What is a Group 3 Occupational Safety Card?

Group 3 Occupational Safety Card, also known as the Group 3 Safety Certificate, is a design issued under Decree 44/2016/ND-CP, effective from July 1, 2016. The occupational safety card (OSC) is granted to workers in Group 3 after completing occupational safety and hygiene training. Sometimes, it is mistakenly referred to as a Group 3 occupational safety training certificate.

I. Overview of the Occupational Safety Card

1. What is an Occupational Safety Card?

a. Definition of the Occupational Safety Card

The Occupational Safety Card is an important mandatory certificate for workers in high-risk occupations prone to workplace accidents. It serves as an official confirmation of compliance with safety regulations and standards at the workplace.
Key Highlights:

• Proof of competence: The card confirms that the worker has received structured training in occupational safety, mastering essential knowledge and skills to protect themselves and their colleagues.
• Legal compliance: Possession of the card is a mandatory requirement under Vietnamese law for hazardous job groups. Employers must ensure workers hold a valid safety card.
• Enhancing reputation: The card demonstrates the company’s commitment to workplace safety, building credibility with clients, partners, and investors.

Purpose of Use:

• Assessment of competence: The safety card is a key criterion in recruitment, helping companies evaluate candidates’ occupational safety skills.
• Risk reduction: The card promotes safety awareness among workers, minimizing the risk of workplace accidents and ensuring a safe and effective work environment.
• Protecting rights: The card safeguards workers’ rights in the event of an accident, including entitlement to insurance benefits under regulations.

REGISTER FOR GROUP 3 SAFETY CARD TRAINING SERVICE

b. Design of the Occupational Safety Card

The Group 3 safety card design is detailed in Form 06, Appendix II, Decree 44/2016/ND-CP. Specifications are as follows:

• Card size: 60mm x 90mm
• Front side of the card must have a border frame and display the following:

Name of the governing authority issuing the card (uppercase, font size 10)

Name of the issuing organization (bold uppercase, font size 10)

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY CARD

Photo 3×4 (stamped across edges)

No: ………./Year of issuance/OSC

• Back side of the card must have a border frame and display the following:

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

Independence – Freedom – Happiness

————————

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY CARD

Full Name: ………………………………………

Date of Birth: ………/ ………/ ………

Job: ………………………………

Completed Training Course: ……………..

……………………………………………………………….

From: …./…./20 …. To: ./…/20 …

……….., Date …./ …./…………. (Signature, full name, position, and stamp)

Card valid until: …/ …./………

• The color of the border and content is not regulated under Decree 44/2016/ND-CP.

See other types of Occupational Safety Training Certificates

c. Validity period of Group 3 Safety Card

• The Group 3 Occupational Safety Card is valid for 2 years.
• Within 30 days before expiration, the employer must prepare a list of cardholders along with training results or documents proving updated occupational safety and hygiene knowledge and skills, as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 21, Decree 44/2016/ND-CP. The list is sent to the training organization or self-training enterprise under Article 26 and Article 29, Decree 44/2016/ND-CP. If the training results meet requirements, a new Group 3 safety card will be issued according to the decree.

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2. Benefits of the Occupational Safety Card

a. Reducing workplace accidents:

• Safety training raises workers’ awareness of risks and preventive measures.
• Understanding safety procedures and responses to hazards significantly reduces accident risks.
• Employers save on medical costs, work downtime, and legal consequences from accidents.

b. Increasing labor productivity:

• A safe work environment encourages focus, helping workers perform efficiently.
• Feeling safe and comfortable allows employees to concentrate on tasks without fear of accidents.

c. Enhancing personal responsibility:

• Safety training instills a sense of individual responsibility in maintaining a safe work environment.
• Workers understand their role in protecting themselves and colleagues, promoting proactivity in safety practices.

d. Boosting company reputation and image:

• Companies that prioritize worker safety build a positive image in the community and industry.
• This helps attract and retain talent, as well as gain trust from partners and safety-conscious clients.

e. Legal compliance:

• Occupational safety training is a legal requirement.
• Compliance minimizes legal risks and ensures sustainable and lawful business operations.

