Unit 5.4: Working equipment, tools, constructional elements

Personal protective equipment against physical hazards - Transportation and traffic systems, constructional elements/construction products - Materials and tools

The subject areas of personal protective equipment against physical hazards, transportation and traffic, constructional elements/construction products, raw materials and tools are handled in unit 5.4 in Division 5.

The focal points in the field of PPE against physical hazards are:

• Testing/certifying and advising on PPEs against physical hazards (protective clothing, safety gloves, protective headwear, foot protection)
• Investigating accidents on PPE against physical hazards and exploring general mechanical questions; basic research into technical safety issues regarding the use of PPE against physical hazards
• Devising test guidelines and cooperating in the relevant standard-setting bodies for PPE against physical hazards

The responsibilities in the field of transportation and traffic systems include:

• Testing and conducting basic research into the area of mechanical safety of transporting and lifting equipment
• Testing and studying fastening materials and other elements for securing loads on lorries

The focal points in the field of constructional elements /construction products are:

• Testing the anti-slip properties of floor coverings
• Testing ladders; investigating accidents and exploring questions of a technical matter on the use of ladders
• Studying the mechanical safety of constructional elements such as windows and doors
• Testing temporary constructions (scaffolding) and temporary devices for constructing and maintaining buildings, especially collective protective equipment, including lift working platforms
• Technical safety studies of construction products that indicate traffic routes and secure them
• Structural analyses and stability proof from testing and calculation, also whilst using the method of finite elements
• Studying transport safety and practicality for use of large-area enclosure elements for walls, ceilings and roofs
• Analysis of damage and injury resulting from constructional element failure, especially as related to occupational accidents

The following responsibilities are included in the field materials and tools:

• Testing metallic and non-metallic materials; advice on questions of materials
• Testing the mechanical safety of rotating tools, especially grinding tools; developing test procedures for grinding tools and investigating accidents causing damage or injury during their use
• Conducting basic research on the design and the dimensioning as well as testing of guards
• Analysing failures and investigating accidents on machine elements, components and technical working equipment
• Studying the aging of components and technical working equipment made from plastics
• Conducting basic research on mechanical safety and testing transporting and lifting equipment