Lesson 3.1 · 7 min
What the document must contain
Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz
At a glance
- Put it in writing. The results of identifying and assessing hazards, and the measures, must be put in writing: in the safety and health document.
- Six required items. Who carried out the assessment and when, for which area with how many workers, the hazards, the measures, and for open measures who is responsible and by when.
- What comes on top. For example medical examinations, required qualifications, personal protective equipment, marked areas and arrangements for serious and imminent danger.
- Substances, inspections, fire safety. Where relevant, also lists of hazardous substances and of equipment needing inspection with inspection plans, fire safety rules and evacuation plans.
- Who is responsible in the business. The document must show who in the business is responsible for safety and health.
In detail
The duty
Employers must put the results of identifying and assessing the hazards, and the measures to be taken, in writing, in a manner suited to the number of employees and the hazards: in the safety and health documents § 5 ASchG. What they must contain is set out in the DOK-VO. The document must be clearly laid out, and the documents for one workplace should be as uniform as possible § 1(1) DOK-VO.
What it must always contain
| § 2(1) DOK-VO | Required item |
|---|---|
| no. 1 | who identified and assessed the hazards; if several people, their areas of responsibility; experts brought in for measurements, calculations and analyses |
| no. 2 | the day or period of the first identification and assessment |
| no. 3 | the area the document covers (such as workstation, room, organisational unit, workplace) and how many people worked there at the time of the assessment |
| no. 4 | the hazards found |
| no. 5 | the measures to be taken in technical and organisational terms |
| no. 6 | for measures that can't be carried out straight away: who is responsible and by when |
What comes on top, where relevant
Where it applies to the area, the document must also contain § 2(2) DOK-VO:
- the workstations or areas for which special medical examinations are required, such as fitness and follow-up examinations or examinations for noise exposure;
- the activities that require proof of qualification under § 63 ASchG;
- the personal protective equipment needed;
- areas that must be specially marked or have restricted access;
- arrangements for serious and imminent danger under § 3(3) and (4) ASchG.
And, likewise where relevant § 2(3) DOK-VO:
- a list of the hazardous substances used;
- a list of the work equipment that needs inspections under § 37 ASchG, with inspection plans, and maintenance plans where relevant;
- fire safety rules, evacuation plans, explosion protection document.
These records may be kept separately, in which case the document must refer to them § 2(4) DOK-VO. For hazardous substances with limit values, the applicable MAK or TRK values must be stated § 2(5) DOK-VO, and where standards, accident prevention rules or technical guidelines underlie the measures, they must be named § 2(6) DOK-VO.
Who is responsible
The document must show which people in the business are responsible for safety and health, or which internal office can give details about people and services with special tasks § 4 DOK-VO.
Checklist
- Our document says who carried out the assessment and when.
- The area and the number of workers are stated.
- Hazards and measures are listed.
- Open measures have an owner and a deadline.
- Where relevant: lists of hazardous substances and of equipment needing inspection, fire safety rules.
- The document names who is responsible for safety and health in the business.
Quiz
Which item must the document always contain?
- The workers' home addresses
- An expert opinion from a civil engineer
- The business's turnover
- The day or period of the first identification and assessment
Show the answer
The answer is D: The day or period of the first identification and assessment. § 2(1) no. 2 DOK-VO requires the day or period of the first identification and assessment of the hazards.
Sources
This lesson's statements rest on:
Not legal advice. What counts is the Workers Protection Act (ASchG) and its regulations in the Federal Legal Information System (read on 4 October 2026). Rules for areas outside the ASchG, such as agriculture and forestry or the public service, and special rules for particular substances or sectors are not covered. Not an offer of the Labour Inspectorate, the AUVA or the Chamber of Commerce.