Occupational Safety and Health 1 – Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health and OSH Organisation

28. October @ 9:00 - 30. October @ 17:00

€ 1.200

Training Costs: € 1.050,00
Catering Fee: € 150,00

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Occupational safety and health – rights, duties and organisation

What responsibilities does the works council bear in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH)? How is OSH organised within the company – and who are the key actors the works council needs to work with?

This training provides works council members with the essential legal foundations and practical tools to fulfil their OSH mandate effectively. It introduces the statutory framework, the structure of in-company OSH organisation, and the co-determination and participation rights of the works council in this field.

The statutory OSH framework

Occupational safety and health in Germany rests on a layered legal framework. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (Arbeitsschutzgesetz – ArbSchG) constitutes the central piece of legislation: it places the employer under a general duty to assess workplace risks and take appropriate preventive measures. It is complemented by the Occupational Safety Act (Arbeitssicherheitsgesetz – ASiG), which governs the appointment and tasks of occupational physicians and OSH professionals (Fachkräfte für Arbeitssicherheit), as well as by the Workplace Ordinance (Arbeitstättenverordnung – ArbStättV) and the accident prevention regulations issued by the statutory accident insurance funds (DGUV Vorschriften).

In this training, we examine how this framework is structured and what it means for the day-to-day work of the works council.

Co-determination in OSH as a central task

OSH is one of the areas in which the works council has particularly strong participation rights. Under Sec. 87 (1) No. 7 WCA, the works council has mandatory co-determination rights on rules relating to the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases and on the protection of health. In addition, Sec. 89 WCA imposes an active duty on the works council to promote OSH within the company.

We provide a systematic overview of the works council’s rights – from general monitoring duties under Sec. 80 WCA to concrete co-determination and enforcement options – and give practical guidance on how to use them.

OSH organisation and the Occupational Safety and Health Committee

Effective OSH requires clear organisational structures in the company. The training covers the roles and responsibilities of the key OSH actors – the employer, OSH professionals, occupational physicians, and the works council – and how they interact. A central focus is placed on the Occupational Safety and Health Committee (Arbeitsschutzausschuss – ASA), its legal basis in Sec. 11 ASiG, its composition, tasks and working methods, and the specific role of the employee representatives within it.

Our training covers the following topics:

The statutory OSH framework: key laws, ordinances and accident prevention regulations
The employer’s duties and the general principles of preventive OSH
OSH actors in the company: roles, responsibilities and cooperation
The Occupational Safety and Health Committee (OSHC): composition, tasks and working methods
Participation and co-determination rights of the works council in OSH matters
Monitoring duties and enforcement options of the works council

Detailed Training Contents

1. The statutory OSH framework

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG) – scope, structure and key provisions
The Occupational Safety Act (ASiG) – appointment and tasks of occupational physicians and OSH professionals
The Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV) and Technical Rules for Workplaces (ASR)
Accident prevention regulations of the statutory accident insurance funds (DGUV Vorschriften)
OSH ordinances and their interplay with the ArbSchG

2. OSH organisation in the company

The employer’s duty of care and general OSH obligations (Sec. 3 et seq. ArbSchG)
OSH actors and their responsibilities: employer, OSH professionals, occupational physician, works council
The Occupational Safety and Health Committee (OSHC / Arbeitsschutzausschuss)
Legal basis: Sec. 11 ASiG
Composition, tasks and working methods of the OSHC
Role and scope of action of employee representatives within the OSHC
- DGUV Regulation 1 and DGUV Regulation 2 – overview
- Cooperation between the works council and the other OSH actors

3. Participation and co-determination rights of the works council in OSH

General monitoring and promotion duties (Sec. 80, 89 WCA)
Mandatory co-determination rights in OSH matters (Sec. 87 (1) No. 7 WCA)
Information and inspection rights
Works agreements (Betriebsvereinbarungen) as a regulatory tool in OSH
Case studies and practical exercises

4. Enforcement options

The conciliation committee (Sec. 76 WCA)
Labour jurisdiction
Involvement of the competent authority and accident insurance fund inspectorates

Your Registration

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