Tesla Slovakia: OSH, fire protection and occupational health from entry into the Slovak market
When Tesla decided to open an electric vehicle showroom and service centre in Slovakia, it needed a local partner to ensure compliance with Slovak legislation before opening and then look after the site on an ongoing basis. Since July 2025 that partner has been HASPO.
- Client
- Tesla Slovakia s. r. o.
- Sector
- Electric vehicle sales and service
- Site
- Showroom and service centre, Bratislava
- Cooperation
- Since July 2025, first meetings in May 2025
- Services
- OSH, fire protection, occupational health, environment, training
- Working language
- Slovak and English
The challenge
Tesla entered the Slovak market with its own global environment, health and safety (EHS) standards and an EHS team supervising the Slovak site from abroad. It needed a partner to translate these standards into Slovak regulations, prepare everything required before opening and leave the authorities with nothing to object to.
An electric vehicle service centre brings specific risks: work with high-voltage batteries up to 800 V DC, handling traction batteries and a forklift truck, chemical substances including diisocyanates, and a tyre store. In addition, the site shares premises with another company.
The solution
After a selection process and the supplier's onboarding abroad, we split the cooperation into two projects:
- Site start-up: needs analysis, complete documentation, communication with the authorities and preparation for the final building approval.
- Ongoing EHS services: regular inspections, training, medical examinations of new employees and updates of documentation with every change.
We record all tasks in a shared system that Tesla's EHS team can also access. Every step is traceable and documented.
What we provided for Tesla
OSH
- OSH policy and risk analysis
- PPE rules by profession and activity
- safe working procedures for high-voltage work and work in a service pit
- instructions for the warehouse, racking, ladders, pressure vessels and electrical appliances
- internal traffic rules and a testing schedule for technical equipment
Fire protection
- fire identification card and fire alarm guidelines
- fire evacuation plans
- fire regulations for the tyre store
- fire door log and fire log book
- review of the fire safety design of the building and preparation for the final building approval
Occupational health service
- health risk assessment and work categorisation
- medical fitness assessments for every position
- organising pre-employment medical examinations for new employees
- documents for the Regional Public Health Authority
- operating rules for work with chemical factors
Training
- OSH and fire protection e-learning with a certificate for every new employee
- first aid training directly on site
- professional training for work with diisocyanates
- briefing of contractors and visitors
Environment
- environmental audit of the site
- waste management
- overview of stored chemical substances and measures
Ongoing management
- regular OSH and fire protection inspections with a written report
- joint measures for a workplace shared by two employers
- consultations with the Labour Inspectorate and authorities
- documentation in Slovak and English
How the cooperation developed
- Choosing a partner. Initial meetings with Tesla's EHS team, specification of requirements for the site start-up and ongoing services, supplier onboarding according to corporate rules.
- Order and needs analysis. Analysis of needs in OSH, fire protection and occupational health, including an estimate of the time required. A contract under Slovak law.
- Documentation. 36 OSH, fire protection and occupational health documents prepared under Slovak regulations and aligned with Tesla's internal standards.
- Site and authorities. Inspection of the premises in Bratislava, complete occupational health documentation, notification of the start of operations and the first medical examinations of new employees.
- Electric vehicle service. Safe working procedures for high-voltage work, a new risk assessment for the service centre, translations of documentation into English, e-learning for employees and documents for the public health permit.
- Fire protection and chemical substances. Evacuation plans, fire regulations for the tyre store, racking inspection, operating rules for chemical factors and first aid training.
- Final building approval. Preparing documents for the state fire inspectorate, supplying fire extinguishers and resolving fire doors with the building manager.
- Ongoing care. Every new employee completes a medical examination and training, the site has regular inspections and the documentation is updated with every change.
How we work together
- Tesla has one designated safety technician who coordinates OSH, fire protection and occupational health.
- Tasks, deadlines and documents are kept in a shared system where Tesla's EHS team can see and comment on them.
- Regular online meetings with the EHS team and in-person meetings on site.
- After every inspection Tesla receives a written report with findings and proposed measures.
- Communication and documentation in both Slovak and English.
The result
Tesla has its OSH, fire protection and occupational health obligations covered from the preparatory phase before opening through to day-to-day operations, without having to build its own EHS department in Slovakia. Tesla's global standards and Slovak regulations are aligned in one set of documents, and every change on site (a new position, a new machine, a new chemical substance) is reflected in the documentation and training.
Frequently asked questions
Does HASPO also help foreign companies entering the Slovak market?
Yes. For foreign companies we prepare a needs analysis and complete OSH, fire protection and occupational health documentation under Slovak regulations, align it with their internal standards and communicate with the authorities. Cooperation can take place in English.
How long does it take to prepare a site before opening?
In our experience, usually 3 to 24 months. It depends mainly on how quickly the client provides the necessary documents, on the condition of the premises and on the authorities' deadlines, for example for the final building approval and the public health permit.
What does starting up a new site involve?
Risk analysis, OSH documentation, fire protection documentation, the occupational health service with work categorisation, pre-employment medical examinations and employee training, documents for the authorities and preparation for the final building approval. Service centres also need procedures for work with high voltage, chemical substances and technical equipment.
How does the client keep track of what has been done?
We record all tasks, deadlines and documents in a shared system to which the client gets access. After inspections we send written reports, and at regular meetings we go through the open items.
Do you also look after new employees?
Yes. When an employee starts, we organise a pre-employment medical examination, assign OSH and fire protection e-learning with a certificate and, depending on the position, add professional training, for example for work with chemical substances or a forklift truck.
Opening a site in Slovakia?
We take care of OSH, fire protection and the occupational health service from the first analysis through the final building approval to ongoing management.
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