Office and home office risk assessment: template, structure, effectiveness test

Since the Occupational Safety and Health Act of August 7, 1996, every employer is obliged to carry out a risk assessment as soon as there is even a single workplace in the company, regardless of industry, company size or number of employees. Section 5 ArbSchG requires the systematic identification of the risks, Section 6 ArbSchG requires written documentation with the date and person responsible. With the amendment to the Workplace Ordinance of November 30, 2016, telework was expressly included in the scope of application, and since the reform of March 22, 2022, mobile work has been the focus of the supervisory authorities and professional associations via Section 28b IfSG and the politically discussed Mobile Work Act. Anyone who allows screen work or offers teleworking is obliged and bears the full burden of proof.

This article is aimed at occupational safety specialists (SiFa), company doctors, human resources managers and management with a duty of supervision in accordance with Section 130 OWiG. It describes the structure of a legally compliant template for the office and home office risk assessment, the relevant regulations (ArbSchG, ArbStättV with Annex 6, DGUV regulation 1, DGUV Information 215-410), the seven steps of the assessment according to the BAuA standard, the special regulations for telework and mobile work as well as the obligation to assess psychological stress according to Section 5 Paragraph 3 No. 6 ArbSchG. CIVAC is the compliance platform and officer-as-a-service for the SiFa role.

The canon of duties results from several interrelated legal sources that management and SiFa must keep in mind in parallel. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG) forms the umbrella: Section 5 requires the assessment of working conditions, Section 6 requires documentation, Section 12 requires instruction, Section 15 requires the participation of employees, Section 22 requires supervision by the responsible state authorities, supplemented by the punishable provisions of Sections 25 and 26. The Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV) specifies the requirements for work spaces and their requirements Equipment. Annex 6 has regulated screen work since 2016 (formerly BildscharbV, integrated) and applies largely analogously to teleworking. Appendix 1.5 covers rooms and traffic routes, Appendix 3.4 lighting, 3.5 room temperatures, 3.6 ventilation, 3.7 noise.

The trade association regulations supplement state law. DGUV Regulation 1 “Principles of Prevention” requires a systematic risk assessment and defines the obligation to appoint specialists for occupational safety and company doctors in accordance with the Occupational Safety Act (ASiG) of 1973. DGUV Information 215-410 “Screen and office workstations” provides practical checklists and target values. The Technical Rules for Workplaces (ASR) specify the ArbStättV appendices, such as ASR A3.4 for lighting, A3.5 for room temperature, A1.2 for room dimensions and A1.6 for line of sight. The GDA guidelines of the Joint German Occupational Safety Strategy are relevant for psychological stress. Anyone who is appointed as an external occupational safety specialist takes over the technical advice of the management in exactly these areas and saves the appointment certificate in the workspace. In addition, the DGUV industry rules apply, such as Rule 100-001 for administration and office workplaces and Rule 115-401 for industry specifics, which are regularly used as a practice-oriented benchmark in supervision and in claims proceedings. Audit-proof, documented, § 6-firm.

The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) has broken down the assessment process into seven steps, which have become established as a recognised procedure and are expected by supervisory authorities, professional associations and auditors at every inspection. First: define work areas and activities. Here the organisation is structured, such as office workstations in the headquarters, teleworkstations in the home, mobile work on the go, mixed constellations. Second: identify threats. The risk factors are systematically queried here, from lighting to climate, noise, screens, ergonomic stress, psychological stress and organisational risks such as working hours, break regulations and constant accessibility.

Third: assess risks. The probability of occurrence and severity of damage are assessed, often in a 5x5 matrix, and compared with the acceptance criterion, which must be defined in writing in advance. Fourth: determine measures. The TOP principle guides the selection: technical before organisational before personal, with documented reasons for the selection. Fifth: Implement measures, with responsible persons, deadlines and resources. Sixth: Check effectiveness. After implementation, the risk is reassessed and the residual risk is documented. Seventh: update. The assessment is updated in the event of significant changes, new activities, accidents or at the latest after set intervals. The CIVAC workspace template “GBU Office & Home Office” maps all seven steps as linked forms. Each entry has the person responsible, date, attachments, effectiveness check and next check. The process description is approved by the management, an auditor recognises every step of the past from the version history without additional research effort and without consulting the specialist departments, which experience shows reduces the inspection time by half and also signals to the auditor a consistent methodology throughout the entire organisation. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready.

A verifiable template has at least 14 mandatory fields, supplemented by optional fields for psychological stress and special constellations such as pregnancy or youth labour protection. The mandatory fields are: Identification (location, area, activity, date, creator, version), employees (number, particularly vulnerable groups such as expectant mothers, breastfeeding mothers, young people, employees with disabilities), hazard factor from the catalogue (e.g. lighting, climate, computer work, ergonomics, psychological stress, fire protection), specific description of the hazard, affected regulation with paragraph (e.g. ArbStättV appendix 6 point 6.1), Probability of occurrence, severity of damage, risk classification, measure with TOP class, person responsible, date, implementation status, effectiveness test with method, next test date.