In summary, investing in occupational safety training benefits:

• Employee health and safety: Reduces accidents and protects workers’ lives.
• Work environment: Creates a safe, positive, and productive workplace.
• Company: Enhances reputation, attracts talent and clients, and supports sustainable operations.
• If you are a construction worker: this explains why the occupational safety card is crucial.

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3. Classification of Occupational Safety Cards

a. Jobs with high risk of accidents for workers in Group 3

If you work with large machinery that can be dangerous, did you know there’s a law specifically designed to keep you safe? Here’s how to determine if you need a Group 3 Safety Card.
Group 3 includes workers in hazardous, high-risk environments. Do you know which jobs fall under this category? Below is a list of work environments that require strict safety measures and may require an occupational safety card:

1. Manufacturing, assembling, operating, maintaining, repairing, dismantling, inspecting, and safety-checking equipment:

• Machinery, equipment, materials, and substances listed under strict occupational safety regulations according to Circular 36/2019/TT-BLĐTBXH.

2. Production, use, storage, and transport of hazardous and toxic chemicals:

• Categorized according to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.

3. Testing, production, use, storage, and transport of explosives and blasting accessories.
4. Operating, maintaining, repairing, dismantling, inspecting, and supervising machinery and equipment:

• Machines such as pile drivers, dredgers, pumps, drills, grinders, multifunction demolition machines, excavators, bulldozers, scrapers, dump trucks over 5 tons, etc.

5. Assembling, operating, repairing, maintaining, and cleaning industrial machinery:

• Grinders, saws, milling machines, planers, lathes, industrial printers, etc.

6. Mold making, smelting, casting, cleaning, plating, metal surface finishing; metal processing; operating and repairing furnaces, and related tasks.
7. Working at heights, on mobile platforms, or precarious locations.

8. Work on rivers, seas, water surfaces, offshore platforms, diving; operating, repairing, inspecting equipment in ship holds or watercraft.

9. Exposure to ionizing radiation, radioactive materials, nuclear radiation; operating X-ray or radiation equipment.

10. Exposure to high-frequency electromagnetic fields.

11. Jobs related to mining and construction:

• Forest surveying, geological surveying, mining, and oil & gas extraction.
• Construction, supervising, installing, repairing, maintaining, operating, and testing projects.

12. Working in industrial pipelines, industrial cleaning, and environmental sanitation.
13. Operating, maintaining, and repairing electrical equipment, power lines, and power plants.

14. Welding and metal cutting work.

15. Operating trains, trams; driving, repairing, and servicing automobiles.

16. Production and processing of building materials, ceramics, glass, plastics.

17. Professional rescue and emergency services.

18. Leather, feather processing; dyeing; silk processing.

19. Industrial wood processing; manual handling of heavy objects over 30 kg.

20. Food processing in mass kitchens serving 300 meals or more per day.

21. Jobs in healthcare:

• Medical examination, treatment, surgery, and microbiological testing.
• Work in the pharmaceutical industry.

22. Testing, production of veterinary drugs; gene preservation; microorganism handling; food inspection and sterilization.
23. Slaughtering, caring for, and raising large animals in production facilities.

24. Operating fuel pumps; repairing tanks; wholesale and retail fuel distribution.

25. Rubber and resin processing.

26. Production of beverages, alcohol, soft drinks, tobacco, cooking oil, confectionery, and milk.

27. Circus professions:

• Circus performers, animal performers.
• Jobs related to professional sports such as athletes and coaches.

28. Working with computer display equipment:

• Air traffic control, remote operations, and monitoring via screens.

29. Cremation and burial work.
30. Specialized military work:

• Heavy, hazardous, or extremely heavy and dangerous tasks.

31. Operating agricultural machinery:

• Threshers, harvesters, tillers, mowers, pesticide sprayers, water pumps.

b. Job titles and positions that may fall under Group 3

Job titles in Group 3 are indicative and do not cover all cases. Classification into Group 3 is based on the actual nature of the work.
Common job titles trained for Group 3 safety:

• Worker
• Maintenance staff
• Technician
• Security personnel
• Head chef
• Loader
• Engineer
• Team leader
• Technical officer
• Employee
• …

Positions for Group 3 workers include:

• Jobs requiring strict occupational safety and hygiene as specified in Circular 06/2020/TT-BLĐTBXH.
• Jobs involving machinery with strict safety requirements issued by Ministry of Labour – Invalids and Social Affairs.

