Rolfes, Konstantin

Diploma Thesis:
1986

Topic:
Analysis of global occupational safety standards with regard to their adaptivity

Editor:
Konstantin Rolfes

University Professor Responsible:
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Jens Otto

Supervisor:
University Supervisor:    Dipl.-Ing. Janik Mischke

Editing Period:
15.05.2024 until 18.09.2024

Abstract:
This paper analyses statutory occupational health and safety in Germany and examines the extent to which it is possible and feasible to adapt German occupational health and safety law to international standards for construction projects. German occupational health and safety law is characterised by a large number of regulations and standards that already guarantee a high level of protection. Despite these comprehensive regulations, there are still areas in the construction industry where there is a need for optimisation in order to further improve the effectiveness of occupational health and safety. The focus of this thesis is on analysing and comparing occupational health and safety regulations in Germany with those in France, the UK, the USA and Japan. It analyses the legal regulations, preventive measures for accident prevention, inspections and regulations regarding safety coordination. The use of robotics on construction sites is presented in a separate chapter. The study shows that despite the high safety standards that already exist in Germany, these can be further optimised by integrating proven international practices. Particularly in the area of preventive safety planning, early and systematic risk assessment in construction projects can increase the safety and health of workers in the construction industry in the long term.
Overall, the international standards and their potential adaptation into the German occupational health and safety system offer improvements for employees, employers and the public. The development of proposed amendments based on international legal systems has the advantage that they are based on practical experience. This means that the often unpredictable challenges involved in implementing new regulations can be minimised, making implementation more efficient and practical.