The operators of installations subject to mandatory inspection are obliged to demonstrate the safety of their systems in compliance with testing periods on the basis of regular tests by recognised testing bodies.

Announcement of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales, BMAS) of 5 December 2006 – IIIb3-35306-6 (Federal Gazette no. 8, p. 399), last changed by the announcement by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) of 1 April 2024.

In Germany, the setting up and operation of installations subject to mandatory inspection is governed by two legal regulations:

• section 9 of the Product Safety Act (ProdSG)
• and section 3 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV)

Accordingly, the operators of installations subject to mandatory inspection are obliged, among other things, to demonstrate the safety of their systems in compliance with testing periods on the basis of regular tests by recognised testing bodies. The recognised testing bodies are the bodies which are specified to the BMAS by the responsible federal state authorities regarding the appropriate remits. According to § 37 para. 5 sentence 1 ProdSG, these testing bodies are specified as approved monitoring bodies by BAuA.

The following tables contain the updated version of the announcement with the changes dating from 1 April 2024.

What are "systems requiring monitoring"?

• Steam boiler systems, pressure vessel systems, filling installations, ducts under internal overpressure for hazardous media
• Elevators
• Installations in potentially explosive atmospheres
• Storage systems with an overall volume of more than 10,000 l for flammable, highly flammable or extremely flammable liquids
• Filling installations with a handling capacity of more than 1,000 l/h for flammable, highly flammable or extremely flammable liquids
• Filling stations and airfield refuelling installations
• Emptying installations with a handling capacity of more than 1,000 l/h for flammable, highly flammable or extremely flammable liquids

For further information please refer to our German Website.