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Labour Inspection (Organisation) Law, 5714-1954

חוק ארגון הפיקוח על העבודה, תשי"ד-1954

Published: 1954-09-03Consolidated Hebrew text as of 2026-05-29 · Last amended 2023-11-21✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-28
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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.

Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.

The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.

This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.

Chapter I: The Inspection Service

Establishment of the Inspection Service and Its Functions§

1.

A Labour Inspection Service (hereinafter – the Service) shall be established, whose functions shall be –

(1)to supervise compliance with any enactment whose implementation is vested in the Minister of Labour and upon whose compliance the Minister has imposed supervision on the Service, by notice published in Reshumot (Official Gazette);
(2)to supervise safety at work (hereinafter – safety), occupational hygiene (hereinafter – hygiene) and welfare in places where persons are employed for the purposes of a business or occupation, or in places intended therefor, and to instruct employees and employers therein;
(3)to fulfil any other function imposed on it by the Minister of Labour in the field of safety, hygiene, welfare and working arrangements.

Staff of the Service§

2.
(a)The staff of the Service shall be composed of labour inspectors appointed by the Minister of Labour, generally or for particular branches of activity or for particular functions.
(b)The Minister of Labour shall appoint from among the labour inspectors a Chief Labour Inspector (hereinafter – Chief Labour Inspector), a Deputy Chief Labour Inspector and Regional Labour Inspectors (hereinafter – Regional Labour Inspector); the Chief Labour Inspector may delegate his powers under any law to the Deputy Chief Labour Inspector or to a Regional Labour Inspector.
(c)Notice of every appointment made under subsection (a) and (b) and of the addresses of Regional Labour Inspectors shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette); and the Minister may prescribe in the notice the area to be regarded as the sphere of activity of a Regional Labour Inspector.

Powers of a Labour Inspector§

3.

In addition to any power vested in a labour inspector under any enactment, the following powers are vested in him for the purpose of carrying out his functions:

(1)to enter at any time any place where he has reasonable grounds to assume that persons are employed, or are about to be employed, or where work is being performed for the purposes of a business or occupation (hereinafter – in this Chapter – a workplace);
(2)to examine at a workplace the working arrangements and the safety, hygiene and welfare arrangements, including, inter alia, installations, machines, equipment and work processes;
(3)to ascertain the causes and circumstances of work accidents;
(4)to interrogate – whether alone or in the presence of another person – on any matter that falls within the functions of the Service, any person found at a workplace, and any person whom the inspector has reasonable grounds to assume is or was employed at a workplace, provided that no person shall be required to answer or give evidence that may incriminate him; a labour inspector may record in a protocol the answers and statements of the person being interrogated, and the protocol shall have the same effect as a statement recorded under section 2 of the Criminal Procedure (Evidence) Ordinance, and sections 3 and 4 of that Ordinance shall apply thereto;
(5)to examine any register, certificate, report or other document whose keeping, existence or submission is required by an enactment whose implementation is vested in the Minister of Labour, and to make copies thereof;
(6)to take a sample of a product, intermediate product or raw material, after having notified the occupier of the workplace, and also to photograph any material, installation, machine, structure or work process;
(7)with the approval of a Regional Labour Inspector, to direct the occupier of the workplace to carry out such examination as the inspector shall direct, of a product, intermediate product or raw material, and to deliver to him the results of the examination within a period to be determined by the inspector;
(8)to be accompanied by a police officer, if he has reasonable grounds to apprehend interference with the performance of his function.

Copies of Reports§

4.

A labour inspector shall not deliver a copy of a report he has drawn up, or extracts therefrom, except with the consent of the Chief Labour Inspector.

Assistance of Experts§

5.

Where a labour inspector is of the opinion that the safety or health of persons working at a workplace is endangered by reason of the work or its process, by reason of the condition of machines, installations or equipment, or by reason of the manner of their use, or for any other reason, he may bring a professional expert to that place in order that the expert shall carry out in his presence such examinations as the inspector himself is authorised to carry out.

Safety Orders§

6.
(a)Where a Regional Labour Inspector is satisfied, whether from his own actions or on the basis of a report of a labour inspector, that the nature, structure or location of a machine, equipment, installation or material used or intended to be used at a workplace is dangerous to the safety or health of a person, or that a process, act or omission at a workplace endangers a person's safety or health, he may, by Order, do one of the following:
(1)direct that work at the workplace be stopped, prohibit the use of the machine, installation, equipment or material or part thereof as specified in the Order, or prohibit use until the source of danger has been removed and confirmation thereof has been given by a labour inspector;
(2)require the occupier of the workplace to take, within the time specified in the Order, such measures as are specified in the Order for the purpose of removing the danger.
(b)Where the danger is not imminent, a Regional Labour Inspector shall not issue an Order under this section unless he has given the occupier of the workplace an adequate opportunity to state his case.
(c)An Order under this section shall be signed by a Regional Labour Inspector and shall be sent by registered post, or delivered to the occupier of the workplace, or affixed in a conspicuous place at the workplace. An error in stating the name of the occupier shall not affect the validity of an Order delivered or affixed as aforesaid.
(d)The Chief Labour Inspector may authorise in writing a particular labour inspector with the powers vested in a Regional Labour Inspector under this section.

