Occupational safety — employer duties (Switzerland)
A list of checks and obligations with their cadence, ready to add to your agenda.
For any employer with staff in Switzerland. Covers hazard identification and the safety system under the VUV/OPA, the duty to call in occupational safety specialists under EKAS Directive 6508, information and instruction of employees, first aid and health protection under the ArGV 3. Does NOT cover product safety, building fire protection (see the electrical and fire safety kit), or construction-specific duties (BauAV).
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- 7 planned checks, the most frequent continuous check, confirm every 12 months
Planned checks
Informative summary verified on 11/09/2026. It does not replace legal advice: the regulation cited prevails. If you spot an error, report it.
Some checks are only mandatory in certain countries: pick yours and the list follows.
In Italy this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In France this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In Germany this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
- 01
Instruct employees on hazards and safety measures
The employer informs and instructs employees about the hazards of their workplace, the correct use of protective equipment and emergency behaviour, on hiring and at every relevant change; an annual repetition is established practice. Proof: the signed instruction register with date, content and participants. Applies to all employees, including temporary staff, apprentices and personnel of third-party firms working on site.
continuous check, confirm every 12 monthsLegal obligationVUV/OPI (SR 832.30) Art. 6 (Information und Anleitung der Arbeitnehmer); Art. 8 per i lavori pericolosiSwitzerland onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026 - 02
Maintain the first-aid and emergency organisation
The company must have adequate first-aid material, trained persons and instructions for behaviour in case of accident or fire; the material must be checked every year and first aiders kept current, usually with a refresher every 2 years as set by the training provider. Proof: the list of first aiders with course dates and the first-aid kit check record. Applies to all companies; the scale of the organisation — number of first aiders, material, defibrillator — depends on the risk and the size of the business. Cadence to be confirmed on the cited source.
continuous check, confirm every 12 monthsLegal obligationArGV 3 (SR 822.113) Art. 36; VUV/OPI (SR 832.30) Art. 3Switzerland onlySource - 03
Review the safety system and its organisation
The employer regularly verifies that responsibilities, processes and measures for occupational safety and health protection are still adequate, in particular after operational changes such as new machinery, new sites or new processes. Proof: the minutes of the safety system review. Applies to all companies; formal proof of the organisation is required from companies with special hazards and 10 or more employees and from companies without special hazards with 50 or more employees.
continuous check, confirm every 12 monthsLegal obligationVUV/OPI (SR 832.30) Art. 3-10; EKAS-Richtlinie 6508 VorbemerkungSwitzerland onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026 - 04
Review ergonomics and health protection at workstations
Every two years review lighting, climate, noise, display-screen workstations, manual handling and psychosocial load, and adjust the workstations where needed. Proof: the ergonomic assessment checklist completed per department. Applies to companies with display-screen workstations, repetitive work or manual handling of loads. Cadence to be confirmed on the cited source.
continuous check, confirm every 24 monthsRecommendedArGV 3 (SR 822.113) Art. 2, 15, 23-24Switzerland onlySource - 05
Check the duty to call in occupational safety specialists (EKAS 6508)
If the company has special hazards under Annex 1 of EKAS Directive 6508 and lacks in-house expertise, the employer must call in occupational physicians and other safety specialists, individually or through a branch or model solution; review the situation once a year. Proof: the contract or membership of the inter-company solution and the records of the services delivered. Applies to companies with special hazards (mechanical hazards, falls from more than 2 m, electrical hazards, substances hazardous to health and others): with 10 or more employees formal proof of the call-in and of the organisation is required, with fewer than 10 proof «by simple means» suffices; without special hazards the call-in is voluntary and the organisation must be documented from 50 employees.
continuous check, confirm every 12 monthsLegal obligationVUV/OPI (SR 832.30) Art. 11a; EKAS-Richtlinie 6508 Ziff. 2 und 3Switzerland onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026 - 06
Identify and assess the hazards in the company
The employer identifies the safety and health hazards present in the company and takes the necessary protective measures according to recognised technical rules; the measures must be reviewed regularly and in particular whenever the business changes. Proof: the hazard analysis document (Gefährdungsermittlung) with measures, owners and deadlines. Applies to every employer, regardless of size.
continuous check, confirm every 12 monthsLegal obligationVUV/OPI (SR 832.30) Art. 3-10; ArGV 3 (SR 822.113) Art. 3-9Switzerland onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026 - 07
Use the Suva checklists for periodic self-inspection
Carry out a self-inspection round every year using the Suva checklists relevant to your sector (machines, substances, ladders, forklifts, work at height) and record non-conformities together with the corrective actions. Proof: the completed and dated checklists. Applies to all companies: the tool is not mandatory, but its documented use is recognised by the enforcement bodies as evidence of self-inspection. Cadence to be confirmed on the cited source.
continuous check, confirm every 12 monthsRecommendedVUV/OPI (SR 832.30) Art. 3-10 (Umsetzungshilfe Suva)Switzerland onlySource
In Austria this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In United Kingdom this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In Spain this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In Portugal this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In United States this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In Other country this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
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