Occupational medicine and self-employed people – what do the regulations say?

20 Apr 2026

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There are many myths surrounding occupational health examinations – especially among self-employed individuals. Does a business owner need medical examinations? Who refers them for testing? Can the lack of examinations have consequences?

In this article, we explain what the situation looks like under current regulations in Poland and when it is worth (and sometimes necessary) to undergo examinations despite the lack of a formal obligation.

Do self-employed individuals need occupational health examinations?

The short answer is: not always.

According to Polish law (including the provisions of the Labour Code), the obligation to refer for occupational health examinations applies to employees hired under an employment contract.

This means that a self-employed person is not required to undergo examinations for themselves. They do not need a medical certificate if they are not employed under a standard employment contract.

When are examinations mandatory?

There are situations where a business owner must have valid medical examinations, even when running their own business.

1. When you employ staff

If you employ workers as a business owner:

you are required to refer them for examinations
you must cooperate with an occupational medicine doctor
you are responsible for allowing employees to work

Failure to ensure employee examinations may result in:

financial penalties
legal liability

2. When working for another company (B2B)

This is the most common situation in practice.

Many companies require B2B contractors to have:

valid occupational health examinations
a medical certificate

Why? Because they want to meet occupational health and safety requirements and reduce liability risks.

In practice, this means:

formally, there is no obligation
but without examinations, cooperation may not be possible

3. Regulated or high-risk professions

Some professions require examinations regardless of the type of employment.

This includes, for example:

professional drivers
machine operators
work at height
medical professions

In such cases, the requirement results from separate regulations, not only from the Labour Code.

4. Sanitary-epidemiological examinations

If you run a business in gastronomy, for example, you are also required to have:

a sanitary-epidemiological certificate

This results from regulations on infectious diseases and food safety.

This applies to business owners as well, not only employees.

Is it worth doing examinations voluntarily?

Definitely yes – even if not required by law.

Why?

you increase your health safety
you meet potential clients’ requirements
you build a professional image
you avoid issues during inspections

In many industries, such examinations are now simply a standard.

What does an occupational health examination look like for a business owner?

The procedure is the same as for an employee:

medical interview
general examination
additional tests if needed (e.g. vision, hearing, ECG)
issuance of a certificate

The difference is that:

the business owner attends without a referral from an employer

Where to get occupational health examinations in Gdańsk?

If you run a business and want to complete your examinations quickly and without formalities, it is best to choose a facility offering comprehensive services.

At Mediss Medical (Gdańsk Wrzeszcz) we provide:

✔ occupational health examinations for entrepreneurs and companies
✔ fast appointment times
✔ comprehensive diagnostics
✔ on-site Diagnostyka collection point
✔ minimal paperwork

This allows you to complete all examinations in one place – without wasting time.