Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG)

The 1996 Act transposes the European Framework Directive on safety and health at work and applies to all employees in all sectors – from craft businesses to public authorities. It sets out basic duties and leaves the details to ordinances (Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Hazardous Substances Ordinance, Workplaces Ordinance) and to the regulations of the accident insurance institutions.

The central duties: risk assessment (Section 5), documentation (Section 6), safety instruction (Section 12), suitable organisation and resources (Section 3), order of protective measures (Section 4) and delegation of tasks to reliable persons (Section 13). Employees have duties to cooperate (Sections 15, 16) and a right to make suggestions (Section 17).

Violations can be fined up to €30,000; intentional endangerment can lead to prison sentences (Sections 25, 26).

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.