New Director of the Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute

On October 15, 2024, Agnieszka Szczygielska assumed the role of Director of the Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB). Her appointment was decided by the Minister of Family, Labour, and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk

Agnieszka Szczygielska has worked at the Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute for over 24 years, most recently as head of the Promotion and Implementation Centre, where she focused on raising awareness of occupational safety and health (OSH) and ergonomics, promoting pro-safety behaviors among employees, and developing innovative strategies to encourage safer workplace practices. In this role, she led numerous projects for the National Programme for the improvement of safety and working conditions and other national initiatives. Her work has been published in scientific and popular science journals, conference monographs, and various other publications, such as brochures and guides. She is also an active participant in scientific conferences, representing the Institute both nationally and internationally.

She has applied her extensive research experience to industry projects aimed at reducing unsafe behaviors in workplaces, with a focus on encouraging pro-safety actions. Two of these projects were recognized in the National Competition for Working Conditions Improvement.

In 2008, Agnieszka Szczygielska launched Poland’s first public awareness campaign focused on occupational safety. The campaign’s later editions, which won the Gold Medal for Social Innovation at the INTARG 2020 fair, have played a significant role in enhancing OSH awareness among workers, employers, and the public.

Alongside her responsibilities at CIOP-PIB, she has taught university students, post-graduate OSH students, and participants in periodic and specialized OSH training programs. She has also supervised thesis work for post-graduate students in the "Safety and Human Protection in the Workplace" program.

Her dual passion for science and the arts has inspired her to coordinate and promote various creative projects, including photography, film, and art competitions aimed at making OSH topics more accessible and engaging. She has curated a national Occupational Safety Poster Competition, organized photography exhibits, film screenings, and poster exhibitions on OSH and ergonomics across Poland in collaboration with cultural institutions and universities, bringing the message of workplace safety to both businesses and public spaces.