Note: As a line manager, you can delegate these tasks to your deputy. If you have any questions, you can also get in touch with our contact persons for occupational safety.

• Monitoring is carried out through inspection, control and supervision.
• Risk assessments must be prepared, documented and adapted or updated at certain intervals.
• Based on the risk assessments, operating instructions must be created and updated if necessary.
• Employees must also be instructed regularly (once a year, underage trainees every six months): The instructions must be documented in the form of instruction certificates. This means that the employee signs the proof of instruction and the supervisor has proof of having been instructed.
• It must also be ensured that representatives and helpers receive further training, supervision and support so that they can fulfill the tasks assigned to them.
• Please also note that regular inspections must be carried out.

Note: As a supervisor, you can delegate this task to your subordinate management level (e.g. head of department, laboratory manager, employees with personnel responsibility). Our contact persons for occupational safety will be happy to provide you with occupational health advice.

In principle, employees should be examined before starting work to determine whether their health is suitable for the requirements of the tasks assigned to them.

Regular examinations are preventive examinations. They are subdivided into desired preventive examinations, optional preventive examinations and mandatory preventive examinations.

Indications for an examination can be, for example

• More frequent absences in the form of sick notes
• Complaints from employees regarding physical and mental overload

The risk assessment indicates which preventive check-ups are recommended or mandatory.

• The supervisor can offer the employee a preventive medical check-up in accordance with the ArbMedVV. However, the employee is not obliged to attend the examination.
• The situation is different in the case of mandatory preventive medical check-ups: Here, the employee must comply with the supervisor's request. Failure to do so may result in consequences under labor law for the employee.
• In the case of preventive care at the employee's request, the employee states that he/she would like to visit the company medical service. The supervisor must comply with the employee's request.

The Occupational Health Care Ordinance(ArbMedVV) specifies which preventive examinations are to be offered and which are mandatory.

We are dependent on your support for the organization of occupational medical check-ups.

For this purpose, a form with an examination matrix has been provided by the company medical service, which can be sent to Mr. Schramm in the personnel department for the organization of occupational health care.

Note: As a line manager, you can delegate these tasks to your employees with personnel responsibility, who can also consult safety experts, company doctors and the staff council for advice and support.

It is always advisable to involve the safety specialist, the company doctor and the staff council when questions of occupational safety and health protection are involved and the line manager sees a need for advice and support (e.g. new machines, systems, working materials).

You are welcome to contact the relevant colleagues for this.

Further information on the involvement of safety experts / company doctors can be found in the Occupational Safety Act.

Safety specialists: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/asig/__6.html

Company doctors: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/asig/__3.html

Staff council: https://www.bund-verlag.de/personalrat/arbeitsschutz/basiswissen/rolle-pr-arbeitsschutz

Note: As a supervisor, you can delegate this task to your deputy. Department heads, foremen, laboratory managers and employees with personnel responsibility can only be assigned this task if the person assigned has the same professional qualifications as you. This arrangement must be agreed with the head of the facility and approved.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our contact persons for occupational safety.

The following questions could be discussed in the employee meeting:

• Are there any suggestions for improvement from employees?
• Have there been any near misses?
• Have there been accidents?
• Is instruction given regularly?
• Are there any indications that affect health protection or occupational safety? (e.g. overwork, working hours, problems with superiors or employees, personal protective equipment, general grievances)
• What has a positive or negative effect on the work?
• Is there potential for optimization?
• Is the existing work equipment sufficient or should something be improved, supplemented or newly procured?
• Are all occupational safety regulations complied with, have all necessary measures been taken?

Note: As a supervisor, you can delegate this task to your subordinate management level (e.g. employees with personnel responsibility, department heads, foremen, laboratory managers). Our contact persons for occupational safety will also be happy to support you with the instructions.

It is recommended that you use the general annual safety briefing as a basis. Information on instruction can be found here under the menu item "Instruction of insured persons".

In addition, an inspection of the workplace should take place with an introduction of the employees.

You can find information on training content on the Tasks and duties page under the menu item "Instruction of insured persons". There you will also find training templates and templates for proof of instruction.

Note: As a line manager, you can delegate this task to your subordinate management level (e.g. employees with personnel responsibility, department heads, laboratory managers, foremen). Our contact persons for occupational safety will be happy to assist you with the risk assessments. Safety experts and company doctor can also be consulted for advice and support.

