DGUV Regel 115-401e - Office businesses sector

In equipment areas, your employees come into direct contact with printers, photocopiers, fax machines, shredders, scanners and servers. These devices may present a range of hazards. This chapter describes the hazards and the measures to be taken for their avoidance.

Statutory references

Sections 3 to 14 of the German ordinance on industrial safety and health (BetrSichV) Sections 3 to 4 of the German Ordinance on Workplaces (ArbStättV) in conjunction with the Annex, Requirements and measures for workplaces in accordance with Section 3 (1) Nos 1 to 3 ASR A1.2 technical rules for workplaces, room dimensions and free movement areas ASR A1.8 technical rules for workplaces, circulation routes ASR A2.3 technical rules for workplaces, escape routes and emergency exits, escape and rescue plans DGUV Regulations 3 and 4, electrical installations and equipment (formerly BGV A3 and GUV-V A3)

	Further information
DGUV Informative publication 215-410, office and VDU workplaces - design guidance (formerly BGI 650)

	Hazards

Office equipment may present the following hazards to your employees:

• Electric shock caused for example by defective power cables or casings

• Falls and tripping caused for example by poor routing of cables

• Pinching and collision on furniture and equipment

• Tipping and falling of furniture and equipment

• Fire hazards caused by smouldering cables

• Noise caused by equipment

• Emissions from printers and photocopiers

• Rise in atmospheric temperature caused by office equipment

	Measures

• Ensure that all electrical equipment is tested at the specified intervals by a skilled electrician or under the instruction and supervision of a skilled electrician. Instruct your employees to check the power leads and casings of the equipment visually at regular intervals for evident damage.

• Pay attention to proper arrangements for power cables (for example, do not daisy-chain multiple trailing sockets).

• Avoid tripping hazards (for example by using cable ramps).

• Keep circulation routes free of collision and tripping hazards. Provide circulation routes of adequate width (see Chapter 3.3.1) and ensure that materials (such as cardboard boxes) and work equipment are not left on circulation routes or encroaching into them.

• Remove legacy equipment and cables after they have been taken out of service, and dispose of them properly.

• Ensure free movement areas and functional areas of adequate dimensions (see Chapter 3.3.1) in order to ensure that the equipment can be operated safely and ergonomically.

• Provide storage space and work surfaces adjacent to photocopiers and printers.

• Ensure that office equipment and furniture are stable.

• Avoid placing office equipment on the edges of furniture such that the equipment projects over the edge of the furniture.

• Make suitable fire extinguishing equipment available and provide your employees with practical instruction in its use.

Note that the use of CO₂ fire extinguishers in constrained spaces may present a risk of suffocation for the employees.

Water and foam fire extinguishers to EN 3, Portable fire extinguishers, may be used on electrical equipment up to 1,000 V provided a safe distance of at least 1 m is observed.

• Procure low-noise office equipment products.

• Where possible, place this equipment in a dedicated equipment room in order to prevent intrusive noise and a rise in the atmospheric temperature in the areas in which your employees work.