Scaffold Checks in Hesse Kick Off June 8 as Fall Accidents Account for Nearly a Third of Serious Workplace Injuries

German firms face €12k+ cost for in-house safety training or hire external experts as regulators tighten enforcement and new court rulings clarify employer responsibilities.

German companies face a familiar puzzle when it comes to workplace safety: hire an external expert or train someone in-house. The decision has become more pressing as regulators tighten enforcement and new court rulings clarify employer responsibilities.

Under the German Occupational Safety Act (Arbeitssicherheitsgesetz, ASiG) and the DGUV Regulation 2, any business with at least one employee must appoint a specialist for occupational safety (Fachkraft für Arbeitssicherheit, Sifa). The specialist’s core duties are laid out in detail: drawing up and updating risk assessments, conducting regular workplace walkthroughs, and supporting safety briefings. They also sit on the quarterly meetings of the occupational safety committee (Arbeitsschutzausschuss, ASA). The job is becoming more demanding — beyond machine safety and CE assessments, psychological strain on employees now takes centre stage. Dedicated qualifications for that area start at around €499. The goal remains legally sound documentation and concrete follow-up measures.

Training an internal candidate does not come cheap. Industry analyses from early June 2026 put the cost at over €12,000, with the programme lasting more than a year. The added risk: the employee may quit after qualifying. No surprise, then, that many businesses turn to external providers. Large players such as BG prevent and GBS Arbeitsschutz serve tens of thousands of companies nationwide. GBS, with more than 3,450 locations, supports over 118,000 employees. Specialised engineering firms like IfS Sicherheitstechnik have been in the market for more than three decades, offering Sifa deployment, training, and technical inspections.

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Given the high cost of building internal safety expertise, many companies are looking for efficient ways to keep their risk assessments legally compliant. Even with external support, documenting every workplace hazard properly can be time-consuming. The free Risk Assessment Toolkit provides 41 ready-to-use templates, checklists, and training materials designed to streamline your risk management process. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit

Legal demands are escalating. A practice guide published in early June 2026 by Professor Dr. Thomas Wilrich analyses 60 court rulings on workplace regulations — covering screen workstations, fire protection, and teleworking.

Authorities are acting tougher too. From June 8 to 12, the regional councils (Regierungspräsidien) of Giessen, Darmstadt, and Kassel in Hesse have announced intensified scaffolding inspections. The reason: between 2009 and 2023, fall accidents accounted for about 31 percent of all serious or fatal workplace accidents. Earlier checks found that only 21 percent of construction sites fully met protective measures.

The job market for safety specialists is buoyant. Companies in Dresden’s semiconductor industry are actively recruiting staff with an engineering degree and the qualification under Section 7 of the ASiG. Duties range from accident analysis to coordinating international teams. Estimated annual salaries fall between €46,000 and €59,000.

First-aid obligations remain a further pillar. As soon as two insured persons are present, the employer must provide at least one first-aider. For companies with 20 or more employees, the quota ranges from 5 to 10 percent, depending on the sector. The training consists of nine teaching units and must be refreshed every two years.