DGUV Regulation 3: testing electrical equipment – intervals, process and records
Coffee machine, extension cable, drill, control cabinet: DGUV Regulation 3 requires recurring tests of electrical equipment. An overview of intervals, testers, process and documentation.
Last updated on 8 min readAMS Go editorial team
Key points at a glance
- DGUV Regulation 3 (formerly BGV A3) requires companies in Germany to have electrical installations and equipment tested before first use, after modifications and at regular intervals.
- For portable equipment such as extension cables or hand drills, the guideline interval is 6 months, on construction sites 3 months. If the failure rate is below 2 per cent, the interval may be extended – in offices to up to 2 years.
- Only a qualified electrician (Elektrofachkraft) or an electrically instructed person under the direction and supervision of a qualified electrician may test, in each case with suitable measuring equipment.
- The test sticker alone is not enough: every test needs a report with measured values, result and next test date.
What DGUV Regulation 3 covers
DGUV Regulation 3 “Electrical installations and equipment” is an accident prevention regulation of the German employers' liability insurance associations. Until 2014 it was called BGV A3, and many people still know it by that name. For companies insured with a public-sector accident insurance fund, the identical DGUV Regulation 4 applies.
The core of the regulation is Section 5: the employer must ensure that electrical installations and equipment are tested for their proper condition – before first use, after a modification or repair and at certain intervals. The aim is to prevent electrical accidents and fires caused by defective devices, damaged cables or faulty protective measures.
Which installations and equipment are affected
Everything that is electrically operated and used in the company must be tested – regardless of whether it belongs to the company or was brought in by employees. A distinction is made between two groups:
Portable equipment
Exampleshand drills, extension cables, power strips, coffee machines, monitors, chargers, site distribution boards
Test standardDIN EN 50699 (VDE 0702) for repeat tests, DIN EN 50678 (VDE 0701) after repair
Fixed installations and equipment
Examplesbuilding installation, control cabinets, distribution boards, permanently connected machines, sockets, lighting
Test standardDIN VDE 0105-100 (operation of electrical installations) and DIN VDE 0100-600
Equipment is portable if it can be moved during operation or is easily moved from one place to another while connected. Fixed equipment has no carrying device and is so heavy that it cannot easily be moved – or it is permanently connected.
Test intervals under DGUV Regulation 3
The implementation guidance for DGUV Regulation 3 gives guideline values for test intervals. The employer must set the binding interval in the risk assessment (Section 3 (6) BetrSichV) – depending on stress, environment and the results of previous tests.
Portable electrical equipment, extension cables and appliance cords
Guideline test interval6 months, on construction sites 3 months. If the failure rate is below 2 per cent, the interval can be extended – to a maximum of 1 year, in offices to a maximum of 2 years
Tested byqualified electrician or electrically instructed person under the direction and supervision of a qualified electrician, with suitable measuring and test equipment
Fixed electrical installations and equipment
Guideline test interval4 years
Tested byqualified electrician
Fixed installations in premises, rooms and installations of a special kind (for example damp rooms, potentially explosive areas)
Guideline test interval1 year
Tested byqualified electrician
Protective measures with residual current devices in non-stationary installations (for example construction sites)
Guideline test interval1 month
Tested byqualified electrician or electrically instructed person
Residual current circuit breakers, checked for proper function by pressing the test button
Guideline test interval6 months, in non-stationary installations every working day
Tested byuser
Who may test
Tests under DGUV Regulation 3 are reserved for qualified electricians. A qualified electrician is someone who, based on their technical training, knowledge and experience as well as knowledge of the relevant regulations, can assess the work assigned and recognise possible hazards – typically electronics technicians, electricians or electrical engineers with professional experience.
Portable equipment may also be tested by electrically instructed persons if they use suitable measuring and test equipment and work under the direction and supervision of a qualified electrician. The qualified electrician defines the test procedure, provides instruction and assesses the results in cases of doubt. Under the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, the tester must also be a “person qualified to carry out tests” within the meaning of TRBS 1203.
- In-house qualified electrician: tests can be organised internally, often with a tester that stores measured values.
- External testing service: common in companies without a qualified electrician. Agree in the contract which devices are tested, to what extent and how the results are handed over.