For psychological stress, the GDA guidelines recommend additional fields on work content, work organisation, social relationships, work environment and new stresses such as constant availability, lack of boundaries and digital multitasking. A standardised employee survey supplemented by observation interviews and a workshop on measures, evaluated per area and per activity group, has proven to be useful in practice. The results are included in the risk assessment as separate lines and do not need to be kept in a special document. A template as a Word file on a network drive has two structural weaknesses: loss of version due to multiple editing and a lack of automated reminder. The CIVAC workspace template records every version, every date and every test interval in an audit-proof manner, sends a reminder to SiFa 30 days before the deadline and exports the audit report for the authority at the push of a button. Others run compliance like a filing cabinet. We run it like software. This means that even complex constellations such as a network of locations, branches or hybrid forms of work can be mapped uniformly without the assessment losing its significance, incurring additional effort or comparability between locations, which is particularly an advantage in group audits.

Appendix 6 ArbStättV defines the requirements for screen work. The display must be freely adjustable, flicker-free and anti-reflective, at least 22 inches for continuous activity and with sufficient contrast and brightness. The keyboard is separate from the screen, with sufficient support and a low-reflection surface. The work chair must be height-adjustable, the backrest dynamic, and the seat ergonomically shaped with adjustable lumbar support. The work table has a matt surface, a sufficient area of ​​at least 160 x 80 centimeters for computer work, sufficient leg room in accordance with Annex 1.5 and space for templates and input devices.

Lighting according to ASR A3.4 requires at least 500 lux of general lighting for computer work, glare-free arrangement, supplemented by daylight and line of sight to the outside. Room temperatures according to ASR A3.5 should be 20 to 22 degrees Celsius in winter and not above 26 degrees in summer; At 30 to 35 degrees, effective measures are mandatory, including shading, ventilation and, if necessary, heat breaks or shifting tasks. Noise pollution according to ArbStättV Annex 3.7 must not exceed 55 dB(A) in offices and 45 dB(A) in rooms with predominantly intellectual activity. Appendix 1.5 requires at least 8 to 10 square metres per workplace, 12 to 15 in open-plan offices. The appointment certificate, signed, filed, verifiable. The CIVAC workspace template “Office Workplace Checklist” depicts each appendix as a test field and requires measurable evidence (lux measurement with a calibrated lux meter, sound level measurement, photo documentation of the furniture, sitting posture analysis). Inspection results are incorporated directly into the central risk assessment without having to record data twice and are available as a basis for comparison for the next update. For corporations with several locations, the in-house standard can be consistently enforced and deviations can be identified without manual comparison.

Teleworkstations are computer workstations set up by the employer in the employees' private areas according to Section 2 Paragraph 7 ArbStättV, the weekly working hours and duration of which are bindingly determined in the employment contract or by agreement with the employee representative. As soon as this definition applies, the requirements of the ArbStättV including Annex 6 apply in full, even if the workplace is in the living room. The employer must assess, equip, inspect and periodically review the workplace. In practice, this means: initial inspection with risk assessment, assessment based on the workplace catalogue, provision of a table, chair, screen, keyboard, mouse, lighting and, if necessary, headset. A second inspection takes place after significant changes or after a set interval, at least every two years.

A mere inspection by the employer conflicts with Art. 13 GG (inviolability of the apartment). In practice, the inspection is carried out with the consent of the employees or is replaced by a self-declaration with photo documentation and a checklist. The telework risk assessment covers the same risks as an office workplace, supplemented by specific risks: inadequate lighting in the home, unsuitable furniture and sitting positions, lack of separation between work and private life, social isolation, constant accessibility, lack of break arrangements. Training on self-design of the workplace and work organisation is mandatory according to Section 12 of the ArbSchG. The CIVAC workspace template “Telework inspection” combines self-declaration, photo documentation, checklist and SiFa approval in a workflow with audit-proof storage and reminders for the next inspection. In the event of a conflict, not only the result but also the chronological order of the fulfilment of obligations is documented, which is a decisive evidentiary advantage in the event of a dispute before labour courts or supervisory authorities and significantly reduces liability risks for management, both in the OWiG procedure and in civil law disputes.

Mobile work should be carefully distinguished from telework because the duties differ. Mobile work occurs when employees occasionally work outside the company without a fixed workplace set up by the employer, for example in a hotel, a café, a co-working space, on the train or with a customer. The ArbStättV does not fully apply here because the spatial requirements of the “workplace” are not met and the apartment is not used regularly. However, the obligation to assess risks in accordance with Section 5 of the ArbSchG remains in effect, as does the obligation to provide instruction in accordance with Section 12 of the ArbSchG and the obligation to provide suitable, ergonomic work equipment.

The GDA guideline “Assessing the risks associated with mobile work” provides the reference model. Typical dangers are: physical strain due to an unfavorable sitting posture, visual strain due to small screens, acoustic disturbances in public spaces, data protection and information security due to third parties reading in, screen locking and VPN requirement, psychological strain due to the loss of boundaries and constant accessibility, traffic hazards on the way. Measures are predominantly organisational (mobile work agreement, training, clear accessibility rules, documented breaks) and personal (privacy filters, headsets, external screens as mandatory equipment for a defined number of hours per week). The CIVAC workspace template “GBU mobile work” differentiates between mobile work and telework and maintains the correct list of duties for each constellation, including the interfaces to IT security and data protection. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives or have our representatives order it. The clock starts on awareness. This makes it possible to separate mobile work, which is not problematic from a supervisory point of view, and formal telework, which, if practiced undisciplined, can arise unintentionally from a home office habit that has just developed and then retroactively triggers obligations in full.

