Seminars offered by the KRAUSE ACADEMY
The KRAUSE factory in Alsfeld, Hesse, offers practice-oriented seminars under the label ‘KRAUSE ACADEMY’ in which employees are trained to become ‘qualified persons’ for various types of access technology. The seminars on offer include courses on inspecting mobile ladders and steps, mobile scaffolding and fixed ladders. In these seminars, participants acquire comprehensive knowledge about the selection, safe use, maintenance and regular inspection of the respective work equipment. All relevant regulations are covered.
In addition, the KRAUSE ACADEMY offers seminars on safe climbing and rescue with personal protective equipment against falls from a height (PPE). The focus of these seminars is not on qualifying as a ‘competent person’, but on the safe use of PPE. Participants learn how to use the equipment correctly, carry out regular user checks and perform rescue measures in an emergency.
Practical focus for each climbing technique category
When designing its seminars, the KRAUSE ACADEMY attaches great importance to clearly defined focal points, which are taught in a practical manner. In the area of ladders and steps, participants learn how to safely handle different types of ladders and steps, how to use them properly, and how to inspect and maintain them regularly. The relevant standards and accident prevention regulations play a central role in this.
Another focus is on the safe assembly and proper use of mobile scaffolding. This is supplemented by an understanding of the technical standards that ensure stability and correct use.
The KRAUSE ACADEMY also offers seminars on the safe use and maintenance of fixed ladders, which are used in particular on buildings or machines. Participants learn how to identify hazards and apply the relevant regulations correctly.
The programme is rounded off by seminars on personal protective equipment against falls from a height (PPE). The focus here is on selecting and using the equipment safely. In addition, rescue measures for emergencies are practised. Of particular relevance in this context are the contents of the DGUV rules, which require, among other things, annual training for users and a company rescue plan.
KRAUSE conducts the seminars either at its factory in Alsfeld, at seminar hotels throughout Germany or directly at the customer's premises. The in-house seminars in particular offer the advantage that the ladders, scaffolding and access technology products available in the respective company can be integrated – for example, through practical exercises using the company's own work equipment. Online seminars are also available, allowing flexible participation regardless of location.
New to the KRAUSE ACADEMY programme is a two-day combined seminar that combines content on mobile access technology (ladders, steps, mobile scaffolding) and fixed ladders. Both topics are covered on two consecutive days, enabling participants to acquire a comprehensive qualification profile. Compared to booking separate individual seminars, participants benefit from a price advantage. This compact seminar is aimed in particular at those responsible for various types of access technology in the workplace and who are therefore looking for efficient, comprehensive training.
The quality of the training is also confirmed by recognition from professional circles: KRAUSE seminars are recognised as further training measures for occupational safety specialists and are rewarded with further training points. For companies, training their own employees to become inspectors offers clear advantages. External inspection costs can be saved, inspection intervals can be adhered to more flexibly and downtimes can be reduced by rectifying defects more quickly. Trained and knowledgeable employees recognise unsafe conditions at an early stage and can often rectify minor defects themselves. This increases occupational safety and helps to prevent accidents and maintain the value of work equipment. In summary, it can be said that investing in the training of qualified personnel is not only worthwhile from the perspective of legal obligations, but also offers economic and organisational advantages.
Legal inspection requirement for ladders, scaffolding, etc.
In accordance with applicable regulations, ladders, scaffolding and similar equipment are subject to a legal inspection requirement. Employers are obliged to provide only safe work equipment and to have its condition checked regularly. In practice, this means that ladders and steps must be inspected by a qualified person at specified intervals and the results documented. As a rule, an annual inspection is sufficient, but shorter intervals may be necessary in the case of intensive use. In accordance with the applicable regulations, a professional inspection is also required before the equipment is used for the first time. Technical rules and DGUV regulations specify the details for the safe use of ladders, mobile scaffolding or personal protective equipment against falls from a height. In addition, they require regular training and a functioning rescue plan.
The responsibility for implementation clearly lies with the employer. They must ensure that work equipment is only provided in perfect condition and that inspections are carried out exclusively by qualified employees. The criteria for qualification as a ‘competent person’ are specified in TRBS 1203. The job requires appropriate technical training, relevant professional experience and recent professional activity in the relevant field. Specialised training, e.g. through the KRAUSE ACADEMY, is crucial in order to acquire the necessary expertise. These requirements serve to ensure that the ‘competent person’ truly understands the equipment, its hazards and the inspection methods. The employer is therefore required to make a careful selection and to ensure that the inspectors receive regular training.
Consequences of omitted or incorrect inspections
Omitted or incorrect inspections of work equipment can have serious consequences. These range from fines in accordance with the Industrial Safety Regulation to criminal consequences and recourse claims that threaten the existence of the company. Even providing uninspeted or defective work equipment can be sanctioned by the supervisory authority. In serious cases, the work equipment may even be taken out of service. In the event of an accident, the employers' liability insurance associations immediately check whether the prescribed inspections have been carried out properly. Violations can result in claims for reimbursement amounting to millions, which often lead to company insolvency. It is particularly critical that management can be held personally liable, as liability privileges or insurance policies usually do not apply in such cases. Even delegating the inspection obligation does not relieve the employer of responsibility: if an unsuitable or inadequately trained person is assigned to carry out the inspection and overlooks a defect, the employer is guilty of organisational negligence. These risks can only be effectively minimised through the careful selection and continuous training of ‘qualified persons’ and a consistently implemented occupational health and safety management system.
Inspection as a central component of occupational safety
Regular inspection of access technology should not be dismissed as a tedious chore, as it is a central component of occupational safety and prevention. Those responsible in companies should be aware of the existing risk. Uninspected or improperly used ladders and scaffolding pose a significant safety and liability risk. This risk can only be countered through consistent staff training, comprehensive inspection routines and a culture of safety. Experience from accident investigations clearly shows that negligence in this area can have serious consequences, which can even extend to personal liability for managers.
Ways to implement the inspection requirement in compliance with the law
There are two ways to implement the inspection regulations in compliance with the law: Either ‘qualified persons’ from your own company are trained or external inspection services are commissioned. The KRAUSE ACADEMY offers a comprehensive seminar platform for this purpose to qualify employees as competent inspectors for ladders, mobile scaffolding and PPE. Alternatively, the task can also be outsourced to specialised service providers if companies are unable or unwilling to provide their own inspectors. KRAUSE INSPECT, for example, offers to carry out the prescribed ladder, step and mobile scaffold inspections by experienced experts directly on site at the company. In addition to the products mentioned, KRAUSE inspectors can also reliably inspect numerous other work equipment. Regardless of the model chosen, the key thing is that the inspection obligation is taken seriously. Regular and expert inspections of access technology protect employees from accidents and the company from legal surprises – they are therefore an investment in safety and corporate protection at the same time.
You will find more informationen about KRAUSE ACADEMY and INSPECT here