German Scaffolding Checks: Hessen Launches Sweep to Curb Construction Fall Fatalities

German state Hessen launches concentrated checks on scaffolding and fall protection; only 21% of sites fully compliant. Falls cause 31% of construction deaths.

Authorities across the German state of Hessen have begun a concentrated inspection campaign targeting scaffolding and fall protection on construction sites. The checks, running until 12 June, are being conducted by the regional administrative councils of Darmstadt, Gießen and Kassel.

Only one in five construction sites in the state meet safety requirements in full, according to data from previous inspections. That figure – 21 percent – underscores the scale of the problem regulators are trying to address.

Falls from height remain the single biggest cause of death in the German construction industry. Between 2009 and 2023, they accounted for 31 percent of all fatal workplace accidents, despite strict regulations on safety equipment and scaffolding standards.

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The sweep is part of a nationwide action week coordinated by the Joint German Occupational Safety and Health Strategy (GDA), which aims to raise awareness of workplace risks across all sectors. In Hessen, inspectors are present on sites in every region, checking that scaffolding is properly erected, secured and maintained.

Parallel push on circular economy

While safety inspectors fan out across construction sites, policymakers in Berlin are advancing a separate agenda that also affects the building sector. The federal cabinet is currently working on an action programme tied to the National Circular Economy Strategy.

The German Construction Industry Association (ZDB) has welcomed planned improvements to the replacement building materials ordinance, but warns of remaining gaps. The central issue, according to the trade body, is the lack of a binding end-of-waste status for mineral construction materials. Without that legal certainty, recycled materials cannot be treated as fully fledged products, which hinders their use in new projects.

The association is calling for clearer rules that would allow high-quality processed recycling materials to be classified as products, rather than waste, so they can compete with virgin aggregates.

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Other developments in the sector

Elsewhere in Germany, renovation work began today at Gotha’s main railway station, backed by an investment of roughly €22 million. In Saxony, a first-ever Week of Building Culture is scheduled from 22 to 26 June, focusing on timber construction and climate adaptation.

For those interested in historical preservation, the Weser Renaissance Museum at Schloss Brake in Lemgo is running a special exhibition until 5 July 2026, showcasing the particular challenges of working on heritage construction sites.