Inspection interval (Prüffrist)
Also: Prüffrist, test interval, inspection cycle
Definition
The inspection interval is the period after which work equipment must be inspected again. The employer sets it in the risk assessment (Section 3 (6) of the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health); regulations and rules give guideline values, such as 12 months for ladders and shelving or 6 months for portable electrical devices.
Guideline values are for orientation, not rigid mandatory intervals: with heavy use, inspections must be more frequent; with a demonstrably low failure rate, they may sometimes be less frequent. For installations subject to monitoring, the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health prescribes maximum intervals (such as 2 years for lifts).
All inspection intervals belong in an inspection register with the last and next inspection. If you maintain them there – or have software remind you – you will not miss a due date and will have the records at hand during inspections.
Legal basis
- Section 3 (6), Section 14, Section 16 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health
- DGUV Regulations 3, 52, 68 and others
Learn more
- Inspections
Inspection intervals for work equipment in Germany: overview, duties and records
8 minRead - Testing duties
UVV inspections in Germany: what must be inspected, how often and by whom
8 minRead - Testing duties
Work equipment inspection register template (Excel) with inspection intervals
ExcelFree download
Related terms
This glossary entry gives a general overview of German occupational safety law and does not replace legal advice. The regulations in force and the rules of the statutory accident insurance institutions are authoritative.
