Workplace Regulations for Desks: These Two Pieces of Office Furniture Are Legally Required – and What They Must Provide

The Workplace Ordinance (Arbeitsstättenverordnung) regarding desks is not a recommendation, but binding law. Those who ignore the minimum requirements for VDT workstations risk fines of up to 30,000 euros – and are personally liable in the event of injury. The problem in practice: Many companies buy furniture that looks good but does not provide a legally compliant infrastructure for continuous screen work. A legally compliant, height-adjustable desk is just as much a mandatory part of the equipment here as an ergonomic check when you buy an office chair online.

My name is Alexandra Koch. As a B2B Sales Manager at Yaasa and an expert in the field of ergonomics and movement, I work daily at the intersection of body biology and occupational safety. The Workplace Ordinance makes the foundation for health – movement instead of rigidity – a legal obligation for employers. Based on the 25 years of development expertise of Yaasa founder Walter Koch, whose work has significantly shaped the mechanics and electronics of modern sit-stand solutions, we have developed furniture that fulfills this obligation without operational effort.

"Static postures block the flow of energy. The Workplace Ordinance therefore rightly requires furniture that enables a change of posture.
We at Yaasa build exactly this legally compliant infrastructure – based on 25 years of research in linear adjustment technology."

— Alexandra Koch, B2B Sales Manager & Ergonomics Expert, Yaasa

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What the ArbStättV really regulates – the complete framework

Before we get to the specific furniture, it is worth looking at the overall framework. The Workplace Ordinance does not just regulate the desk. It defines the entire work environment in which employees fulfill their work tasks. Originally, the Display Screen Equipment Ordinance (BildscharbV) of 1996 supplemented these requirements for VDT workstations – since 2008, it has been fully integrated into the ArbStättV and replaced by its Appendix 6.

The following overarching requirements apply to offices and workrooms, which directly influence furniture decisions:

Room climate and room temperature: The Technical Rule for Workplaces ASR A3.5 stipulates an air temperature of at least 20 °C for office work. For sedentary work, temperatures above 26 °C are not permitted without protective measures. The room climate directly influences how furniture must be positioned – drafts from air conditioning systems, for example, require thoughtful workplace design.

Artificial lighting and visual connection: Appendix 3.4 of the ArbStättV prescribes a sufficient illuminance of at least 500 lux for screen work. At the same time, workrooms must have a visual connection to the outside – a window is legally not a nice-to-have. Artificial lighting complements daylight; it does not legally replace it.

Room height: Offices must have a clear room height of at least 2.50 m. For a floor area of more than 50 m², this requirement increases to 2.75 m, and from 100 m² to 3.00 m (ASR A1.2). This is relevant for the selection of standing workstations with monitor arms, which must take the room height into account.

First aid and emergency exits: ASR A2.3 regulates escape routes, emergency exits, and first-aid facilities. Furniture must not block these areas – a point often underestimated in floor plan design.

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The law makes these two pieces of office furniture mandatory

Appendix 6.1 and Appendix 3.3 of the ArbStättV define two components without which a VDT workstation will not pass a safety inspection today:

1. The electrically height-adjustable desk

§ 6.1 Para. 3 requires "sufficient space for changing work postures." A rigid desk cannot structurally fulfill this requirement – it forces a posture instead of enabling one. For desk-sharing concepts, where changing users occupy the same work surfaces, an electrically height-adjustable desk according to the current state of the art is the most economically and ergonomically sensible solution for implementing the required sit-stand dynamics without interrupting work processes.

2. The ergonomic office chair according to DIN EN 1335

A static chair without adjustability is not legally permitted for continuous screen work. The law requires ergonomic requirements for an "ergonomically favorable work posture" – which mandatorily necessitates an individually adjustable seat height, an adjustable backrest, and height-adjustable armrests. Those who save money here will fail during the first safety inspection by the employers' liability insurance association (Berufsgenossenschaft).

Yaasa delivers both components from Austria – with all necessary certificates for your documentation obligation and up to 10 years of manufacturer warranty, far beyond the statutory warranty.

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Compliance Check: The statutory minimum dimensions for VDT workstations

The ergonomic design of VDT workstations is precisely defined in Appendix 6 of the ArbStättV. These measurements are the basis for every safety inspection.

Work desk

Viewing distance and character size: The ArbStättV prescribes a viewing distance of at least 50 cm to screens; 60–80 cm is recommended depending on character size and screen resolution. The desk depth of 80 cm is designed exactly to ensure this minimum distance – with shallower desks, this cannot be geometrically guaranteed.

Office chair

Regarding the footrest: According to the ArbStättV, a footrest is only mandatory if the chair's seat height cannot be adjusted so that the feet rest flat on the floor. At a height-adjustable Yaasa desk, it is optional for most users – as the table and chair can be precisely matched to each other. However, for very short people under 160 cm, it remains a useful supplementary element.

