For companies with employees in Italy, worker health and safety training is one of the first compliance areas that must be organised before employees are assigned to their duties. Italian law does not treat safety training as a generic induction activity. It is a legal requirement linked to the worker’s role, the company risk assessment and the specific risks present in the workplace.

This article focuses on general and specific safety training for employees. It is designed for foreign companies, HR teams, HSE managers and country managers who need to understand how the Italian worker training system works, how risk levels affect the duration of training and what evidence should be retained for audits, inspections and client qualification checks.

The main legal framework is Legislative Decree No. 81/2008, especially Article 37, and the State-Regions Agreement of 17 April 2025, Rep. Acts No. 59/CSR, which updates the minimum duration, contents and delivery rules for several health and safety training paths.

At a glance

Why employee training is a core obligation in Italy

Under Article 37 of Legislative Decree No. 81/2008, the employer must ensure that each worker receives sufficient and adequate training in health and safety. The training must be appropriate to the work activity, the tasks performed and the risks identified in the workplace.

For foreign companies, this means that an international onboarding module or a global HSE awareness course is not automatically enough. Training must be checked against Italian requirements in terms of content, minimum duration, delivery method, final verification and documentation.

The starting point is always the Italian risk assessment. The Risk Assessment Document, known as DVR, identifies the risks present in the workplace and provides the basis for defining the worker training plan.

General training and specific training: the Italian model

Employee safety training in Italy is divided into two main components: general training and specific training.

General training provides the basic concepts of prevention and protection. It covers topics such as risk, damage, prevention, protection, rights and duties of the different company roles, organisation of prevention within the company and the role of inspection and assistance bodies.

Specific training focuses on the risks actually connected with the sector, workplace, job duties, equipment, work environment and prevention measures adopted by the company. It must be consistent with the risk assessment and cannot be reduced to generic awareness content.

Minimum duration for general and specific worker training

The minimum duration depends on the risk class. The following table summarises the standard structure for workers.

The risk class is linked to the criteria set by the applicable training rules and to the company’s activities. However, companies should not rely only on a formal sector label. If a worker performs tasks involving higher risks than the general classification suggests, the training plan should reflect the real exposure identified in the DVR.

This is particularly important for multinational organisations where job titles may be standardised globally, while actual tasks in Italy may vary significantly from one site or business unit to another.

When training must be delivered

Worker training must be provided at key moments of the employment relationship and work organisation. It should be organised at the start of employment, before the worker is assigned to duties involving risks, when the worker changes tasks, when new work equipment, technologies, substances or mixtures are introduced, and whenever the risk assessment changes in a way that affects the worker’s exposure.

For commercial and operational purposes, foreign companies should include the Italian safety training check in the onboarding process. A worker should not be treated as fully ready for the role until the required training has been completed or scheduled in accordance with the applicable rules.

Worker refresher training

Worker training is not a one-time activity. Refresher training must be completed at least every five years, with a minimum duration of 6 hours. Additional training may be necessary when changes in risks, tasks, equipment, work organisation or legal requirements affect the worker’s duties.

A reliable monitoring system is essential. Companies should maintain a training matrix showing each worker’s role, risk class, completed courses, expiry dates and required updates. This is especially useful for companies with multiple Italian sites or with employees working across different locations.

Delivery methods and e-learning limitations

The State-Regions Agreement of 17 April 2025 regulates delivery methods for mandatory training. Classroom training and synchronous videoconference may be available for many courses, while asynchronous e-learning is allowed only in the cases and within the limits provided by the Agreement.

This is a frequent issue for foreign companies that rely on corporate learning platforms. A global e-learning module may be useful, but it may not be legally sufficient for Italian worker training if the course type, risk level, practical components or verification requirements do not comply with the Italian framework.

Before assigning an online course, companies should verify whether the delivery method is allowed for that specific training path and whether the platform can provide adequate traceability, identification of participants, learning verification and certificates.

Language and understanding for foreign workers

Training must be understandable to participants. When workers do not have sufficient knowledge of Italian, the company must ensure that the language used in the course is understood and that the training achieves its prevention purpose.

For English-speaking companies, training in English can be appropriate where workers understand English and the course meets Italian legal requirements. What matters is not only the language selected, but the evidence that the worker has actually understood the safety contents, procedures and rules applicable to the job.

Specific training and the connection with the DVR

Specific training should not be prepared independently from the DVR. The risk assessment identifies the risks associated with each workplace, department, task and category of worker. The specific training programme should then cover those risks and the related prevention and protection measures.

Examples may include display screen equipment, manual handling, chemical agents, noise, vibration, biological risk, work equipment, work at height, slips and trips, emergency procedures, PPE use and risks linked to the work environment. The actual content depends on the activity performed and on the hazards identified by the employer with the support of the prevention system.