Orders for Cessation of Work at Construction Sites§

6a.
(a)In this section –

"unregulated construction site" means a construction site at which no sign has been displayed as required under regulation 7 of the Work Safety Regulations (Construction Works), 5748-1988;

"occupier of the workplace" has the meaning assigned to it in section 172a of the Work Safety Ordinance [New Version], 5730-1970;

"activity at the site" means activity other than work performed in accordance with a permit issued by the inspector under subsection (e);

"work cessation order" means an Order issued under subsection (b);

"regular pay" has the meaning assigned to it in the Prior Notice of Dismissal and Resignation Law, 5761-2001.

(b)Where a labour inspector becomes aware of an incident at a construction site that has caused the death or serious injury of a person whereby that person faces a real risk to his life and requires urgent medical treatment to save his life, the inspector shall, by a work cessation order, direct that the construction site be closed and shall prohibit the continuation of activity at the site for two working days from the time of the accident; a work cessation order shall be delivered to the occupier of the workplace.
(c)Where the occupier of the workplace at an unregulated construction site becomes aware of an incident at a construction site that has caused a death, the occupier of the workplace shall cease activity at the site for two working days from the time of the accident.
(d)Where a work cessation order has been issued, a labour inspector shall examine the safety at the workplace during the period of validity of the order, and may extend its validity by three additional days, and may also issue an Order under section 6 or 8a for the purpose of ensuring safety.
(e)
(1)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) and (d), where a work cessation order has been issued, a labour inspector may grant a permit to carry out works to rectify safety deficiencies at the construction site during the period of validity of the order, on such conditions as the inspector shall direct;
(2)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c), where work has been stopped at an unregulated construction site, a labour inspector may grant a permit as referred to in paragraph (1) during the days of cessation of activity at the site, on such conditions as the inspector shall direct.
(f)The occupier of a workplace in respect of which a work cessation order has been issued or its validity extended may state his case against the order at the earliest opportunity after its issue; where the occupier of the workplace proves that he has complied with all mandatory safety requirements, the order shall be cancelled; the occupier of the workplace may appeal against a decision not to cancel the order before the Regional Labour Court within whose jurisdiction the workplace is situated.
(g)An employer shall pay a worker at a construction site that has been closed by a work cessation order, who has been absent from work due to the closure of the site, his regular pay for the period during which the construction site was closed by virtue of the order.
(h)Notice of the issue of a work cessation order shall be published in a prominent place at the workplace and also on the website of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, provided that the failure to publish such notice shall not affect the validity of the order.
(i)Where the Chief Labour Inspector becomes aware of an incident that has caused the death or serious injury of a person at a construction site, he shall notify the Registrar of Contractors at the Ministry of Construction and Housing.
(j)Nothing in the provisions of this section shall derogate from the powers vested under sections 6 and 8a.

Validity of a Safety Order§

7.
(a)An Order under section 6 shall remain in force as long as it has not been cancelled by a Regional Labour Inspector, or by the Chief Labour Inspector, or by a Regional Court within the meaning of the Labour Court Law, 5729-1969 (hereinafter – Regional Labour Court), upon an application submitted by the occupier of the workplace.
(b)Where an Order under section 6 has prohibited the use of a machine, installation, equipment or material until the source of danger has been removed, and the occupier of the workplace has notified that the source of danger has been removed, a labour inspector shall examine the situation within two days of the receipt of the notification by the Regional Labour Inspector or by the labour inspector who issued the order after having been authorised under section 6(d).

Execution of a Safety Order§

8.
(a)Where an Order has been issued under section 6 or 6a, a labour inspector may, with the assistance of the police, use such force as is necessary for the execution of the order.
(b)Where an Order issued under section 6 has not been complied with, the occupier of the workplace upon whom the order was issued shall be liable to one year's imprisonment or a fine of 2,000 pounds, or both such penalties, as well as an additional fine of 50 pounds for each day on which the offence continues.
(b1)
(1)Where an Order issued under section 6a(b) has not been complied with, or where the occupier of the workplace has not stopped work at an unregulated construction site contrary to the provisions of section 6a(c), the occupier of the workplace shall be liable to two years' imprisonment or the fine prescribed in section 61(a)(3) of the Penal Law, 5737-1977, or both such penalties, as well as the fine prescribed in section 61(c) of that Law for each day on which the offence continues;
(2)An offence under this section is an offence of strict liability.
(c)The issue of an Order under section 6 or 6a and its execution shall not exempt from criminal or civil liability under any other law.

