Legal background for hygiene inspection and risk assessment according to VDI6022

The legal requirements and regulations for air handling units are related to the areas supplied by the units and fall under the  General principles according  §3 ArbSchG   and  Basic Duties of an Employer   §4 ArbSchG . Arbeitstätten die durch eine Raumlufttechnische Anlage versorgt werden, fallen demnach unter folgende Bestimmungen:   Arbeitststätten Verordnung (§ 3a )  Einrichten und Betreiben von Arbeitsstätten, (§4)  Besondere Anforderungen an das Betreiben von Arbeitsstätten. Für den Betrieb, bei der Planung oder der Konstruktion von Arbeitstätten ist eine  Beurteilung der Arbeitsbedingungen  §5 ArbSchG  und eine  Gefährdungsbeurteilung nach § 3 ArbStättV durchzuführen, bei der die VDI6022 als  "Stand der Technik"  herangezogen wird.

 

ArbSchG § 3  Grundpflichten eines Arbeitgebers

• Der Arbeitgeber ist verpflichtet, die erforderlichen Maßnahmen des Arbeitsschutzes unter Berücksichtigung der Umstände zu treffen, die Sicherheit und Gesundheit der Beschäftigten bei der Arbeit beeinflussen[...]

ArbSchG § 4  Allgemeine Grundsätze

• Die Arbeit ist so zu gestalten, dass eine Gefährdung für das Leben sowie die physische und die psychische Gesundheit möglichst vermieden und die verbleibende Gefährdung möglichst gering gehalten wird[...].
  
  

• Hazards must be tackled at their source[...]
  
  

• In taking measures, the state of the art  shall be taken into account. , Arbeitsmedizin und Hygiene sowie sonstige gesicherte arbeitswissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse zu berücksichtigen[...]

ArbSchG § 5  Assessment of working conditions

• The employer shall determine which occupational safety and health measures are necessary by assessing the hazards associated with the employees' work.

• A hazard can arise in particular from:

1. The design and furnishing of the workplace and workstation
   
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2. physical, chemical and biological effects
   
   

3. the design, selection and use of work equipment, in particular of working materials,machinery, equipment and installations, and the handling thereof
   
   

ArbStättV § 3   Gefährdungsbeurteilung

• When assessing working conditions in accordance with section 5 of the Labour Code. protection Act, the employer shall first ascertain whether the employees are exposed to hazards when setting up and operating workplaces are or may be exposed.

ArbStättV § 3a  Establishing and operating workplaces

• The employer shall ensure that workplaces are set up. be set up and operated in such a way that hazards to safety are avoided. and the health of workers are avoided and minimised. living hazards are kept as low as possible.
  
  

• When . Establishing and operating the workplaces, the employer shall measures according to  § 3 . paragraph 1 ArbSchG to be carried out and thereby the state. of technology, occupational medicine and hygiene. those of the Federal Ministry of Labour. and Social Affairs according to § 7 paragraph 4 . published rules and recognition. knowledge to be taken into account.

ArbStättV § 4  Special requirements for the operation of workplaces.

• The employer has to ensure that workplaces meet the hygienic requirements. Contamination and deposits that may lead to hazards. shall be removed immediately.

• The employer shall ensure the safety facilities, in particular. security lighting, fire detection. and firefighting equipment, signalling devices, emergency units and emergency switches as well as room air conditioning. maintain installations and check them at regular intervals for. to have their functionality checked. n.
  
  

Die VDI 6022 als "Stand der Technik"

• The VDI 6022 applies to all ventilation and air-conditioning systems and to units that supply rooms in which persons are present for more than 30 days per year or regularly for more than 2 hours per day as intended.
  

• Personnel union: between the person responsible for maintenance / servicing and the person responsible for carrying out the hygiene inspection, a personnel union must be avoided..

In the absence of documentation of regular hygiene inspections in accordance with VDI 6022 and any resulting violations of the ArbSchG and the ArbStättV, a company, or the specialists and managers responsible for it, is liable for damages in the event of a violation.

As part of a risk assessment, the assessment of working conditions by the employer is mandatory. This determines what risks are associated with the work itself and the location of the workplace.

Criminal and administrative offences and their legal punishment in the event of violations are defined by the StGB and the OWiG.

ArbSchG § 6  Documentation

• The employer must have at his disposal the documentation required - depending on the nature of the activities and the number of workers - to show the result of the risk assessment, the occupational health and safety measures he has laid down and the result of their verification..

StGB und OWiG Straf- und ordnungswidrigkeitenrechtliche Ahndung von Verstößen

• Ordnungswidrigkeitengesetz (OWiG) Non-compliance with community rules such as occupational safety, environmental protection and health protection are punished by the Ordnungswidrigkeitengesetz and, unlike in criminal law, can be punished for non-compliance.

• criminal liability for unlawful acts against work safety regulations in relation to accidents at work, which constitutes negligent bodily injury under § 229 StGB or negligent homicide under§ 222 StGB, are governed by criminal and administrative offences law.

. Whoever commits a criminal offence

• induces an accident resulting in injury (Sections 223, 229 of the Criminal Code) or death (Sections 212, 222 of the Criminal Code)

• causes it by an unlawful act andacts culpably, i.e. intentionally or negligently violates an occupational health and safety or accident prevention regulation.