Occupational safety specialist (Sifa) in Germany: duty, tasks and service hours
Every employer in Germany must arrange occupational safety support. When an occupational safety specialist is needed, what they do, internal or external – and how service hours are calculated.
Last updated on 8 min readAMS Go editorial team
Key points at a glance
- Under the Occupational Safety Act (ASiG), employers must appoint company doctors and occupational safety specialists – from the very first employee.
- What the support looks like and how much time it covers is set by DGUV Regulation 2 of the responsible accident insurance institution.
- With more than 20 employees, basic support under the revised DGUV Regulation 2 amounts to 0.5, 1.5 or 2.5 hours per employee per year depending on the support group – for the specialist and company doctor together.
- The specialist can be employed in the company or provide support externally via an external service.
What does an occupational safety specialist do?
The occupational safety specialist (Fachkraft für Arbeitssicherheit, Sifa for short) advises the employer on all questions of occupational safety. They help identify hazards, choose protective measures and build up the organisation of occupational safety in the company.
Their tasks are described in Section 6 of the Occupational Safety Act (Arbeitssicherheitsgesetz, ASiG). They include:
- advising the employer and managers, for example when planning workplaces and procuring work equipment
- supporting the risk assessment
- inspecting workplaces regularly and reporting defects
- investigating the causes of occupational accidents and proposing measures
- working towards all employees behaving safely
When does a company need an occupational safety specialist?
The duty to provide occupational safety and occupational medical support generally applies to every employer, regardless of company size (Sections 2 and 5 ASiG). What the support looks like in practice is set by the accident insurance institutions in their DGUV Regulation 2 “Company doctors and occupational safety specialists”. Different models are available depending on size:
up to 20 employees
Possible form of supportSimplified standard support consisting of basic and occasion-related support without fixed hours or – depending on the accident insurance institution – an alternative model
Company size 21 to 50 employees
Possible form of supportStandard support or – depending on the accident insurance institution – the employer model, in which the employer gets trained themselves
more than 50 employees
Possible form of supportStandard support consisting of basic support and company-specific support
How much support time is required?
In standard support for companies with more than 20 employees, support consists of two parts: basic support with fixed service hours and company-specific support, whose extent the employer determines based on the conditions in the company.
Group I (high hazard)
Basic support per employee per year2.5 hours
Group II (medium hazard)
Basic support per employee per year1.5 hours
Group III (low hazard)
Basic support per employee per year0.5 hours
These times apply to the company doctor and occupational safety specialist together. Each must cover at least 20 per cent; the former lower limit of 0.2 hours per employee was dropped with the revision. Up to one third of the basic support may be provided digitally once the company is known. Which support group applies depends on the company's industry.
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Suitable for
Internal specialistlarger companies with a lot of support needed
External specialistsmall and medium-sized companies
Advantages
Internal specialistalways on site, knows processes and people
External specialistflexible to book, broad experience from many companies
To consider
Internal specialisttraining and refresher courses, cover during absence
External specialistclear agreements on services and service hours
Occupational safety specialists must prove the necessary safety expertise – usually as a safety engineer, technician or master craftsperson with training according to the requirements of the accident insurance institutions (Section 7 ASiG). External specialists often work for external occupational safety services (Section 19 ASiG).
Good cooperation in everyday work
- Plan service hours and priorities for the year together
- Agree inspections with fixed dates and follow up on the results
- Keep risk assessments, safety instruction and inspection deadlines in one place both can access
- Involve the specialist early – for example before buying new machines or during conversions
- Have them report regularly on the status in the occupational safety committee
Checklist: occupational safety specialist
- Responsible accident insurance institution and support group determined
- Support model chosen according to DGUV Regulation 2
- Service hours for basic and company-specific support calculated
- Specialist appointed internally or external service commissioned
- Appointment documented in writing and works council involved
- Annual plan with inspections and priorities agreed
- Services provided and service hours documented
Free templates for this guide
As PDF and Excel, no sign-up – free to use in your own company.
Frequently asked questions
Does every company need an occupational safety specialist?
Yes, in principle every employer must ensure occupational safety support. Depending on the accident insurance institution, small companies can choose an alternative model instead of fixed support, such as the employer model.
How many hours must an occupational safety specialist spend in the company?
With more than 20 employees, basic support amounts to 0.5, 1.5 or 2.5 hours per employee per year depending on the support group, for the specialist and company doctor together. Each must cover at least 20 per cent. Company-specific support comes on top.
Can the boss be the occupational safety specialist?
In the employer model, the employer gets trained themselves and brings in external advice when needed. Whether and up to which company size this is possible is set by the responsible accident insurance institution.
What does an external occupational safety specialist cost?
The costs depend on the service hours required and the provider. Billing is usually by the hour or as an annual flat fee.
What is the basis for the service hours?
DGUV Regulation 2 “Company doctors and occupational safety specialists” of the responsible accident insurance institution. The support group depends on the industry.
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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