated October 8, 2018, of the Government amending and supplementing several Decrees related to investment conditions and administrative procedures under the management of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs;

Pursuant to Decree No.75/2017/ND-CPdated June 20, 2017, of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

At the proposal of the Director of the Medical Environment Management Department;

The Minister of Health issues this Circular guiding professional training activities in occupational health,

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular guides the content, program, materials, duration of training, and the management of training for certificates certifying professional qualifications in occupational health as prescribed in Clause 4, Article 73 of the Labor Safety and Health Law.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to:

1. Personnel engaged in occupational health work at production and business establishments include doctors, preventive medicine doctors, bachelor’s degree nursing graduates, medical technicians, secondary-level nurses, and midwives as defined in Clause 3, Article 37 of Decree No. 39/2016/ND-CP dated May 15, 2016, of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Labor Safety and Health Law.

2. Educational institutions with the function or assigned task of training within the healthcare sector, and health workforce training institutions (hereinafter referred to as training institutions).

3. Agencies, organizations, and individuals related to the issuance of certificates certifying professional qualifications in occupational health on the territory of Vietnam.

Article 3. Requirements for the content, program, materials, and duration of training, and training methods

1. Training content:

a) Overview of legal regulations on occupational hygiene and worker health care;

b) Management of harmful factors at production and business establishments;

c) Occupational diseases and work-related illnesses;

d) First aid and emergency response at workplaces;

d) Prevention of infectious and non-communicable diseases at workplaces;

e) Food safety and nutrition at workplaces;

g) Education and communication on occupational hygiene, prevention of occupational diseases, and health care and improvement at workplaces;

h) Planning and implementing occupational hygiene and occupational disease prevention activities at labor-using establishments;

i) Management of occupational hygiene and worker health records.

Specific requirements for the training content as stipulated in this Clause shall be implemented according to detailed guidance provided in Appendix No. 01 attached hereto.

2. Training programs and materials:

a) The head of the training institution shall develop, review, and promulgate the training program for certificates certifying professional qualifications in occupational health based on the training content prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article;

b) Based on the promulgated training program, the head of the training institution shall develop, review, and promulgate the training materials before organizing the training. Training materials must be continuously reviewed and updated to ensure scientific accuracy and practical relevance.

3. Duration and training methods:

a) Initial training for certificates certifying professional qualifications in occupational health shall last a minimum of 40 hours, including examination time;

b) Updating professional training in occupational health shall be conducted once every five years from the date the initial certificate becomes effective, with a minimum update training duration equal to 50% of the initial training duration, including examination time;

c) Training method: Concentrated.

Article 4. Management of Training for Issuing Certificates of Specialization in Occupational Health

1. Persons participating in training to obtain certificates of specialization in occupational health must attend the full training period as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 3 of this Circular.

2. Training institutions issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health shall refer to the Model Certificate of Specialization in Occupational Health prescribed in Appendix No. 02 issued together with this Circular to uniformly implement after participants have been tested and evaluated as meeting the requirements stipulated by laws on education and the training regulations of the training institution.

3. Training institutions shall maintain records and manage the issuance of certificates of specialization in occupational health according to the model prescribed in Appendix No. 03 issued together with this Circular.

Article 5. Responsibilities for Implementation

1. Responsibilities of the Department of Environmental Health Management:

a) Guide the organization and implementation, inspect, and audit the activities of training for issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health nationwide;

b) Publish information about training institutions issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health on the Ministry of Health's electronic portal or the Department of Environmental Health Management's website based on reports from provincial-level Health Departments (hereinafter referred to as Health Departments) and affiliated training institutions under ministries and sectors;

c) Organize training, update professional knowledge and skills for lecturers involved in training for issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health.

2. Responsibilities of the Department of Health:

a) Organize training, propaganda, guidance, inspection, and auditing of the implementation of this Circular within their jurisdiction;

b) Publish information about training institutions issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health under local management on the Health Department's electronic portal and report to the Ministry of Health (Department of Environmental Health Management) within three working days from receiving information from the training institution;

c) Report annually on the management of training for issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health within their jurisdiction to the Ministry of Health (Department of Environmental Health Management) before February 1st of the following year according to the model prescribed in Appendix No. 04 issued together with this Circular.

3. Responsibilities of Training Institutions:

a) Based on the content, program, materials of training and practical requirements, training institutions shall arrange qualified personnel in the relevant field to participate in training for issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health in accordance with laws on education and the training regulations of the training institution;

b) Send reports on information about the activities of training for issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health to the Health Department (for units under local management) or the Department of Environmental Health Management (for units under ministry and sector management) before organizing the first training activity to be published on the Ministry of Health's, Department of Environmental Health Management's, and Health Department's electronic portals according to Model No. 01 in Appendix No. 05 issued together with this Circular;

c) Develop a training plan, announce it on the training institution's electronic portal or website before organizing a training course and send the training plan to the Health Department (for units under local management) or the Department of Environmental Health Management (for units under ministry and sector management) and the Health Department where the training course is organized to facilitate management, inspection, and auditing;

d) Manage files related to the activities of training for issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health in accordance with laws on training and store them;

đ) Establish management and inspection regulations for training courses in accordance with laws on education;

e) Report annually on the results of training for issuing certificates of specialization in occupational health to the Health Department (for training institutions under local management) or the Department of Environmental Health Management (for training institutions under ministry and sector management) before January 15th of the following year according to Model No. 02 in Appendix No. 05 issued together with this Circular.

Article 6. Implementation and Effectiveness

1. This Circular takes effect from February 6, 2022.

2. The Director of the Department of Environmental Health Management, the Head of the Ministry's Office, the Heads of Departments, Directors of Bureaus, and General Directors of Departments, Bureaus, and General Departments under the Ministry of Health, and other relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular. In the process of implementation, if there are difficulties, organizations and individuals should promptly reflect them to the Ministry of Health (Department of Environmental Health Management) for research, consideration, and resolution.

During the implementation process, if there are difficulties, organizations and individuals should promptly reflect them to the Ministry of Health (Department of Environmental Health Management) for research, consideration, and resolution./.