Labelling obligations

General information

Labelling obligations serve to alert people, in particular, to present dangers, safety measures or safety devices.

Construction sites

The following obligations are set out for construction sites, for example:

• extinguishing agents and extinguishers must be clearly visible, conspicuously labelled and must be easily accessible at all times. Locations in which extinguishing agents and extinguishers are provided must be clearly and permanently labelled.

• In workplaces at risk of fire, smoking and the use of naked flames and lights is forbidden. These prohibitions must be indicated by clearly visible and permanent posters.
• Taps providing non-drinking water must be accordingly labelled as such. The labelling must be clear and permanent.

Work equipment

The following regulations apply for work equipment, for example:

• If the knowledge of certain data (such as current type, voltage, protection class, sense of rotation) or certain tolerance limits (such as bearing capacity, mass, r.p.m., filling level or pressure) is required to safely operate work equipment, these must be clearly and permanently visible on the work equipment.
• If required for safe operation, information on the proper use and of potential risks when handling must be available for the work equipment. Data and information must be provided in German if symbols are not used

Agents

Containers (including visibly laid pipelines) that contain dangerous agents, rooms or areas (including cabinets) that are used to store significant quantities of dangerous agents are to be labelled accordingly.

Enterprises affected

Construction sites

Essentially all establishments that perform construction work of any kind, apart from agricultural and forestry establishments, administrative departments and federal, province and municipal schools as well as private households.

Labelling of work equipment

Essentially all establishments, apart from agricultural and forestry establishments, administrative departments and federal, province and municipal schools as well as private households.

Labelling of hazardous agents

Essentially all establishments, apart from agricultural and forestry establishments, administrative departments and federal, province and municipal schools as well as private households.

Competent authority

The locally competent labour inspectorate (→ BMAW)^{German text}

Legal bases

• Section 41 of the Arbeitsmittelverordnung (AM-VO)
• Sections 33, 42, 45 of the Bauarbeiterschutzverordnung (BauV)
• Sections 1a, 1b of the Kennzeichnungsverordnung (KennV)

Expert information

Labelling of agents (→ BMAW)