Inspection of ladders, scaffolding, gates... for more safety

Ladders, steps and mobile scaffolding are used as work equipment for a wide variety of activities such as maintenance, assembly, servicing, construction work and much more. Users can be found in almost all different commercial and industrial sectors.

If a company provides ladders, steps and mobile scaffolding as work equipment, these must be inspected by a competent person (qualified in accordance with BetrSichV in conjunction with TRBS 1203) before they are used for the first time and then at regular intervals in accordance with the requirements of the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health. The interval between ladder inspections should be a maximum of 12 months in accordance with the recommendations of DGUV Information 208-016. In addition to the inspection required after each assembly, an additional condition inspection is also recommended for mobile scaffolding at intervals of no more than 12 months. Ultimately, however, the inspection intervals are finally determined as part of a risk assessment. Influencing factors such as ambient conditions, weather, material and frequency of use also play a role here.

When working at heights and depths, an adequately safe design of the workstation at height or depth is often already a matter of course for companies. However, in addition to the safety of the workplace, it is also crucial that access to it is safe and convenient. Fixed ladders are often used for this purpose, not least because of their small footprint.

According to the Workplace Ordinance, operators of fixed ladder systems are obliged to maintain them and rectify any defects immediately. The technical rule for workplaces ASR A1.8 in conjunction with DGUV information 208-032 therefore stipulates that fixed ladders must be inspected regularly by a competent person. A maximum inspection interval of 12 months is recommended. However, the inspection intervals are ultimately determined as part of a risk assessment. Influencing factors such as ambient conditions, weather, material of the fixed ladder and frequency of use also play a role here.

Any installed arrester rail with associated personal protective equipment against falls from a height must also be inspected regularly by a competent person (trained in accordance with DGUV principle 312-906) in accordance with the German Industrial Safety Regulation and DGUV rule 112-198, which is recommended at least every 12 months.

The easy-to-move, height-adjustable and free-standing tanker ladders offer safe and convenient access for carrying out operating and inspection work during loading and unloading (e.g. sampling, maintenance and cleaning) on tankers and tank wagons. In addition, almost all target group-specific requirements from our modular system can be met, thus providing safe access and a workplace for working on, with and around tankers, silo vehicles, tank wagons or other vehicles.

If tanker ladders are used as work equipment, they must be inspected by a competent person (qualified in accordance with BetrSichV in conjunction with TRBS 1203) in accordance with the requirements of the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health before they are used for the first time and then at regular intervals. The interval between inspections should be a maximum of 12 months in accordance with the recommendations of DGUV Information 208-016. However, the inspection intervals are ultimately determined as part of your risk assessment. Influencing factors such as ambient conditions, weather, material and frequency of use also play a role here.

Every driver is responsible for the roadworthy condition of their vehicle. This also means that dangerous "roof loads" on lorries, such as ice, snow, branches and water, must always be removed. To ensure safe access to the appropriate height, so-called ice-free scaffolding with stair access and a safe walking surface is used. Thanks to the modular design and various accessories, the ice scaffolding can be adapted to different usage situations (e.g. different lorry lengths).

If ice-free scaffolding is used in a company, it must be inspected in accordance with the requirements of the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health and Workplaces before it is used for the first time and then at regular intervals by a competent person (qualified in accordance with BetrSichV in conjunction with TRBS 1203). It is recommended that the interval between inspections should not exceed 12 months. However, the inspection intervals are ultimately determined as part of your risk assessment. Influencing factors such as ambient conditions, weather, material and frequency of use also play a role here.

Customised solutions are used wherever standard products no longer provide sufficient safe access. A customised access technology solution is developed for the specific application. The various designs differ in mobile or stationary systems, short or long or multiple platforms and with or without electrical components.

If a company provides customised solutions, these must be inspected by a qualified person (qualified in accordance with BetrSichV in conjunction with TRBS 1203) before they are used for the first time and then at regular intervals in accordance with the requirements of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health and Workplace Safety. For special solutions without electrical components, a maximum inspection interval of 12 months is recommended. Special solutions with electrical components must also be tested in accordance with DGUV Regulation 3. Depending on the complexity of the electrical installation, further test scopes and intervals may need to be observed. In any case, a maximum interval of 12 months between tests is recommended. Ultimately, however, the test intervals are finally determined as part of your risk assessment. Factors such as ambient conditions, weather, material and frequency of use also play a role here.
and frequency of use also play a role.

Shelving systems such as shelving racks, pallet racks, cantilever racks, flow racks, drive-in racks and multi-storey racking systems are used in companies in all sectors for the storage and retrieval of a wide variety of goods.

According to ArbStättV and DGUV Rule 108-007, rack operators are obliged to check their racking systems for damage or structural changes at regular intervals. A distinction is made here between a rack inspector and a rack inspector. The racking inspector is usually a trained employee of the operating company who, following training, is authorised to inspect a racking system at intervals of one week to one month, record any damage to the racking system and arrange for repairs to be carried out. After 12 months at the latest, the racking system must be comprehensively and intensively inspected and assessed by a neutral racking inspector who does not belong to the company operating the racking system. Unlike the racking inspector, only the racking inspector is authorised to affix a valid inspection sticker and draw up a legally valid inspection report.

