Guide

Occupational medicine and health and safety for employers

Articles on duties, deadlines and procedures under German law, plus notes on amended regulations, each backed by the official sources. Every article names its legal basis and the legal status it reflects.

A paper bag of baked goods is handed over a stainless-steel counter by a hand in a disposable glove

Food-hygiene instruction (IfSG) Food-hygiene instruction under Section 43 of the Infection Protection Act Employees who carry out activities covered by Section 42 of the Infection Protection Act (IfSG) need a food-hygiene instruction (Belehrung) under § 43 IfSG. What matters: the date of the certificate, agreeing the format and process with the responsible public health office (Gesundheitsamt), and the employer documenting the refresher instruction. Read more →

Two employees, one in a high-visibility vest, walk through a bright production hall

Occupational health care Occupational physician duty from the first employee The duty to have an occupational physician starts with the first employee. Employers must organise occupational health care and occupational safety support. Form and scope of care depend on the Occupational Safety Act (ASiG) and on DGUV Regulation 2 (DGUV Vorschrift 2) as issued by the responsible accident insurance institution. Read more →

Hearing test and lung function test equipment on the table of an examination room

Occupational health check-ups Mandatory, offered and on-request check-ups under the ArbMedVV The Ordinance on Occupational Health Care (ArbMedVV) distinguishes between mandatory check-ups (Pflichtvorsorge), offered check-ups (Angebotsvorsorge) and check-ups on request (Wunschvorsorge). A mandatory check-up is a condition for doing the work. The employer must offer an offered check-up and must make a check-up on request possible when asked. This article sets out deadlines, certificate and check-up register (Vorsorgekartei). It also separates check-ups from fitness-for-duty assessments and from telemedical appointments. Read more →

Eye test on a testing device, with a warehouse and forklift in the background

Fitness-for-duty assessment Fitness-for-duty assessment for driving, control and monitoring activities (formerly G 25) Medical fitness-for-duty assessments are only permissible on a sound, proportionate and activity-related basis. They follow different rules from occupational health check-ups, even when both are done by the occupational physician. Read more →

Four employees arrange cards on a facilitation board

Psychosocial stress Psychosocial risk assessment under Section 5 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act Under Section 5 (3) no. 6 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG), psychosocial stress is part of the risk assessment in every company with employees. Working conditions are assessed, not people. The choice of method, the measures and the check of their effectiveness must be traceable. Read more →

Conversation about documents at a round table, only hands visible

Workplace reintegration Workplace reintegration management (BEM) under § 167 of Social Code Book IX (SGB IX) Workplace reintegration management (betriebliches Eingliederungsmanagement, BEM) must be offered when an employee has been unfit for work for more than six weeks within a year. Taking part is voluntary. The procedure and the handling of health data need clear responsibilities. Read more →

Ergonomic screen workstation: person seen from behind at a monitor on a swivel arm, external keyboard and mouse, window to the side

Occupational health check-ups Screen Work and Occupational Health Check-ups on Offer For work at display screen equipment, the employer must make an offered check-up (Angebotsvorsorge) available. It includes an examination of the eyes and vision. This article explains the check-up, special vision aids and ergonomic measures, and how they relate to each other. Read more →

Two people discuss documents at a round table, only hands visible

Workplace reintegration BEM and gradual return to work: differences and interaction Workplace reintegration management (BEM) and gradual return to work (stufenweise Wiedereingliederung) are two different procedures. This article explains the legal bases, participants and the step-by-step plan, and shows how the two procedures work together. Read more →

Confidential conversation between two people at a round table, seen from behind

Psychosocial stress Psychosocial stress in shift work and staff shortages Shift systems and tight staffing cause psychosocial stress in care, logistics and production. This article shows how to record this stress in the risk assessment and address it with organisational measures. Read more →

Meeting table with five chairs, documents and a water carafe, a production hall behind the window

Law and deadlines Occupational safety committee (ASA) under § 11 of the Occupational Safety Act (ASiG) Companies with more than 20 employees must set up an occupational safety committee. This article describes how employees are counted, the committee's composition and tasks, the contribution of the occupational physician and how to organise meetings. Read more →

Video conference on a laptop in an office, person seen from behind

Occupational health care Digital occupational health care and telemedicine check-ups Digital occupational health care is possible, but not for every service. This article separates the digital parts of care under DGUV Regulation 2 (DGUV Vorschrift 2) from telemedicine check-ups under AMR 3.4 (occupational medicine rule) and states the in-person requirements. Read more →

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