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Article 8 of the Ordinance on Accident Prevention (VUV) sets out the employer’s obligations in relation to work involving particular hazards. It stipulates that such hazardous activities may only be assigned to employees who have received appropriate training. If such work is carried out by a single person, the employer must also ensure that supervision is provided.

Key points at a glance:

• Training requirement: The employer must ensure that persons carrying out work involving particular hazards – such as operating forklift trucks and cranes, securing loads, or working with chainsaws or chemicals – have verifiable training in these tasks.
• Supervision when working alone: If hazardous work is carried out by a single person, the employer must ensure that supervision is provided. Depending on the risk, a second person may also be required for this purpose.
• List of hazards: The specific tasks that are classified as work involving particular hazards are listed in the official overview published by the EKAS (Federal Co-ordination Commission for Occupational Safety).

The EKAS/Suva list covers a wide range of sectors. In the field of lifting technology, lifting platforms and forklift trucks, the following activities are particularly relevant:

Operating industrial trucks (forklift trucks)
in categories R1–R4 in accordance with EKAS Guideline 6518. Anyone operating a forklift truck must hold a certificate of training.

Operating cranes
: Mobile and tower cranes, as well as lorry-mounted loading cranes, are subject to the Cranes Ordinance and are classified as work involving particular hazards. A crane operator’s qualification is required to operate them.

Work involving a risk of falling (basic PPE course)
All activities involving a fall from a height of 2 metres or more are considered to pose a particular risk. This applies in particular to working on and with aerial work platforms, the use of personal protective equipment against falls from a height (PSAgA), and working on scaffolding and stepladders.

Lifting people using a work basket
Lifting people using lifting platforms not specifically designed for this purpose requires authorisation.

Slinging and guiding loads
The correct slinging of loads – for example, when using a crane – is classified as work involving mechanical hazards and requires appropriate training.

Work involving mechanical hazards on machinery
Work on moving, mechanically driven equipment with points of crushing, shearing or entanglement, such as during maintenance and servicing work on forklift trucks, lifting platforms and cranes.

What does this mean for you as an employer?

As an employer, you are responsible for ensuring that your staff are only assigned to tasks for which they are trained and certified. A valid training certificate is not only a legal requirement, but also safeguards the safety of your team and your business.

Rentit AG offers practical, SUVA-accredited training courses for all relevant areas – from forklift training and IPAF training for aerial work platforms to fall protection using personal protective equipment (PPE), load securing and Category C crane operator training.

As an employer, you are responsible for ensuring that your staff are only assigned to tasks for which they are trained and certified. A valid training certificate is not only a legal requirement, but also safeguards the safety of your team and your business.

Rentit AG offers practical, SUVA-accredited training courses for all relevant areas – from forklift training and IPAF training for aerial work platforms to fall protection (PSAgA), load securing and Category C crane operator training.