Job titles for Group 3 are indicative and do not cover all cases. Classification depends on the actual work nature.

REGISTER FOR GROUP 3 SAFETY TRAINING SERVICE

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4. Process for issuing occupational safety cards

• Eligible recipients must be Group 3 workers – those performing high-risk jobs.
• Group 3 workers must be trained by a certified safety trainer – someone with a university degree and at least 3–4 years in safety policy, law, management, inspection, and workplace safety.
• Workers must complete a minimum of 24 hours of Group 3 safety training, including theory, practical exercises, and assessment.
• Group 3 workers must pass a safety test after completing the training.

An Toàn Nam Việt always offers preferential policies for construction and manufacturing companies purchasing occupational safety training services to issue safety cards at competitive rates

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II. 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Occupational Safety Cards

1. Do I have to have an occupational safety card?

Yes, you are required to have an occupational safety card if:

• You work in a high-risk occupation (Group 3).
• Your company requires you to have an occupational safety card.

2. Which industries require an occupational safety card?

• Occupations with a high risk of workplace accidents require workers to be trained and issued an occupational safety card.
• For more details, see the list of high-risk occupations.

3. How do I register and obtain an occupational safety card?

Step 1: Choose a reputable training center:

• Licensed by the Ministry of Labor – Invalids and Social Affairs.
• With a team of experienced, qualified instructors.

Step 2: Register for the course:

• Contact the training center directly or register online via their website.
• Provide personal information: full name, date of birth, address, phone number, email, etc.

Step 3: Attend the course and complete the test:

• Attend all training sessions.
• Actively participate in lectures and discussions.
• Complete assignments and pass the assessment.

Step 4: Receive the occupational safety card:

• After completing the course and passing the assessment, you will be issued an occupational safety card.
• The card is valid for 2 years.

4. How much does it cost to obtain an occupational safety card?

• Cost depends on several factors:
  • Industry: construction, mining, electricity, chemicals, etc.
  • Course duration: number of training days.
  • Training center: reputation and quality.
  • Location: areas with higher living costs may have higher fees.
• Typically, the cost ranges from 100,000 VND to 300,000 VND per person.
• For detailed pricing, see Occupational Safety Training Pricing.

5. How long is the occupational safety card valid?

The card is valid for 2 years. After that, you need to participate in a refresher course to renew your card.

6. What are the penalties if workers or employers do not have an occupational safety card?

Workers:

• Receive a written warning from the employer.

Employers:

• Fines range from 5,000,000 VND to 50,000,000 VND.
• See detailed legal regulations on occupational safety.

7. What is the difference between an occupational safety card and other safety certificates?

Occupational Safety Card:

• Mandatory for workers in hazardous or harmful occupations.
• Issued by licensed training centers.
• Valid for 2 years.
• Provides specialized knowledge and skills for safety in a specific field.

Other Safety Certificates:

• Issued by organizations with legal training licenses.
• Validity ranges from 1 to 2 years.
• Provides advanced knowledge, skills, or management-level safety training.

8. Can having an occupational safety card improve my job prospects?

Yes, it can improve your job prospects:

• Shows you are trained and knowledgeable in occupational safety.
• Helps meet employer requirements.
• Demonstrates responsibility and professionalism to employers.
• Gives priority over candidates without a card.

Note: The card is one of several factors influencing employability.

9. Are there funding sources for workers who want to obtain an occupational safety card?

Employers may provide tuition support for employees participating in occupational safety training courses.

10. Where can I access Group 3 occupational safety training materials?

• Group 3 Occupational Safety Materials
• Group 3 Occupational Safety Assessment

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III. Additional References

• Issues with Companies Self-Issuing Safety Cards
• Occupational Safety Training Framework

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Topics: Occupational Safety Training, Safety Training, Occupational Safety Card, Occupational Safety Certificate