Operating instructions for machinery template (PDF) under Section 12 BetrSichV
Form for operating instructions (Betriebsanweisung) for machines and work equipment in the established structure – scope, hazards, protective measures, malfunctions, first aid, maintenance – with a filling-in guide and a checklist before posting.
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Before employees use a piece of work equipment for the first time, written operating instructions in an understandable form and language must be available (Section 12(2) of the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, BetrSichV). They describe hazards, protective measures and how to behave in the event of malfunctions, accidents and emergencies – tailored to the workplace in your own company.
The template follows the established structure that DGUV Information 211-010 “Safety through operating instructions” (Sicherheit durch Betriebsanweisungen) also describes: scope, hazards to people and the environment, protective measures and rules of conduct, behaviour in the event of malfunctions, behaviour in the event of accidents and first aid, maintenance. A filling-in guide on page 2 shows what belongs in each section.
What the template contains
- PDF form in the usual structure: scope, hazards, protective measures, malfunctions, accidents and first aid, maintenance and disposal
- Header with company, workstation, machine, manufacturer, inventory number and location
- Fields for first aider, emergency number, next review and signatures
- Second page with a filling-in guide for each section and a checklist before approval
How to use the template
- 1
Have the instruction manual and risk assessment ready
The safety information in the manufacturer's instruction manual and the results of the risk assessment provide the content. Involve the employees who work at the machine – they know the malfunctions and weak points.
- 2
Write in concrete terms
Write short instructions that can be followed: “Switch off and lock the main switch before changing tools” instead of “Take care during maintenance”. The filling-in guide and the checklist on page 2 help you do this.
- 3
Post and instruct
Post the operating instructions at the machine and instruct employees using the document – before first use and at least once a year. Document attendance with the safety instruction record.
Legal basis
- Section 12(2) BetrSichV: written operating instructions before first use, update after safety-relevant changes
- Section 12(1) BetrSichV: information on hazards, protective measures, malfunctions, accidents and first aid; instruction at least once a year
- Section 12(3) BetrSichV: work equipment involving particular hazards only used by authorised employees
- DGUV Information 211-010: Safety through operating instructions
- Section 87(1) no. 7 of the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG): co-determination of the works council on occupational safety and health
Frequently asked questions
Is the manufacturer's instruction manual enough as operating instructions?
Possibly: instead of operating instructions, the employer may provide the instructions for use or instruction manual supplied with the equipment if it contains the information required for operating instructions (Section 12(2) BetrSichV). Manufacturers' manuals, however, are usually extensive and take neither the working environment nor in-house processes into account. One-page operating instructions are almost always better suited to the workplace.
Which machines need operating instructions?
In principle every piece of work equipment that employees use. The exception is work equipment for which no instructions for use have to be supplied under the Product Safety Act (Produktsicherheitsgesetz) (Section 12(2) BetrSichV). How detailed the instructions need to be follows from the risk assessment.
What colour are operating instructions for machinery?
No colour is prescribed. A blue frame for machines and work equipment is common – DGUV Information 211-010 shows it as an example of consistent design, alongside orange for hazardous substances. What matters is the content, not the colour.
You may use and adapt the template freely in your own company and for your own clients. It reflects the regulations named as they stand.
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