FAQ – RSA21 English

RSA 21 is the abbreviation for ‘Guidelines for the Traffic Safety Management of Roadworks’, 2021 edition. The guidelines describe how roadworks should be managed in accordance with traffic regulations.

These include, amongst other things, road signs, traffic barriers, road markings, traffic management measures, and the securing of roadworks both within and outside built-up areas, on country roads, main roads and motorways.

RSA 21 replaced the previous edition, RSA 95, and was published by the Federal Ministry of Transport for federal roads.

MVAS 99 stands for ‘Guidance Note on the Framework Conditions for the Specialist Knowledge Required to Ensure Safety at Road Worksites’.

This guidance note sets out the specialist knowledge required by those responsible for the planning, organisation, supervision and control of roadwork sites. It also contains training programmes for different areas of activity and types of road.

MVAS 99 thus supplements the technical requirements set out in RSA 21 and ZTV-SA 97 with provisions regarding the necessary specialist knowledge.

Failures to secure roadworks sites can lead not only to accidents but also to serious legal consequences. Anyone who uses road signs, traffic cones, barriers or other traffic control equipment incorrectly without sufficient specialist knowledge may jeopardise road safety.

The Criminal Code makes dangerous interference with road traffic a criminal offence if it endangers the life or limb of other people or property of significant value belonging to others. It is therefore important that those responsible are familiar with the requirements set out in RSA 21, MVAS 99 and the relevant road traffic regulations.

RSA 21 or MVAS 99 training helps participants to plan, set up and monitor work sites professionally, and to avoid typical mistakes in traffic safety management.

The three sets of regulations cover different but interrelated areas of road safety:

RSA 21 sets out the traffic safety measures and traffic management at roadworks. MVAS 99 deals with the specialist knowledge required of the persons in charge. ZTV-SA 97 contains additional technical contract conditions and requirements for safety work at roadworks.

In practice, the sets of regulations are taken into account together. Which set of regulations applies in a specific case depends, amongst other things, on the road, the activity, the contract and the requirements of the relevant authority.

A training certificate is required, in particular, by those responsible for ensuring road safety at roadworks sites or who plan, instruct, organise, supervise or monitor such tasks.

This may include employees of construction companies, road construction firms, traffic safety companies, local authorities, road maintenance departments, engineering and planning firms, and clients.

The specific qualification required in each individual case depends on the nature of the work in question, as well as the requirements set out by the client, the tender or the relevant authority.

Following an accident at a roadworks site, an investigation is routinely carried out to determine whether the accident could have been prevented. This also raises the question of whether the road signs, barriers, traffic cones and other traffic control measures were positioned in accordance with the requirements set out in the traffic management order.

The order is usually issued by the competent authority on the basis of Section 45 of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO). For the company, this means that the safety measures ordered must be implemented professionally, in full and in a manner that can be verified. If the safety measures actually put in place differ from those ordered, this may have significant legal and liability consequences.

If, on the other hand, the order was implemented correctly, the subsequent review focuses on whether the regulatory order itself was adequate and correct. This is precisely why specialist knowledge in accordance with RSA 21 and MVAS 99 is so important: those responsible must understand what was ordered, how it is to be implemented in practice, and which deviations could be dangerous.

There is no general statutory training requirement for every person working on a roadworks site. However, those in charge must have the necessary knowledge to ensure that work sites are properly secured.

Evidence of such qualification may be derived, in particular, from contractual terms, tender documents, official orders or the client’s requirements. For work on federal trunk roads, qualification in accordance with MVAS 99 is required in the cases specified for this purpose.

Before making a booking, you should therefore check what evidence is required for the specific assignment and area of work.

The RSA-21 training courses offered by rsa-online.net can be completed entirely online. Participants can work through the course content at their own pace and from any location, using a computer, laptop or tablet.

Once the course has been completed in full, your participation will be recorded and a certificate of attendance will be issued confirming that you have completed the course content.

Whether a client or the relevant authority imposes additional requirements for a specific contract or accepts only certain types of training should be checked in advance by referring to the tender documents or by contacting the relevant authority directly.

