[Health and safety regulations concerning working time according to the FRG-using the example of the COVID-19 working time ordinance (COVID-19-ArbZV)].

Abstract

Following a short discussion concerning the contradictions of the COVID-19 working time ordinance (COVID-19-ArbZV) with the existing ergonomics evidence on the design of working time and its effects on safety, health and wellbeing possible effects of this regulation with regard to the risks of accidents, health and social impairments have been estimated using computer based risk assessments for selected working time systems constructed in accordance with the ordinance.The results show significantly increased risk estimates for all analyzed systems and for all domains, demonstrating a sincere loss in the effectiveness and efficiency of health and safety prevention. Applying these results to the medical sector leads to the conclusion of an elsewhere empirically demonstrated reduction in patient care and patient safety.It is argued that increasing working and reducing rest times of the available work force is not an effective solution for problems of lacking human resources due to its adverse side effects on employees and third parties. Health and safety protection via working time regulations based on ergonomics evidence obviously is not a prominent approach in the FRG.Practical Relevance: A reorientation towards health and safety approaches taking ergonomics evidence into due account is required in the FRG.