As the risk assessment is not bound to any specific form, templates can be used, which are offered by the various accident insurance institutions on their homepages, for example.

Here is a sample template that is mainly used in the university sector.

The basic principle is that hazards are identified, the probability of their occurrence and the possible severity of damage are evaluated (risk assessment), measures are taken in accordance with the TOP principle and the effectiveness of the measures is checked.

Since the end of 2013, the Occupational Health and Safety Act has explicitly required mental stress to be taken into account in the risk assessment.

Employers are obliged by the Occupational Health and Safety Act to organize work in such a way that risks to life and physical and mental health are avoided as far as possible and the remaining risk is kept to a minimum (§ 4 ArbSchG).

A sample questionnaire is provided below, in which the survey of mental stress is presented and the analysis of the stress is also shown in an evaluation sheet.

• Questionnaire on mental stress
• Evaluation sheet

The inspection is generally carried out every two years by Department 4. Please contact the head of the central electrical workshop in Department 4.

Note: The head of Department 4 - Technical Administration will be happy to assist you.

The smoke extractors are checked by the maintenance company, which prepares a system-specific maintenance/service log.

For fire alarm systems, the maintenance company keeps system-specific maintenance files in which each triggered detector is listed and system data such as battery voltage is noted.
 

Some fire doors cannot be tested in accordance with the regulations due to a lack of documentation, as the correct installation is not documented (wall quality, fastening). Furthermore, we do not have the declaration of conformity. In this case, please contact our external fire protection officer.

Doors with hold-open technology are triggered at regular intervals and checked for secure closing. It should be noted that "smoke-tight" is of no use if openings/passages near the doors are not closed properly (whether due to incorrectly installed fire dampers or other installations).

Safety lighting and ventilation technology (fire dampers) as well as lightning protection systems are tested in a similar way.

Note: Every employee must ensure compliance with the examples listed. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our contact persons for occupational safety.

The following special features must be observed:

• Escape and rescue routes must be kept clear
• Escape and rescue routes must not be used for storing or placing objects or materials
• Access restrictions must be observed
• The use of safety devices must be observed
• Any defects identified must be rectified and, if this is not possible, reported to the supervisor
• Fire extinguishing and fire alarm devices must not be obstructed
• The smoking ban must be observed in all buildings and rooms at TU Clausthal
• Electrical devices and systems must be operated in accordance with the operating instructions
• When rooms are not in use, open windows must be closed, radiators turned down to the required level and lights switched off

Note: Please contact the respective fire safety assistants, who will keep the alarm plans up to date. Our contact persons for occupational safety will also be happy to answer any questions you or the fire safety assistants may have.

A template of the alarm plan can be found here in German and English.

The attached alarm plan serves as a template. If necessary, it must be adapted according to the type of workplace, use and activities as well as the number of employees for the individual areas and must be clearly displayed in the areas. Alarm plans must be checked for validity at least once a year in the event of changes in responsibilities or changes in use.

Further information on fire protection can also be found here.

Note: The fire safety officer, the fire safety assistants and our contact persons for occupational safety will be happy to support you in this.

From the ASR 2.2 shows how the calculation is carried out. Several examples are shown in the appendix.

The calculation according to the type and number of fire extinguishers must be documented. In the event that a calculation shows different results to the "actual", these can be clarified with the relevant fire safety officer and, if necessary, additional fire extinguishers can be included. Changes may need to be made to the escape and rescue plan.

Note: As a line manager, you are welcome to delegate this task to a suitable employee with the support of the fire safety officer, the fire safety assistant and the evacuation assistant. Our contact persons for occupational safety will also be happy to support you/your employees.

You are welcome to use the observer protocols and checklists for this purpose, which can be used to prepare and carry out an evacuation drill. You can find these here.

Here is another DGUV information sheet on evacuation drills

In addition, training courses are offered for fire safety assistants and evacuation assistants.

Note: As a line manager, you can delegate these tasks to your subordinate management level (e.g. employees with personnel responsibility, department heads, foremen, laboratory managers). You/your employees are also welcome to get in touch with our contact persons for occupational safety and our company medical service.

The following contact persons are also available to you/your employees:

• Chemistry department: Mr. Knoke
   
• Workshops and office workplaces: Safety specialists

Before using personal protective equipment, the supervisor must check whether hazards can be avoided by technical or organizational measures (TOP principle).

If this is not possible, e.g. due to the work process or the machines used, or if a residual hazard remains, personal protective equipment must be selected. The personal protective equipment must be adapted to the hazard at the workplace.