With the amendment to the ArbSchG of October 19, 2013, psychological stress is expressly part of the risk assessment and is therefore a mandatory part of every assessment. Section 5 Paragraph 3 No. 6 names it as a separate risk factor and makes it clear that it must not be treated in a special procedure, but rather in an integrated manner. The GDA guidelines define five characteristic areas: work content, work organisation, social relationships, work environment and new forms of work including telework and mobile work. The assessment is typically carried out in three steps: survey using a standardised questionnaire (e.g. SGA, COPSOQ III or ISTA), structured evaluation per area, action workshop with employees and managers, supplemented by individual interviews for particularly stressful activities.

In the office and home office context, typical sources of stress are: high volume of work, frequent interruptions, little scope for action, unclear roles, conflicts, weak leadership, lack of social support, constant availability, loss of boundaries from work and Private life. Measures range from working time regulations and management training to clear response time agreements, break discipline, office days for team bonding and structures for social encounters. The effectiveness is tested after 12 to 18 months through a repeat survey with identical items so that changes can be measured. The CIVAC workspace template “Psychological Stress GDA” guides you through the survey, archives the anonymized survey data, generates the catalogue of measures and plans the effectiveness test with reminders. If necessary, the external company doctor from the CIVAC network is involved, for example if there is evidence of work-related illnesses or increased burnout, and supplements the assessment with occupational medical perspectives. The supervisory authority regularly recognises seriously conducted surveys with a subsequent catalogue of measures and classifies them as an indicator of a functioning safety culture, which reduces the inspection effort in subsequent inspections and, in the event of damage, puts management's culpability into perspective. Audit-proof, documented, § 5-firm.

Section 3 Paragraph 1 Sentence 2 ArbSchG requires the adaptation of measures to changing circumstances and continuous improvement as a permanent task of management. In practice, this means an event-related update of the risk assessment for new activities, new work equipment, new rooms, moves, accidents, near misses, new findings from occupational health prevention or legal changes, such as new limit values ​​or technical rules. In addition, a routine review every 12 to 24 months is recommended, depending on the industry, activity risk and dynamics of change.

Effectiveness testing is the most common weak point in operational practice. Measures are ordered but not followed up, or effectiveness is assumed instead of measured. The CIVAC Workspace template forces a second risk assessment after implementation and compares the inherent and residual risk. If the difference remains zero, no risk reduction has taken place, a display on the dashboard prompts for rework and blocks the completion status. There are penalties for violations: fines of up to 30,000 euros according to Section 25 ArbSchG, criminal offenses according to Section 26 ArbSchG for intentional endangerment of life and health. In addition, there is Section 130 OWiG for breaches of supervisory duties with fines of up to 10 million euros and civil liability against injured employees. In the event of accidents, the professional association and the public prosecutor's office regularly check the submission of the risk assessment. Anyone who cannot provide one has generally met the initial suspicion of negligent bodily harm against the management. CIVAC is the compliance platform and officer-as-a-service for exactly this situation. Insurance companies, contracting authorities and clients in medium-sized businesses increasingly expect proof of a current risk assessment, otherwise the insurance cover will be called into question in the event of damage. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready.

A submission alone does not fulfil Section 6 of the ArbSchG. The authority wants a documented, dated risk assessment signed by the person responsible with an effectiveness test, with reference to specific measures, with a traceable update history and with proof of training for each employee. The audit case is not the day on which you open the template, but the day on which an employee falls, a telework station was demonstrably inadequately equipped or the supervisory authority arrives unannounced after a complaint from employees or the works council.

CIVAC is the compliance platform and officer-as-a-service for the SiFa role. You will receive an appointment certificate within the CIVAC SLA of 2 working days, a reporting line to management and access to 490 ready-to-use audit templates, including GBU Office & Home Office, telework inspection, mobile work, psychological stress GDA, instruction planner and effectiveness matrix with inherent-residual comparison. EU data residency, ISO/IEC 27001:2022 with 93 controls and audit-proof storage are built in. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives or have our representatives order it. Turn reading into an assignment. Write to info@civac.de or use the contact form on civac.de, you will receive a draft proposal, appointment and appointment certificate on the same working day. Onboarding typically lasts half a day, after which the SiFa role is ordered and the workspace is productive. You also receive a permanent contact person, a defined escalation level for accidents and supervisory inquiries, as well as a quarterly reporting obligation to management with key figures on open measures, inspection status, psychological stress and instruction rate across all areas. This means that the SiFa role is not only fulfilled, but is measurably controlled and can be proven beyond doubt in the audit, even after changes in personnel at the representative level or in management. The appointment certificate, signed, filed, verifiable.