Now that the amended Workplaces Ordinance of 2004 has been published, it is intended to continue with the reformulation of workplace law. Within the scope of the project the present state of implementation of workplace law in small and medium-sized enterprises should be determined. The investigations had already been conducted in 2002 and 2003 before the Ordinance was amended. The present report describes, compiled from analyses of the annual reports of the governmental occupational safety and health authorities, from expert interviews with specialists for occupational safety and health, representatives of the governmental occupational safety and health departments and accident insurance bodies as well as various corporate experts and enquiries at workplaces in 30 companies, shortcomings in the implementation of the previous Workplaces Ordinance. The following general problems in particular were ascertained: The Workplaces Ordinance contains gaps regarding the complex design of safe and healthy workplaces and also includes duplications of regulations. It is not ensured that the substance of the provisions for workplaces is clear and manageable in practice. There is a lack of concrete aids in practice for a whole series of protective goals in workplace law. There is inadequate sensitization and skills with respect to the implementation of workplace law. The amendment of the Ordinance has not eliminated all the shortcomings. The knowledge presented here can help in formulating the provisions of the Ordinance and in providing aids to its implementation.

Since the project work was completed before the amended Workplaces Ordinance appeared in 2004, the proposals developed should be viewed against this background.