Employer
The Arbeitsschutzgesetz ArbSchG (occupational safety law) defines different roles for protecting health and safety in the workplace. At the University of Konstanz, the university has the role of "employer".
The employer is responsible for ensuring its workers are not exposed to dangers that could cause an accident, emergency or (long-term) work-related illness.
Risk assessments are an important tool for identifying potential risks. As the next step, the employer must set measures to reduce these risks and prevent accidents or work-related illnesses.
Safety engineers
The university's safety engineers help by providing advice on how to ensure employee safety. They also have an overview of the most current relevant regulations. Safety engineers are trained to carefully observe workplaces and to consider what possible endangerments might arise, including extraordinary scenarios The employer is responsible for ensuring the corresponding safety measures are implemented.
Safety representatives
The safety representatives support supervisors with identifying potential risks and compiling risk assessments. They provide an additional perspective and consult the safety engineers for advice.
Supervisors
Employers, like the university, with a large number of staff members delegate some of the responsibilities for assessing and preventing workplace risks to the corresponding supervisors.
This transfer of duties is provided for in the ArbSchG.
Each organizational level defines and implements corresponding health and safety measures.
In case of emergency or imminent danger at a certain level, the next higher level also has the responsibility to intervene.
It is not the entire responsibility that is transferred to the next lower level; it is the duty of the higher level to check whether safety measures are implemented correctly.
Staff
All staff members are required to contribute to implementing workplace safety measures and taking care of each other. They are required to inform supervisors of any deficits in occupational safety.
All team members must work together to prevent accidents and emergencies in the workplace.