Risk assessment for water dispensers under Section 3 BetrSichV

What should an employer assess?

Section 3 of the Betriebssicherheitsverordnung (BetrSichV), Section 3 covers hazards from the work equipment, the work environment and the items involved in work with that equipment. For a dispenser, the assessment should therefore consider the actual installation and tasks around it. Depending on the model and workplace, relevant points to examine may include electrical connections, hot-water outlets, access and stability, cleaning or servicing tasks, and foreseeable malfunctions. These are examples for assessment, not a statutory checklist specific to water dispensers.

The assessment should begin before equipment is selected or purchased. A competent person must carry it out; if the employer lacks the necessary expertise, they must obtain competent advice. Manufacturer instructions and existing assessments may inform the work, but an existing assessment can be adopted only when its information and measures fit the equipment, workplace conditions and procedures at the employer’s site.

Record and review the result

Before the dispenser is first used, document the hazards identified, protective measures, required inspections and their intervals, and the outcome of checking whether the measures work. Review the assessment regularly and update it without delay when safety-relevant conditions change, new information emerges, or controls prove ineffective. This makes the record useful for installation, staff instruction and later changes to the equipment or its location.