Windows, doors and gates are described as power-operated if they are opened or closed partly or completely using energy from power machines (e.g. electric drives). 

Power-operated windows, doors and gates must be checked for function, wear and safety before initial operation and in periodic inspections. The period between inspections should not exceed one year, unless the manufacturer specifies other intervals (these are usually 6 - 12 months). The tests are carried out in accordance with ASR A1.6 (windows and translucent walls) and ASR A1.7 (doors and gates).

A fixed electrical installation is the complete electrical installation of a building, starting with the building supply from the electrical supplier and ending with the last freely accessible equipment such as sockets, lights or, for example, an electric cooker. Particular attention is paid to the existing sub-distribution boards (fuse box), as these are usually where the most dangerous faults can be found.

A fixed machine is a machine that is either too heavy to be moved easily, is permanently installed or is simply far too large to be moved. In addition, a stationary machine is permanently connected to its electrical circuit and has no plug. A stationary machine can either be permanently connected directly to a control box belonging to the machine or have a mobile connection cable, which is permanently mounted and clamped. There are different categories of stationary machines. These range from pillar drilling machines, saws or lathes to CNC machines and industrial robotic systems through to complex large machines such as filling systems or printing machines that can fill entire halls.

As a general rule, every stationary electrical system or machine must undergo an initial test before it is put into operation for the first time. This is prescribed by DIN VDE 0100-600. This test is significantly more extensive than a periodic test and is often described as a 100% test. A periodic test must be carried out at regular intervals in accordance with DIN VDE 0100/0105 and DIN VDE 0105/0113. The time interval between the tests and the exact scope of the test is determined by the system operator as part of a risk assessment based on the existing environmental influences on the system or machine. As a rule, the inspection period is between 12 and 48 months. The inspector gives the system operator a recommendation on the period between two inspections. The scope of the test may deviate from the specified test sequence of the initial test as long as complete operational safety is ensured for all system and machine users. For example, it is usually necessary to switch off the machines for the prescribed insulation measurement.
If this is not possible for operational reasons, a residual current measurement can be carried out as an alternative in exceptional cases.

For a comprehensive and thorough initial and repeat test, the system or machine must always be disconnected from the power supply briefly and completely.

Fall protection includes all structural installations that prevent falls. In accordance with the sequence of protective measures recommended by the DGUV and professional associations (the so-called STOP principle) and the technical rule ASR A2.1, so-called collective side protection should ideally be used on flat roofs, for example. This certified and tested version of a guardrail ensures the safety of all persons on the roof. The collective side protection is designed and tested to absorb the forces generated by a potential fall and thus cushion the falling person.

Operators of a fall protection system are obliged by the Workplace Ordinance to maintain it and to rectify any defects immediately. This requires regular inspection of the fall protection systems. Systems installed outdoors in particular are permanently exposed to weather conditions such as rain, snow and storms and should therefore be inspected at least every 12 months as recommended.

However, the final specifications for this are determined as part of your risk assessment based on influencing factors such as material, frequency of use and environmental conditions. The manufacturer's specifications must also be taken into account.

When working at heights and depths, it is essential that the work route is designed to be adequately safe. The use of personal fall protection equipment is therefore mandatory on fixed ladders with an existing arrester rail. As it is essential for safe use that the PPE is in perfect condition, everything must be inspected regularly.

Personal protective equipment against falls from a height (PPE) covers a wide range of equipment used, from a harness to energy absorbers and carabiners. In accordance with the Industrial Safety Regulation, this equipment must be inspected by the employer before it is used for the first time and at regular intervals. In daily use, users of PPE are responsible for checking that this work equipment is functioning properly by inspecting it. With regard to the periodic inspection by a competent person, an inspection interval of no more than 12 months must be observed. A shortening of this period is possible on the basis of the respective individual use and the loads that occur (e.g. dirt, environmental pollution) and must be assessed and documented as part of the risk assessment.

Industrial trucks include both trackless and track-bound or track-guided vehicles. They are used for the commercial transport of goods and merchandise. Common industrial trucks include manual and electric pallet trucks, electric forklift trucks, scissor lift trucks/tables and work baskets for forklift trucks.

Due to the high risk of accidents, industrial trucks are subject to a particularly strict duty of care. The central means of ensuring this is regular inspection. On the one hand, this must be carried out by each user in the form of an inspection before each use. Here, attention must be paid to any visible damage to the work equipment as well as to the presence of a valid inspection sticker. Secondly, as stipulated in the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, an inspection must be carried out at least once a year by a competent person. This mandatory, in-depth inspection is intended to ensure the safe use of the respective work equipment. Different operating conditions can lead to a reduction in the inspection interval, which must be determined individually in a risk assessment.