Occupational health checks in Germany: mandatory, offered and on request
When the employer must arrange, offer or allow occupational health checks, which intervals apply, what goes into the health care register – and why these checks are not fitness tests.
Last updated on 8 min readAMS Go editorial team
Key points at a glance
- The Ordinance on Occupational Health Care (ArbMedVV) distinguishes between mandatory, offered and requested health checks. The occasions are listed in the annex to the ordinance.
- The first check takes place within three months before work starts, the second usually after 12 months at the latest, and then every 36 months at the latest (AMR 2.1).
- The employer receives a certificate without a diagnosis and keeps a health care register.
- Occupational health checks serve to advise employees – they are not fitness examinations.
What are occupational health checks?
In occupational health care (arbeitsmedizinische Vorsorge), a company doctor advises employees on the health risks of their work. The aim is to recognise and prevent work-related illness early. The basis is the Ordinance on Occupational Health Care (Verordnung zur arbeitsmedizinischen Vorsorge, ArbMedVV).
The core is a medical consultation. Physical or clinical examinations only take place if they are necessary for the advice and the employee does not refuse them.
Mandatory, offered and requested checks
Mandatory check (Pflichtvorsorge)
What the employer must doarrange it – the activity may only be carried out once the check has taken place
ExamplesNoise from the upper action value of 85 dB(A), certain hazardous substances
Offered check (Angebotsvorsorge)
What the employer must dooffer it in writing and personally – participation is voluntary
ExamplesDisplay screen work, noise from the lower action value of 80 dB(A)
Requested check (Wunschvorsorge)
What the employer must doallow it if employees request it – unless no harm to health is to be expected
ExamplesEmployees are worried about their work
Which checks are needed for which activity follows from the risk assessment and the annex to the ArbMedVV. The company doctor advises on this.
Intervals under AMR 2.1
When mandatory and offered checks take place is set by the occupational medicine rule AMR 2.1:
- 1
First check
within three months before work starts
- 2
Second check
usually after 12 months at the latest – different intervals apply for some occasions
- 3
Every further check
after 36 months at the latest
The company doctor can set shorter intervals in individual cases. Longer intervals than provided for in the AMR are not permitted.
Health care register in AMS Go – in progressHealth check occasions, appointments and deadlines in one place: the health care register is on our roadmap.Process and the employer's duties
- 1
Identify occasions
Use the risk assessment to determine for which activities mandatory or offered checks are needed.
- 2
Commission a company doctor
The checks are carried out by a doctor specialised in occupational medicine or with the additional qualification in company medicine.
- 3
Arrange or offer appointments
Plan appointments in good time and offer offered checks in writing. Checks should take place during working hours; the employer bears the costs.
- 4
Receive the certificate
After the check, the employee and employer receive a certificate stating that, when and for what reason the check took place and when the next one is due – without findings or diagnoses.
- 5
Keep a health care register
Record who took part in a check, when and for what reason, and keep an eye on the next dates.
What goes into the health care register?
The employer must keep a health care register (Vorsorgekartei). It contains no medical findings, only organisational details:
- Name of the employee
- Occasion of the check, distinguishing between mandatory, offered and requested checks
- Date of the check
- Date of the next check
- for offered checks: when it was offered
The details are kept until the end of employment. The employee then receives a copy of their own details on request; after that they are deleted.
Checklist: occupational health checks
- Occasions for mandatory and offered checks identified in the risk assessment
- Company doctor commissioned
- Mandatory checks arranged before work starts
- Offered checks offered in writing
- Employees informed about requested checks
- Health care register kept with occasion, date and next appointment
- Intervals under AMR 2.1 monitored
Frequently asked questions
Are occupational health checks mandatory?
For certain activities, yes: with a mandatory check, the activity may only be carried out once the check has taken place. Offered and requested checks are voluntary for employees, but the employer must offer or allow them.
How often must occupational health checks take place?
Under AMR 2.1, the first check takes place within three months before work starts, the second usually after 12 months at the latest and every further one after 36 months at the latest.
Does the employer learn the result of the check?
No. The employer only receives a certificate stating that, when and for what reason the check took place and when the next one is due. Findings are subject to medical confidentiality.
Is display screen work an occasion for a health check?
Yes. For work with display screen equipment, the employer must offer a health check.
Who bears the costs?
The employer. The checks should take place during working hours.
Terms from the glossary
This guide gives a general overview of German occupational safety law and does not replace legal advice. The regulations in force and the rules of the statutory accident insurance institutions are authoritative.
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