Selection of work equipment - State of the art for Implementation of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety

(in German)

The selection of work equipment considerably determines whether their use is safe and healthy. A wrong selection usually leads to increased health risks for workers. Subsequent corrections are often impossible or can only be carried out with great effort and low effect. Experience shows that due to wrong selection, employees are potentially at risk and strained, and the quality of products and the competitiveness of enterprises suffers. There is a need to avoid these effects by preventive and sustainable action. The right selection of work equipment is a particularly effective approach of prevention. In accordance with § 5 section 1 and 3 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety the employer must only provide and let use working facilities that are safe, taking into account the intended usage conditions and comply with applicable laws on health and safety.

Work equipment is selected in operational planning processes of enterprises. In principle a distinction needs to be made between the selection of equipment in procurement and the selection of work equipment during work preparation.

The expertise describes the state of the art in the procurement and work preparation with respect to the selection of work equipment, taking into account the amended Ordinance on Industrial Safety of 2015 It discusses important aspects, in particular the process-accompanying assessment of the working conditions and the early consideration of the manufacturer's operating instructions.

Please download the complete report "Selection of work equipment - State of the art for Implementation of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety" (in German only).

Bibliographic information

Title:  Auswahl von Arbeitsmitteln - Stand der Technik zur Umsetzung der Betriebssicherheitsverordnung

Written by:  C. Barth

2. edition.  Dortmund:  Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, 2015. 
ISBN: 978-3-88261-166-3, pages: 55, PDF file

Further Information