Structure of TRGS 555
TRGS 555 has 5 sections: scope, definitions, operating instruction, information of employees, transitional provisions.
The mandatory contents are in section 3. They are binding – deviations must be justified in the risk assessment.
Language and comprehensibility
TRGS 555 requires 'understandable form and language'. In practice this means: short sentences, no technical terms without explanation, pictograms instead of just text.
For employees who do not understand German, the operating instruction must be available in their native language – or at least in a language they reliably understand. What matters is actual language comprehension, not origin or nationality.
Check that the actual employees understand the content. English is only suitable if those employees understand it; check currently supported product languages before creation.
Posting obligation: where and how
The operating instruction must be findable at the workplace or in the immediate vicinity. Storage in an office is not enough.
Recommended: DIN A4 laminated or in clear film on the wall, alternatively in a stand directly at the substance storage or mixing site.
For field service or mobile work (construction sites, care services), the OI must be carried along – e.g. as a laminated card in the toolbox.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake 1: Using the manufacturer's safety data sheet 1:1 as operating instruction. Wrong – the SDS is for specialists, not for employees.
Mistake 2: One operating instruction for 'all cleaning agents'. Wrong – each substance needs its own OI, except for permissible group instructions (comparable properties).
Mistake 3: The selected language is not understood sufficiently by the employees concerned.
Mistake 4: No regular updates. Update the instruction when working conditions change materially.
Connection to instruction and training
The operating instruction is the basis for instruction. §14 paragraph 1 GefStoffV requires at least annual instruction based on the operating instruction.
Instruction must be documented (participants, date, content, signature). This documentation is mandatory in the occupational safety documentation.
Tip: For the instruction itself we use the sister product MeineGBU – it creates a PowerPoint training from the operating instruction.