Labour Inspectorate

General information

General information on the Labour Inspectorate

The Labour Inspectorate is the largest legally commissioned organisation for addressing shortcomings in health and safety at work in Austria. It acts according to standardised principles and independently of individual interests. Standardised national implementation ensures that requirements for equal rights and fair competition in the world of work are met.

The Labour Inspectorate guarantees the protection of life and health of working people by meeting its statutory mandate.

Tasks

The Labour Inspectorate

• checks compliance with the legal provisions for protecting the life and health of those people working for companies
• is a party that participates in the approval and exception procedure
• provides legally binding and free information and advice in all matters relating to work safety and health protection at work
• mediates within its area in the event of conflicting interests in the world of work and
• investigates work accidents and complaints relating to grievances

Powers

The Labour Inspectorate authorities are entitled to

• enter and inspect workplaces and places of employment
• gather information
• question individuals
• view documents.

Procedure for violation of employee protection provisions

If provisions to protect working people are not complied with, the Labour Inspectorate advises the responsible persons and asks them in writing to ensure the condition is compliant with the law within a certain deadline.

If disclosed deficiencies are not remedied within the defined or extended deadline, the Labour Inspectorate is obliged to report the offence to the competent administrative penal authority (district administrative authority, magistrate). In the event of serious violations, the Labour Inspectorate must immediately proceed with charges. In the event of a penal order being issued by the authorities, there is an opportunity to appeal to the relevant Regional Administrative Court (→ oesterreich.gv.at).

In cases of imminent danger to life or the health of people at their workplace, the Labour Inspectorate is obliged to take immediate measures, such as prohibiting further work until the risk is removed.

Enterprises affected

Essentially all establishments, apart from agricultural and forestry establishments, administrative departments and federal, province and municipal schools as well as private households.

Competent authority

The locally competent labour inspectorate (→ Arbeitsinspektion)^{German text}

Further information

Informal appeals (e.g. delivered by phone or e-mail) regarding employee working conditions are investigated immediately and with care. The source of every complaint must be treated as strictly confidential.

The jurisdiction is determined by the location of the place of work or the building site.

Appeals or feedback regarding the procedure of labour inspectors can be directed to the Labour inspectorate Ombudsman (→ Arbeitsinspektion)^{German text}.

Further links

• Labour Inspectorate (→ Arbeitsinspektion)^{German text}
• Employee protection and health (→ AK)^{German text}
• Work and health – advice (→ AK)^{German text}
• Chamber of labour – contakt (→ AK)^{German text}
• The Labour Inspectorate (→ WKO)^{German text}
• Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy (→ BMAW)^{German text}

Legal bases

Arbeitsinspektionsgesetz 1993 (ArbIG)