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Risk assessment according to ArbSchG and ArbStättV: Your legal starting point

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (ArbSchG) and the Workplace Ordinance together oblige you: Before starting any activity, you must systematically record and document all risks. For screen work, according to § 3 ArbStättV, this explicitly includes:

Physical strain: Long periods of sitting, poor posture due to unsuitable furniture, lack of change in posture – these are the most frequent causes of occupational illnesses in the office sector.

Mental strain: The risk assessment must also capture stress factors caused by poor work processes, unsuitable work environments, or lack of adjustability of work equipment. A desk that cannot be adjusted to the work task is also a mental stress factor.

Lighting and glare: Glare from screens or incorrectly positioned window areas must be assessed as a risk and eliminated through appropriate protective measures – through furniture placement, curtains, or low-reflection surfaces.

Yaasa provides all technical data sheets and declarations of conformity that you need for seamless documentation. This massively simplifies your risk assessment process and protects you from recourse claims in the event of a dispute.

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ASR A1.2: Why lack of space is a liability risk in offices

The Technical Rule ASR A1.2 concretizes the requirements of the ArbStättV for movement areas in workrooms: Each employee needs at least 1.50 m² of free space directly at the workstation. In open-plan offices, traffic routes and emergency exits must be kept clear at all times – this also applies to the area occupied by a raised standing desk.

Occupational safety in office planning means: Furniture placement and floor space utilization must be thought of together. Yaasa supports you in the planning phase with CAD data and floor plan suggestions that ensure that ergonomic design and requirements for traffic routes do not contradict each other – and that your office passes every safety inspection.

equipment for open-plan offices

Telework vs. Mobile working: The liability trap in the home office

Permanently established telework stations (§ 2 para. 7 ArbStättV - Workplace Ordinance) in private areas are subject to the same requirements as company premises – including risk assessment, initial instruction, and complete workstation design according to the ArbSchG (Occupational Health and Safety Act) and ArbStättV. This means: at home, too, requirements for viewing distance, glare from windows, room temperature and room climate, as well as ergonomic requirements for desks and chairs must be met.

Yaasa delivers legally compliant packages directly to your employees' private addresses – scalable to any number of locations. This allows you to fully meet your health protection obligations and protect your company against recourse claims from accident insurance providers in the event of occupational diseases.

ergonomics in the home office

Yaasa standard vs. minimum legal requirements

Minimum legal requirements define the lower limit, not the target. Those who only meet the minimum meet compliance. Those who go beyond it protect their team, their investment, and their reputation as an employer.

The following overview shows where the ArbStättV sets the minimum legal requirement and where Yaasa, as a manufacturer with direct control over development, production, and quality assurance, consistently goes further.

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Conclusion: Health protection as a strategic investment

The Workplace Ordinance for desks is not a bureaucratic corset – it is a quality framework that protects: your business from liability, your employees from occupational diseases, and your employer branding from the impression of indifference. Investing in the ergonomic design of your workspaces measurably reduces sick leave and increases concentration through a well-thought-out work environment.

Yaasa is not a furniture supplier. We are the manufacturer that, with over 29 years of experience since 2016, develops the mechanics behind ergonomic workstations and assumes full responsibility for the product, supply chain, and warranty. From risk assessment to on-site assembly.

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FAQ on the Workplace Ordinance for desks

Who is responsible for the risk assessment at telework stations?

The employer – without exception. The ArbSchG and ArbStättV make no distinction between company premises and private telework stations. Yaasa provides technical data sheets that significantly simplify this process.

Must every desk in office spaces really be height-adjustable?

The ArbStättV requires adjustability to body measurements and the specific work task, as well as the ability to change posture. In desk-sharing concepts where different users share the same work surfaces, an electrically height-adjustable desk is the only solution that permanently meets the state of the art.

What exactly does the risk assessment for screen work cover?

Physical strain due to poor posture, mental strain due to an unsuitable work environment, glare from screen devices or daylight, room climate and room temperature, viewing distance and character size, the quality of keyboards and input devices, as well as the clearance of traffic routes and emergency exits.

What penalties are there for violations of occupational safety?

Fines of up to 30,000 euros for administrative offenses according to § 9 ArbStättV. In the event of damage, additional recourse claims by statutory accident insurance and civil liability lawsuits.

When is a footrest legally required?

Only if seat height and desk height cannot be combined so that the feet rest flat on the floor. With an electrically height-adjustable desk from Yaasa, this is handled by design for most users – a footrest remains optional, not mandatory.

Can I test the furniture before making a decision?

Yes. Companies can try out a complete setup – desk, chair, accessories, including all input devices – for 60 days free of charge. No risk, no hidden conditions.

Sources

DGUV - Screen and office workstations | BAUA: Room dimensions and movement areas | BAUA: Room temperature | ArbStättV March 2024 | ArbSchG