Improvement Order§

8a.
(a)Where a Regional Labour Inspector, or a labour inspector authorised by him for the purposes of this section, finds that at a particular workplace a provision of an enactment relating to the safety, health, hygiene or welfare of persons working therein or present therein for the purposes of their occupation or trade is not being complied with, he may, by Order (hereinafter – improvement order), require the occupier of the workplace to take such steps as he shall specify in the order for the purpose of complying with that provision within a period to be prescribed in the order, which shall not be less than fourteen days; the provisions of section 6(c) shall also apply to an improvement order; where the implementation of the enactment is vested in any Minister other than the Minister of Labour and Welfare, the inspector shall furnish a copy of the improvement order to that Minister or to a person appointed by the Minister for that purpose.
(b)The occupier of the workplace shall notify the Regional Labour Inspector in writing of the execution of the improvement order within seven days after the expiry of the period prescribed in the order for its execution.

Appeal§

8b.

The occupier of the workplace may appeal against an improvement order before the Regional Labour Court within whose jurisdiction the workplace is situated, within seven days of the day on which the order was delivered to him in one of the manners enumerated in section 6(c), and upon filing such an appeal he may apply to the court to direct that the execution of the order, in whole or in part, be deferred.

Penalties and Administrative Fine§

8c.
(a)A person who is required to comply with an improvement order and has not done so shall be liable –
(1)to six months' imprisonment or a fine of NIS 50,000;
(2)an additional fine of NIS 5,000 for each day on which the improvement order has not been complied with.
(b)(Repealed)
(c)(Repealed)
(d)(Repealed)
(e)(Repealed)
(f)(Repealed)
(g)(Repealed)
(h)The provisions of this section shall not derogate from the criminal liability of the occupier of a workplace under the other provisions of this Law and under any other law.

Safety Plan§

8d.
(a)The occupier of a workplace of a type prescribed by the Minister of Labour and Welfare in Regulations shall prepare a safety plan for the workplace within a period prescribed by the Minister in Regulations, and shall update it whenever required as a result of changes at the workplace.
(b)A safety plan shall include provisions on the following matters and on additional safety matters to be prescribed in Regulations:
(1)safety, hygiene and occupational health procedures at the workplace, and the holders of positions therein in these fields;
(2)emergency procedures for situations of special risk and for work accident cases.
(c)The Minister of Labour and Welfare may prescribe in Regulations, with the approval of the Labour and Welfare Committee of the Knesset, provisions regarding the preparation of a safety plan, its particulars, the updating of the plan and bringing it to the attention of employees at the workplace; provisions as aforesaid regarding hygiene or occupational health require consultation with the Minister of Health.
(d)The occupier of a workplace shall deliver to a Regional Labour Inspector, upon his written request, a copy of the updated safety plan, at the time specified in the request.
(e)Where a Regional Labour Inspector finds a deficiency in a safety plan, he may require the preparation of an amended or new safety plan, and the provisions of this section shall apply with the necessary modifications.
(f)A person who has not complied with a requirement under subsection (d) or (e) shall be treated as a person who has not complied with an improvement order, and the provisions of section 8c shall apply with the necessary modifications.
(g)Regulations under this section shall be made after consultation with the workers' organisation that represents the largest number of employees in the State and with an employers' organisation which in the opinion of the Minister is a representative and interested organisation, and with the approval of the Labour and Welfare Committee of the Knesset.
(h)The provisions of this section shall not apply to a workplace whose principal activity is the production, filling, storage, conveyance, transport or marketing of gas (hereinafter – a gas plant).

Safety Information and Training§

8e.

The Minister of Labour and Welfare, with the approval of the Labour and Welfare Committee of the Knesset, shall prescribe in Regulations provisions regarding the obligation of the occupier of a workplace to provide employees therein with the information and training necessary for the prevention of work accidents or occupational diseases; such Regulations may be general or may apply according to types of workplaces, branches of work, occupations or areas.

Application to Lifts or Escalators Not in a Factory§

8f.

For the purposes of sections 3, 4 and 6 to 8c, premises that are not part of a factory and in which a lift or escalator is used shall be regarded as if they were a workplace, and the person using or actually occupying the premises shall be regarded as if he were the occupier of the workplace.

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LawLabor Law

חוק ארגון הפיקוח על העבודה, תשי"ד-1954

Labour Inspection Organisation Law

chok argon hapikoach al haavoda

Labour Inspection Law 1954

Israeli labour inspection

workplace inspection law

labour standards enforcement

worker protection inspection

employment inspection authority