Testing and certification

Products such as machines, electrical appliances and personal protective equipment (PPE) must be safe, ensure optimum employee protection and not put employees at risk. Safe, health-conscious products are therefore a cornerstone of occupational safety and health (OSH). The German social accident insurance system has already put decades of intensive effort into ensuring that high standards are achieved in this area.

Such effort includes the work of the DGUV’s testing and certification bodies (DGUV Test), which test whether products fulfil OSH requirements before they are used in an operational scenario.

The German social accident insurance institutions have been active in the field of testing and certification since 1965, with over 100,000 certificates issued to date. In 1993, the 16 current testing and certification centres merged to form DGUV Test.

Testing and certification activities provide the German social accident insurance institutions with a broad spectrum of information on both product defects and innovations. Active participation in domestic, European and international standardisation processes ensures that findings are passed on and applied in a wider context.

The GS (German abbreviation for "Certified Safety") and DGUV Test symbols displayed by many products show consumers and companies that a product has been tested by an independent body. A certificate database listing all products which have been tested and issued with a valid DGUV Test certificate provides purchasers with a practical guide.

Information provided by DGUV Test
Information on the activities and test symbols of the various testing and certification centres is available from the DGUV Test website. The site also provides current information on product safety and testing, as well as addresses for DGUV testing and certification centres.

Product testing according to the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV)
BetrSichV requires employers to regularly test work equipment used at their companies (see § 3 Para. 3 BetrSichV). Such testing is sometimes confused with the testing and certification to be carried out before a product can be sold or used.

For more information on testing and certification, please visit the English version of the DGUV Test website.