German Builders Face Steep Sales Drop and Tightened Safety Rules as Revised Vorschrift 2 Takes Effect
18.06.2026 - 00:03:28 | boerse-global.de
3 percent for the main construction trades and by 3.8 percent for finishing trades – and now it must adapt to an updated occupational safety regulation that introduces both relief and new requirements.
The overhauled DGUV Vorschrift 2, effective since January, raises the threshold for simplified safety supervision from 10 to 20 employees, reducing administrative burdens on smaller firms. Companies may also shift part of their mandatory safety advisory work to remote channels: phone or video conferences are now permitted, provided the safety professional is familiar with on-site conditions. Digital consultations can account for up to one-third of total requirements – and in exceptional cases up to 50 percent.
The range of accepted professional backgrounds for safety specialists has widened. Besides traditional technical degrees, qualifications in human medicine, ergonomics, occupational psychology, chemistry and physics now qualify.
With these new documentation and supervision requirements taking effect, many employers quickly discover gaps in their current risk management processes. A free Risk Assessment Toolkit offers 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists covering fire safety, manual handling, first aid, and lone working — everything needed to document workplace hazards in line with current standards. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
First-Aid Quotas Remain High on Construction Sites
On active building sites, the requirement for trained first-aiders stays at 10 percent of workers present. Specialised courses are increasingly in demand; in Freising, for example, BG-certified training programs are booked solid. Costs are typically covered by employers' liability insurance associations. In-house courses are offered in multiple languages to accommodate international crews, and certificates are valid for two years before a refresher is needed.
The importance of such measures was underscored in mid-June, when a young construction worker in Munich-Fürstenried fell from the third floor and suffered severe injuries.
Employment Shrinks as Pressure Mounts
Across the entire regulated trades sector, real sales dropped 2.1 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026. Employment fell by 1.6 percent. Only non-regulated trades and health-related crafts posted gains, rising 2.6 percent and 1.7 percent respectively. Construction firms are caught between the need to improve efficiency and the obligation to maintain safety standards.
To help operators do both, the Mannheim Chamber of Crafts is offering a July seminar on digitalising site documentation and time tracking – a bid to streamline administration and reclaim working hours. Meanwhile, the Central Association for Electrical and Information Technology Crafts (ZVEH) has published a modular partial-qualification set for electricians. Workers aged 25 and older can use it to prepare for the external examination that leads to a journeyman's certificate. Late June webinars will explain funding options through the Federal Employment Agency, which in some cases may cover the entire cost.