Note: As a line manager, you can delegate this task to your subordinate management level (e.g. employees with personnel responsibility, department heads, foremen, laboratory managers). In addition to the safety specialists and the company medical service, our contact persons for occupational safety will also be happy to advise you.

Employees, assistants and representatives should receive regular training in the area of occupational health and safety. Training should be carried out whenever working conditions and new findings make it necessary. For example, where necessary, training on handling cranes, forklifts, hazardous substances, welding activities.
 

You can find out about the required training courses and obtain templates and further information on the " Duties and obligations " page under the menu item "Instruction of insured persons".

Note: As a supervisor, you can delegate these tasks to suitable employees or to your subordinate management level (e.g. employees with personnel responsibility, department heads, foremen, laboratory managers). Our contact persons for occupational safety will also be happy to advise you.

In accordance with the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, facility managers are obliged to keep a list of all hazardous substances occurring in their facility. Hazardous substance directories or registers provide information at a glance about all hazardous substances in the company, their quantities, hazard characteristics and applications.

The first step is to check whether the hazardous substances used can be replaced by less hazardous substances (substitution). If this is not possible, the necessary protective measures must be taken.

The most important basis for compiling hazardous substance lists are the safety data sheets supplied by the manufacturer, which must be referenced in the hazardous substance list.

The list must contain at least the following information

• Name of the hazardous substance
• Classification of the hazardous substance or information on the hazardous properties
• Information on the quantity ranges used in the company
• Work areas in which employees may be exposed to the hazardous substance

You can find an example of a list of hazardous substances here.

Note: As a supervisor, you can delegate these tasks to your subordinate management level (e.g. employees with personnel responsibility, department heads, foremen, laboratory managers). Our contact persons for occupational safety will also be happy to support you/your colleagues.

You can find more information on the creation of operating instructions here.

Note: As a line manager, you are welcome to delegate this task to suitable employees. If you have any questions, please get in touch with our contact persons for occupational safety.

a) First aiders

The supervisor must ensure that at least the following number of first aiders are available to provide first aid:

1. one first aider per organizational unit for 2 to 20 insured persons present
2. if there are more than 20 insured persons present
aa) in administrative and commercial enterprises 5% (to be considered separately),
bb) in other enterprises 10%,
cc) in day-care centers one first aider per group of children,
dd) in universities 10% of the insured persons according to § 2 paragraph 1 number 1 Social Security Code Seventh Book (SGB VII)

b) Fire protection assistants

The technical rule for workplaces ASR A2.2 "Measures against fires" (point 7.3 para. 2 and 3) stipulates that

"(2) The number of fire safety assistants results from the risk assessment. A proportion of 5% of employees is generally sufficient. A larger number of fire safety assistants may be required, for example, in areas with an increased risk of fire, where many people are present, where people with limited mobility are present and where the workplace is spread out over a large area.

(3) The number of fire safety assistants must also take into account shift work and the absence of individual employees, e.g. training, vacation and illness."

c) Hazardous substances officer

The function of a hazardous substances officer is not defined in occupational health and safety regulations and therefore there is no legal obligation to appoint a hazardous substances officer. Nevertheless, various training providers offer training courses for hazardous substances officers. The background to this is that companies are occasionally appointing special hazardous substances officers to advise the company management on matters relating to hazardous substances or even to take on employer obligations.

d) Radiation protection officers

Radiation protection officers are appointed in writing by the radiation protection officer to perform certain tasks and duties in radiation protection when handling radioactive substances and ionizing radiation, i.e. in particular to supervise and manage the handling. The prerequisite for appointment is the appropriate expertise in radiation protection. The appointment must be notified to the competent authority. The Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV) and the Radiation Protection Act (StrlSchG) regulate the position in the company, the duties and the necessity of appointing radiation protection officers in detail.

You can also find further information here.

e) Evacuation assistants

In the Occupational Health and Safety Act § 10 ArbSchG the employer is obliged to take the measures necessary for first aid, firefighting and evacuation of employees according to the type of workplace and activities as well as the number of employees. In doing so, they must take into account the presence of other persons.

As there are no further legal requirements, it is the responsibility of each TUC facility to determine how many evacuation assistants are required and what training they must have as part of the risk assessment. The number, training and equipment of evacuation assistants must be proportionate to the number of employees and the operational hazard potential.