There is no standard period of validity for certificates of participation under MVAS 99 that applies to all contracting authorities and areas of activity. The requirements of the relevant contracting authority, the tender or the competent authority are decisive.

Regulations, technical requirements and the practical implementation of traffic safety measures are subject to change. It may therefore be advisable, or required by the client, to refresh one’s specialist knowledge on a regular basis.

If specific supporting documentation is required for an assignment, it should be clarified in advance which issue dates and which training content will be accepted.

Anyone who plans, sets up, supervises or monitors roadworks is responsible for the safety of road users, workers and third parties. Road signs, barriers, traffic cones and other traffic control devices must not be positioned at random, but must comply with official instructions and the applicable regulations.

Failures in traffic safety management can have significant legal and practical consequences. A training certificate provides evidence that the person responsible has familiarised themselves with the requirements of RSA 21 and MVAS 99, as well as the fundamentals of traffic safety management at roadworks.

The certificate of attendance issued by rsa-online.net serves as proof to companies, clients and responsible persons that the training has been completed. The specific documentation required for a particular contract is set out in the tender, by the client or by the relevant authority.

To book a course, first create a user account. Then select the RSA 21 online course you require and complete your booking.

If you pay by PayPal or credit card, the course will be activated immediately. Once you have logged in, you will find the training courses you have booked under ‘My Courses’. There, you can complete the course yourself or assign booked courses to other people.

The training course can be completed at your own pace and paused at any time. Once the course has been fully completed, participants will receive their certificate of attendance by email. The certificate is also available to download online.

Yes. Organisations can order several RSA-21 online courses and then assign them to individual staff members or other participants. A separate course is required for each person.

Once payment has been successfully processed, go to the ‘My Courses’ page in your user account. There, enter the first name, surname, date of birth and email address of the relevant person. You can then send a personalised access link by clicking ‘Send participant email’.

Participants do not need their own user account. Upon completion, they must confirm that they have completed the course independently and understood the content. A recent photograph is also required for the certificate of attendance. A clearly recognisable photo taken against a plain background is sufficient.

Most participants take less than eight hours to complete an RSA 21 online course. How long it actually takes depends on the course chosen, prior knowledge and individual learning pace.

The training can be paused at any time and resumed later. There is no fixed daily timetable. This means the course can be fitted flexibly into the working day.

If necessary, individual sections can be reviewed and repeated at your leisure.

There is no traditional final examination for our RSA-21 online courses. Participants work through the course material at their own pace and, at the end, confirm that they have completed the training independently and understood the content.

Successful completion of the course will be recorded. Participants will then receive a certificate of attendance confirming the training content they have completed.

Yes. The ‘Main Roads and Motorways’ course builds on the basics covered for work sites within built-up areas and on country roads.

The motorway course does not, therefore, automatically cover all the content of the basic course. Participants should first complete the course ‘Driving in built-up areas and on country roads’ or already hold a relevant training certificate.

The advanced course then covers the specific requirements for work sites on motorways and dual carriageways.

Yes. The training content on rsa-online.net is designed for use in Germany and is based in particular on RSA 21, MVAS 99 and ZTV-SA 97.

Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate confirming the course content they have covered. This serves as proof of attendance and can be presented to companies, clients or the relevant authorities.

The specific requirements that a client or public authority imposes regarding proof of training are determined by the relevant body. Where there are specific tender or contract conditions, we therefore recommend that you check the required evidence before booking.

Yes. When you buy ten RSA-21 online courses, you’ll receive an extra course free of charge. So you pay for ten courses and receive a total of eleven.

Select the course you want and order ten copies. Once your order is complete, we will add the eleventh course to your course overview as a free course.

You can then assign all courses to the relevant participants as usual.

The RSA-21 online courses from rsa-online.net are available in German, English, Dutch and Polish.

This also enables companies to train international or multilingual teams in a language they can understand. When placing your order, please ensure you select the correct language version for each participant.