Safety and Occupational Health

The individual's obligation to ensure health and safety in the workplace

All employees have the duty to obtain the highest possible safety standard when working in the buildings and grounds of the University and are obliged to act responsibly and with consideration to the environment.

Accordingly, all staff, workers, civil servants, students, trainees, civilian service providers and trainee carers as well as associates of outside companies, are obliged to observe the relevant regulations relating to occupational health and safety and environmental protection as binding laws, and to comply with or seek their manager's respective directives.

Should a member of staff notice a defect he must remove it immediately. Should this not be part of his duties or should he lack the technical knowledge, he is obliged to report the defect to the line manager without delay. This also applies to accidents in the workplace and commuting accidents.


The manager’s obligations towards occupational health and safety and environmental protection

Every manager is responsible for occupational health and safety and environmental protection in his area of responsibility.

This means he has the duty to be familiar with the health and safety and environmental protection regulations relevant to his area of responsibility, or to seek advice and support from the department for Health and Safety/Environmental Protection.
When technical and managerial decisions are made and instructions are given, it must be ensured that the safety guidelines are complied with during their implementation.



This includes in particular, that

• every member of staff and every student is familiar with the occupational health and safety and environmental protection measures applicable to his activity, or is briefed on the basis of the regulations.

• the workspaces, working materials, hazardous substances and work processes comply with the safety requirements and that the impact of hazardous substances does not exceed the statutory limits.

• the prescribed protection measures are taken for particular activities and/or that protective equipment (head protection, foot protection, eye and face protection, breathing protection, body protection etc.) is provided and is actually being used.

• the required control measures are implemented and documented.

• all new members of staff are briefed on hazards present at their place of work as well as on measures for the prevention of hazards before commencing their occupation, and that this briefing is repeated at regular intervals, at least annually.
The same applies to the briefing of students prior to practical training.

• every member of staff of the Georg-August Universität who, on the basis of his occupation or his employment contract has the right to give instructions to colleagues and/or students regarding content and structure of work, is considered a manager in the sense of the Health and Safety Regulations.