- Manufacturer or repairer: after a repair, the repairer tests the device before it is put back into service in accordance with DIN EN 50678.
How a test works
A repeat test of portable equipment always consists of three parts: visual inspection, measurement and functional test. Before and after comes the organisation:
- 1
Take inventory
Record all electrical equipment with a unique ID, location and responsibility. Without a complete inventory, devices are missed during testing – and so are the records.
- 2
Visual inspection
Check housing, cable, plug and strain relief for damage, check the rating plate and labelling, look for signs of improper repairs.
- 3
Measurement
Depending on the protection class, protective conductor resistance, insulation resistance and protective conductor or touch current are measured. DIN EN 50699 sets the limit values.
- 4
Functional test
The equipment is put into operation and checked for proper function – including switches and protective devices.
- 5
Assess and label
Passed: attach a test sticker with the next test date. Failed: withdraw the device from use immediately and label it, arrange repair or disposal.
- 6
Document
Record measured values, result, tester, date and next test date in the test report and file it in the inspection register.
- 7
Analyse the failure rate
Calculate the failure rate after each round. It is the basis for extending or shortening test intervals with good reason.
Documentation: what goes into the test report
The Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health requires the test result to be recorded and kept at least until the next test (Section 17 BetrSichV). A test report contains:
- unique identification of the equipment (inventory number, type, manufacturer, location)
- type and scope of the test and the standard applied
- measured values with limit values and the result of the visual and functional test
- defects found and measures taken
- name and qualification of the tester, test equipment used
- date of the test and next test date
Testers today usually export measured values digitally. If they are transferred directly into an inspection register that monitors deadlines and sends reminders of due tests, there is no need to type them up – and the next date is not forgotten.
Common mistakes in practice
- Incomplete inventory: chargers brought from home, power strips under desks or devices in side rooms are overlooked.
- Blanket intervals without a risk assessment: the 6 months are adopted although the environment and failure rate suggest a different interval – or they are extended without proving the failure rate.
- Tests by unqualified persons: caretakers or apprentices test without a qualified electrician in the background.
- Reports stay with the service provider: the test has been done, but the records are only held by the external tester.
- Defective devices remain in circulation: a device that failed is not locked away and ends up back on the shelf.
- No test after repair: after a repair, the test before putting the device back into service is missing.
Checklist: organising tests under DGUV Regulation 3
- All electrical installations and equipment inventoried and uniquely labelled
- Test intervals per equipment group set and justified in the risk assessment
- Tester appointed: in-house qualified electrician, instructed person under supervision or external service provider
- Suitable test equipment available and itself calibrated regularly
- Process for failed devices defined: lock away, label, repair or dispose of
- Test reports with measured values kept in the company until the next test
- Failure rate analysed for each round
- Reminders of due tests set up, for example in the inspection register
- Employees instructed: visual check before use, report defects, no private devices without a test
Free templates for this guide
As PDF and Excel, no sign-up – free to use in your own company.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between DGUV Regulation 3 and BGV A3?
It is the same regulation. When the employers' liability insurance associations and accident insurance funds were brought together under the umbrella of the DGUV, BGV A3 was renamed DGUV Regulation 3 in 2014. The content did not change.
How often must portable electrical equipment be tested?
The guideline value is 6 months, on construction sites 3 months. If the failure rate in tests is below 2 per cent, the interval may be extended – to a maximum of 1 year, in offices to a maximum of 2 years. The employer sets the specific interval in the risk assessment.
May I carry out the DGUV Regulation 3 test myself?
Only as a qualified electrician or as an electrically instructed person under the direction and supervision of a qualified electrician – and with suitable measuring and test equipment. Without an electrical qualification, testing is not permitted; then the option is an external testing service.
Do employees' private devices also have to be tested?
Yes, as soon as they are used in the company – such as chargers, fans or coffee machines. The employer is responsible for all equipment used on its premises. Many companies therefore specify that private devices may only be used after a test, or not at all.
How long must test reports be kept?
At least until the next test (Section 17 BetrSichV). In practice, it is advisable to keep reports longer so that failure rates can be proven over several cycles and test intervals can be adjusted with good reason.
Terms from the glossary
This guide 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.
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