Federal Council updates safety regulations in the construction industry
At a meeting, the Federal Council approved the total revision of the Ordinance on the Safety and Health Protection of Employees during Construction Work (BauAV). The revised ordinance will come into force on January 1, 2021.
Source: Pixabay
The Ordinance on the Safety and Health Protection of Workers during Construction Work (BauAV) dates from 2005 and no longer meets today's requirements, due in particular to technical progress. Some formulations also proved to be too vague for optimal implementation.
The most important changes concern the fall height as well as the scaffold standards. Inconsistent fall protection regulations in various chapters of the ordinance had led to uncertainty. For example, the revised ordinance provides for the fall height above which fall protection measures must be taken to be standardized at two meters. The chapter on scaffolding was also completely revised, as many provisions have now been regulated in European standards and therefore no longer need to be set out in a federal ordinance.
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) drafted the total revision of the BauAV in collaboration with Expert Commission 12 "Construction" of the Federal Coordination Commission for Occupational Safety (EKAS), which includes professional associations, social partners, and technical experts from the implementing bodies of occupational safety.
Source: Federal Office of Public Health
