State-Regions Agreement on Safety Training

A new Agreement on Training was approved on 17 April 2025 during the State-Regions Conference and was published in the Official Gazette on 24 May 2025.

This update marks a decisive step forward in the evolution of workplace prevention regulations, as it aims to make training increasingly tailored, up-to-date and consistent with the operational needs of the different professional roles.

What’s new

The State-Regions Agreement, formulated pursuant to Article 37(2) of Legislative Decree no. 81 of 9 April 2008, defines the minimum content, duration and modalities of mandatory training on health and safety in the workplace, involving all figures in the company prevention system: workers, managers, supervisors, employers and self-employed workers.

Among the main updates:

• Course for supervisors: initial training increases from 8 to 12 hours. There is also an important change regarding refresher courses, which continue to be 6 hours long but now will be held every two years (in lieu of every five). This provision came into force on the date of publication of the State-Regions Agreement.
• Course for managers: overall duration is reduced from 16 to 12 hours, and an additional 6-hour “construction site” module is introduced for managers working in the building industry or similar areas.
• Training for employers: for the first time, employers are eligible for a specific 16-hour training course, with an optional 6-hour construction site module.
• New course for potentially polluted environments and confined spaces: a specific training module with a minimum duration of 12 hours is introduced, for workers, employers and self-employed persons working in high-risk environments such as silos, tanks, wells or underground structures.
• New courses for machine operators: tailored courses are introduced for:
  • Operating agricultural fruit harvesting machinery;
  • Operating loaders for material handling;
  • Operating bridge cranes.
• Limits on video conference training: attending synchronous video conference courses by smartphone is no longer permitted. This provision aims to ensure higher quality and active participation in training activities.

Transitional provisions

The new State-Regions Agreement provides for a transitional phase during which training courses may continue to be held according to the provisions of previous State-Regions Agreements.

This interim period is to last a maximum of 12 months from the date of coming into force of the new State-Regions Agreement. In particular, training for employers must be completed within 24 months of said date.

When does the new State-Regions Agreement come into force?

The State-Regions Agreement of 17 April 2025 on training in occupational health and safety became fully operational as of the date of its publication in Official Gazette no. 119 of 24 May 2025.

 This updated version of the State-Regions Agreement is a significant step forward in strengthening the culture of prevention and enhancing the quality of training programmes. The new measures aim to make training activities more effective by tailoring them to the specific nature of the different roles and working contexts. It will be essential for companies, trainers and workers to familiarise themselves with the new provisions and update their programmes within the required time frame.