For companies operating mainly in offices, the training plan will usually differ from that of manufacturing, logistics, laboratories, construction, maintenance or field service activities. This is why a single generic course for all employees is rarely an adequate solution.

Documentation and evidence to retain

Training compliance must be documented. During inspections, audits, due diligence reviews or client qualification processes, companies are often asked to provide evidence that employees have received the correct training.

Useful records normally include the training needs analysis, course programme, legal references, attendance register, participant identification, trainer details, delivery method, final test or learning verification, certificates and expiry dates for refresher training.

For business continuity, these records should be organised in a way that allows HR, HSE, local management and headquarters to quickly verify who is trained, who needs an update and which courses are still missing.

Practical checklist for foreign companies

• Map all employees, job roles and actual tasks performed in Italy.
• Verify the applicable risk class and the risks identified in the DVR.
• Check whether each worker has completed general training and the correct level of specific training.
• Confirm that training was delivered using a method allowed by the Italian rules.
• Verify that foreign workers understood the language used during training.
• Keep certificates, attendance records, tests and course programmes available for audits and inspections.
• Monitor refresher deadlines and changes that may require additional training.
• Align the worker training matrix with the broader compliance system, including RSPP, RLS, supervisors, health surveillance and emergency teams.

Common mistakes made by foreign companies

Using only global training modules: Corporate HSE training can support company culture, but it should be checked against Italian legal requirements before being considered valid for mandatory worker training.

Assigning the same course to everyone: Italian training must reflect risk class, job duties and actual exposure. A single generic course may be insufficient.

Forgetting refresher deadlines: Worker training must be updated at least every five years, and earlier when changes in work or risks require it.

Using e-learning without checking admissibility: Not all mandatory safety training can be delivered through asynchronous e-learning. The delivery method must comply with the Agreement.

Training workers in a language they do not understand: Training must be effective. Language comprehension is a key compliance and prevention issue.

Separating training from the risk assessment: Specific training should be linked to the DVR and to the real risks of the role.

How Frareg can support companies

Frareg supports foreign companies with employees in Italy in identifying mandatory worker training requirements, checking existing certificates, defining a training matrix, organising compliant courses and monitoring refresher deadlines.

The objective is to make Italian safety training clear, traceable and aligned with the company’s actual risk assessment, while allowing headquarters, HR and HSE teams to maintain a practical overview of local compliance.

FAQ

Is general and specific safety training mandatory for all workers in Italy?

Yes. Each worker must receive sufficient and adequate health and safety training. The exact duration and contents depend on the general requirement, the specific risks and the risk class.

What is the difference between general training and specific training?

General training covers basic prevention concepts. Specific training covers the risks connected to the sector, workplace, tasks and prevention measures relevant to the worker.

How long is worker training in Italy?

The standard minimum total duration is 8 hours for low risk, 12 hours for medium risk and 16 hours for high risk, including 4 hours of general training.

How often must worker training be updated?

Worker refresher training must be completed at least every five years for a minimum of 6 hours. Additional training may be required when risks, tasks, equipment or organisation change.

Can global corporate training replace Italian mandatory training?

Not automatically. It must be checked against Italian requirements for contents, duration, delivery method, verification, language and documentation.

Can training be delivered in English?

Yes, if workers understand English and the course complies with Italian requirements. The company should be able to show that participants understood the training.

Can worker training be delivered by e-learning?

Only where the applicable rules allow it. Companies should verify the delivery method for each course type and risk level before using asynchronous e-learning.

Does office work require safety training?

Yes. Office workers are also workers under the Italian safety system and require training appropriate to their risks, such as display screen work, work environment risks, emergency procedures and organisational risks.

Who decides the risk level?

The risk class and specific training needs must be assessed in connection with the company activity, ATECO references where relevant and the actual risks identified in the DVR.

What documents should be kept?

Companies should retain course programmes, attendance registers, certificates, learning tests or verification records, trainer details, delivery method evidence and refresher deadlines.

Should new employees be trained before starting work?

Training should be organised at the start of employment and before the worker is assigned to tasks involving occupational risks, according to the applicable legal framework.

What should a foreign company do first?

Start by reviewing the DVR, mapping employee roles, checking existing certificates and building a compliant training matrix for the Italian workforce.

General and specific safety training for employees is one of the most important foundations of occupational health and safety compliance in Italy. It is not enough to provide a general induction or a global corporate module: training must reflect Italian law, the worker’s role, the risk class and the actual risks identified in the DVR.

For foreign companies, the safest approach is to integrate Italian worker training into the local onboarding and compliance process, supported by a clear training matrix and reliable evidence. This helps the company demonstrate compliance, reduce operational risk and build a more effective safety culture in its Italian organisation.