Explanation
The Arbowet requires every employer to be assisted by at least one expert employee: the prevention officer. The core tasks are helping prepare the RI&E, advising on and cooperating in measures, and helping to carry out the measures from the action plan. In doing so, they cooperate with the company doctor, other occupational health service providers and, if there is one, the works council or employee representation.
It can be one of your own employees with sufficient expertise, experience and time. There is no fixed number of hours and no statutory training requirement, but there is a requirement of sufficient expertise: what is sufficient depends on the size and risks of your company. If no more than 25 people work there, the employer, or in a legal entity the director, may carry out the tasks personally, provided they are expert enough. External experts supplement where the knowledge is missing internally.
If there is a works council or employee representation, it has to consent to the appointment and the position of the prevention officer. The employer gives them room to work independently and they must not be disadvantaged for doing so.
Do not confuse the role with that of the company emergency responder (BHV member). The BHV member steps in during an emergency such as a fire or an accident. The prevention officer works on preventing risks, among other things through the RI&E. One person can fill both roles, especially in a small company, but the tasks and the knowledge required differ.
Example from practice
In an installation company with, for example, 60 employees, management appoints an experienced technician as prevention officer, with the consent of the works council and a fixed number of hours per week for the task. They join the RI&E round, monitor the progress of the action plan and are the contact for colleagues.
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