[Legal principles and institutional frame work of occupational medicine practice]

The activity of a company doctor or medical officer of an industrial enterprise forms part of a setup aiming at affording health care and protection of workers as prescribed by law in the Federal Republic of Germany. The legal framework created by the German government is quite complex and is made up of various laws and guidelines involving a wide variety of organisations and institutions. The so-called "Arbeitssicherheitsgesetz" (Work Safety Law) provides the legal basis for occupational medical care of workers. Basing on this law, the article describes the salient ordinances and regulations and their consequences for practical work. In particular, the working times are specified that doctors have at their disposal to discharge their multivarious duties in their advisory, medical examination and supervisory capacities. The different patterns according to which doctors can organise their work to cope with these duties, are described.