In a globalizing world, international scientific cooperation is of increasingly vital importance. At the Institute, it mostly takes the form of programming, coordinating and organizing collaboration with foreign scientific institutions involved in occupational safety and health research.

The Institute also cooperates with many international organisations,
such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), and European Union agencies:

•       the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (Bilbao, Spain)
•       the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working
        Conditions   (Dublin, Ireland).

The Institute participates in many international projects, in particular in projects carried out within EU Framework Programmes, other European and international programmes as well as  bilateral projects.

The Institute is a National Focal Point of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The most important related tasks include: development and coordination of activities within the developed National Information Network, maintaining a website, preparing information about occupational safety and health protection in Poland, and cooperation and exchange of information and experience in occupational safety and health between Poland and EU Member States.