Accident insurance company revises inspection requirements for electrical installations

The statutory accident insurance aims to make the inspection of electrical installations more practical and risk-oriented. To this end, it is revising its guidelines. It emphasizes that the level of protection will remain unchanged.

The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) supports the Federal Government's aim to make the mandatory inspection of electrical installations and equipment more practical and risk-oriented. The primary goal remains the protection against electrical accidents . This was emphasized by the umbrella organization of the employers' liability insurance associations and accident insurance funds.

"This includes, among other things, DGUV Regulations 3 and 4, which we have already begun revising ," says DGUV Managing Director Dr. Stephan Fasshauer . "Our goal is very clear: simple, easily implementable rules that enable optimal protection while explicitly allowing room to take into account specific operational practices."

The level of protection remains central

Employer and employee representatives ensured that the high level of protection was maintained , explains Jörg Botti, Managing Director of the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Energy, Textile, Electrical and Media Products Industries (BG ETEM) . "No one should take the dangers of electricity lightly." Companies report around 2.500 workplace accidents caused by electricity to the statutory accident insurance every year, some of them fatal.

The accident insurance provider aims to further emphasize, through the revision of regulations , that companies already have considerable leeway in implementing prevention measures. Botti stresses: " Employers can already determine inspection intervals for electrical systems and equipment based on risk assessments and factors such as the error rate. Longer inspection intervals are justified for lightly used equipment, such as the coffee machine in the break room ."

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Fasshauer emphasizes that regular inspections tailored to the specific operating conditions are an important tool for occupational safety and health . The resulting costs are offset by the benefit of avoided accidents and fires.

What do DGUV regulations 3 and 4 say?

The German Social Code, Book VII, grants the employers' liability insurance associations and accident insurance funds the authority to issue accident prevention regulations . These regulations are binding for all companies and institutions insured with the accident insurance institutions . The aim is to enable practical regulations on occupational safety and health, coordinated between the social partners. DGUV Regulations 3 and 4 are part of this set of rules and concern the safety of electrical installations and equipment . They are particularly well-known for the regular inspections, which are documented with a sticker.

The differences at a glance

DGUV regulation 3 (for the private sector):
Aimed at everyone commercial enterprises and private sector companies (e.g. craft workshops, production companies, retail) GWI mbH. It regulates the safe operation, testing and maintenance of electrical systems and equipment DGUV publications.

DGUV regulation 4 (for the public service):
Aimed at public facilities such as authorities, schools, universities, daycare centers, hospitals and municipal administrations HD Elektrotechnik.

In terms of content, the technical requirements are almost identical , however, DGUV 4 often goes beyond the pure electrical sector and also includes mechanical hazards or measures such as the marking of escape routes (HD electrical engineering).

Both regulations oblige employers to have electrical equipment regularly inspected to ensure it is in proper working order . A distinction is generally made between two categories:

• Mobile Operating equipment = devices that can be easily moved while connected to the electrical circuit (such as PCs, coffee machines, extension cords, drills).
  
  
• Local festivals Equipment and operating resources = Permanently installed systems or devices that are heavy and do not have a carrying handle (such as control cabinets, permanently installed machines, stoves).

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