In principle, there is no reason why fire protection assistants should not also be evacuation assistants, provided that the risk assessment shows that there are sufficient fire protection assistants available and they are therefore not restricted in their actual tasks.

Note: Our contact persons for occupational safety will be happy to advise you here.

First aiders:

This results from § 26 DGUV regulation 1:

(2) The employer may only deploy persons as first aiders who have been trained by a body authorized by the accident insurance institution to provide first aid training, or who have completed training in paramedic/rescue services or have completed training in a healthcare profession. The requirements for authorization are set out in Annex 2 to this accident prevention regulation.
 

(3) The employer must ensure that the first aiders receive further training, generally at two-year intervals. Paragraph 2 applies accordingly to further training. Persons with paramedic/emergency medical services training or a corresponding qualification in a healthcare profession are deemed to have undergone further training if they regularly attend comparable further training events or regularly carry out first aid measures in the course of their professional or voluntary paramedic/emergency medical services activities. The employer must obtain evidence of the training.

(4) If, due to the nature of the company, in particular due to the handling of hazardous substances, it is to be expected that measures will be required in the event of accidents that are not covered by the general training for first aiders in accordance with paragraph 2, the employer must provide the necessary additional training and further training.

Safety officers:

The legal basis for the appointment of safety officers is § 22 SGB VII and § 20 of DGUV Regulation 1 "Principles of Prevention" in conjunction with DGUV Regulation 100-001.

According to Section 20 (6) of DGUV Regulation 1, safety representatives must be given the opportunity to participate in training and further training measures of the accident insurance institutions, insofar as this is necessary with regard to the type of operation and the associated accident and health hazards for the insured persons and taking into account operational concerns.

DGUV Rule 100-001 explains this in point 4.2.6:

"In order for safety representatives to be able to perform their duties in the company on a sustainable basis, they generally require training and also regular further training offered by the accident insurance institutions, in addition to regular information from the company management, occupational safety specialist and company doctor. Without the knowledge they acquire there, safety officers cannot perform their duties properly and completely."

Specific further training periods are not specified in the aforementioned regulations and rules, but DGUV Information 211-042 "Safety Officers" provides a rough framework in Chapter 2.5: "Depending on the scope and intensity of the training and depending on the hazard potential, refresher or supplementary internal or external further training is advisable no later than 3 to 5 years after the training.

Here you can find more information on the last training course for safety officers.

Fire safety assistants:

From DGUV Information 205-023:

To refresh knowledge, it is advisable to repeat the training at intervals of 3 to 5 years. In the event of significant operational changes, training must be repeated at shorter intervals, e.g:

• a requirement from the risk assessment, such as a special requirement for the effectiveness of the training and therefore also for a repetition on the level of knowledge/awareness of the fire safety assistant
• New production and work processes with changed fire hazards that affect the extinguishing agent or the fire extinguishing equipment provided and the extinguishing tactics
• Transfer of a fire safety assistant to work/operating areas that require a different approach to initial firefighting from the previous area.

Evacuation assistants:

Training for evacuation assistants should be repeated at least every three years. This makes it easier for helpers to react to changing circumstances in the company that may affect the evacuation. Participants also refresh their skills through regular training.

Note: As a line manager, you can delegate these tasks to your deputy. Our contact persons for occupational safety will be happy to support you.

It is up to the facilities themselves to decide the time sequence in which they carry out the inspection. In the event of defects that cannot be rectified immediately, the person responsible must be informed. It is recommended that the respective head of the facility determines the time frame in which the regular inspection is to be carried out by the fire safety officer (e.g. every four weeks).

Any deficiencies that cannot be rectified must be reported to the supervisor because he/she knows who to contact.

Please ensure that sufficient fire extinguishers and other auxiliary equipment (e.g. emergency showers, fire blankets) are always available and that they are regularly checked to ensure that they are in perfect technical condition. Any defects found in fire extinguishing equipment and other auxiliary equipment must be reported immediately to the person responsible and rectified. If necessary, the affected systems or rooms must be shut down and no longer used (see also Clausthal University of Technology Fire Safety Regulations).

The type and number of fire extinguishers required can be found in the ASR 2.2 .

Note: As a supervisor, you can delegate these tasks to your subordinate management level (e.g. employees with personnel responsibility, department heads, foremen, laboratory managers). Our contact persons for occupational safety will also be happy to support you.

The inspection and documentation is described in Annex 2 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health is regulated.