Legal principles of maintenance, for example DGUV regulation 3

Safe Legally Secure
Legal Basics of Maintenance and Servicing of Automatic Storage and Conveying Systems

Maintenance and servicing: the legal background

According to Section 3 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, companies are obliged to provide their employees with safe and intact work equipment – this also applies to automated logistics systems. Proper maintenance of warehouse and materials handling equipment is thus legally binding: If accidents occur in the warehouse due to insufficient maintenance and inspection, the operator is liable.

Proper maintenance – individual responsibility
Only in a few cases do generally binding rules exist that specify which specific measures have to be taken and at what intervals.In other words – the goal is clear, but not the way to get there. This must be defined independently by the operator: For example, the accident prevention regulation: “Principles of Prevention” DGUV Vorschrift 1 requires companies to prepare an individual risk assessment. On this basis, inspection and maintenance intervals for many components of the bearing are to be determined independently. Three different aspects are relevant here:

1. The manufacturer’s specifications in the operating instructions.
2. Supporting guidelines, such as DIN standards and the regulations of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV formerly BGV).
3. The condition of the storage and conveying technology and the individual requirements for plant availability.

Maintenance in the warehouse Legal principles and guidelines
Laws, such as the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Product Safety Act, are directive in nature. The DIN standards and the DGUV serve as a recommendation to the operator as to which measures are to be used to implement legal requirements.

Maintenance and servicing:
the legal background

According to Section 3 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, companies are obliged to provide their employees with safe and intact work equipment – this also applies to automated logistics systems. Proper maintenance of warehouse and materials handling equipment is thus legally binding: If accidents occur in the warehouse due to insufficient maintenance and inspection, the operator is liable.

Proper maintenance – individual responsibility
Only in a few cases do generally binding rules exist that specify which specific measures must be taken and at what intervals.

In other words – the goal is clear, but not the way to get there. This must be defined independently by the operator: For example, the accident prevention regulation: “Principles of Prevention” DGUV Vorschrift 1 requires companies to prepare an individual risk assessment.

On this basis, inspection and maintenance intervals for many components of the bearing are to be determined independently. Three different aspects are relevant here:
1. The manufacturer’s specifications in the operating instructions.
2. Supporting guidelines, such as DIN standards and the regulations of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV formerly BGV).
3. The condition of the storage and conveying technology and the individual requirements for plant availability.

Warehouse maintenance
Legal basis and guidelines
Laws, such as the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Product Safety Act, are directive in nature. The DIN standards and the DGUV serve as a recommendation to the operator as to which measures are to be used to implement legal requirements.

Guidelines and standards – Basis for every maintenance plan

All tests must be carried out by a qualified or competent person who has the appropriate
training courses and certificates.