Operating instructions (Betriebsanweisung)
Also: Betriebsanweisung, work instructions
Definition
Operating instructions are written, workplace-specific instructions from the employer that summarise the hazards, protective measures, behaviour in an emergency, first aid and disposal for an activity, a hazardous substance or an item of work equipment in plain language.
Operating instructions are mandatory in Germany for activities involving hazardous substances (Section 14 of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, structure according to TRGS 555), for work equipment with particular hazards (Section 12 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health) and for biological agents. They are posted at the workplace and form the basis of safety instruction.
Coloured templates have become established – orange for hazardous substances, blue for machines, green for biological agents – with the sections scope, hazards to people and the environment, protective measures and rules of conduct, behaviour in an emergency, first aid and proper disposal. The content comes from the safety data sheet or the manufacturer's operating manual.
Legal basis
- Section 14 of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, TRGS 555
- Section 12 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health
- Section 14 of the Biological Agents Ordinance
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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.
