Company doctor, safety officer, psych risk assessment: much of it you have — some things you simply don't know.
Occupational safety duties are no rocket science. You just need to know which ones exist — and where you stand.
1
from the very first employee
duty to appoint company doctor & safety officer — ASiG
Many
businesses have not yet carried out the psychosocial risk assessment
yet it's mandatory for all — § 5 ArbSchG
6 weeks
of sick leave within twelve months
anyone unable to work for longer must be offered BEM — § 167 SGB IX
€30,000
maximum fine (Section 25 ArbSchG) if an order from the inspectorate is not implemented
responsibility stays with management — § 130 OWiG
For most companies, taking responsibility for their people goes without saying. Yet many German businesses have not yet carried out the psychosocial risk assessment (GBPsych) — not out of indifference, but because some things you simply don't know.
And it isn't even hard once you know what to do. We help you close the gaps. By the way, all of this is called compliance in workplace health promotion (WHP).
What the law requires
Which duties does every employer have to put in place?
Company doctor & safety officer
Yes, really: from employee number one. Up to 50 employees the 'Unternehmermodell' often works — hardly anyone knows it.
Psych risk assessment (GBPsych)
Not a corporate-only exercise: the psychosocial risk assessment applies to every company size. Many businesses still have it ahead of them.
Occupational safety basics
Instruction, documentation, clear responsibilities. Unspectacular — but exactly what gets checked first when something happens.
How to get going
How does EasyWHP help with these duties?
EasyWHP maps the questionnaires, guides you through risk assessment, instruction and documentation, and keeps an eye on deadlines — you always see what's open and how your numbers develop.
The professional assessment and follow-up belong to experts: company doctors, safety officers, GBPsych specialists. We bring them in at the right moment — via the marketplace, not in the small print.
Frequently asked questions
From how many employees do we need a company doctor and safety officer?
From the very first employee (ASiG). DGUV Vorschrift 2 governs the form of support — small businesses with up to 50 employees can, under certain conditions, use the 'Unternehmermodell' with motivation and information measures instead of fixed assignment hours.
Who is liable if nothing is done?
Management. It can delegate tasks, but not the organisational responsibility (§ 130 OWiG). If the company does not implement an order from the inspectorate – for example on a missing risk assessment – it faces a fine of up to €30,000 (Section 25 ArbSchG) — and personal liability risks if harm occurs.
Is a questionnaire tool enough for the GBPsych?
The questionnaire is only one part. The GBPsych includes assessment, derived measures and effectiveness review. EasyWHP guides you through this process — the professional assessment belongs in the hands of experts, whom we bring in.
How often does the GBPsych have to be repeated?
There is no fixed statutory interval. It has to be kept up to date: after significant changes (restructuring, new ways of working) and as part of a regular review — in practice, a cycle of two to three years has become established.
What does this cost us — and what does doing nothing cost?
Getting started mostly costs structure, not money: check, stocktake, priorities. Doing nothing costs fines if you're audited, considerably more if harm occurs — and every day the absences that working occupational safety helps reduce.
Which strains does the psychosocial risk assessment cover?
Work-related factors, not diagnoses: work intensity and volume (time pressure, overtime, interruptions), room for manoeuvre, social relationships including leadership, work organisation (shift work, unclear responsibilities), working environment and information. The duty applies to every company, including offices (Section 5(3) no. 6 ArbSchG).
When do we need an occupational safety committee and safety officers?
An occupational safety committee with more than 20 employees (Section 11 ASiG); it meets at least quarterly. Safety officers must be appointed with regularly 50 or more employees (Section 22 SGB VII), with 21 to 49 only if the risk assessment shows a particular hazard to life and health; the accident insurance institution can also order an appointment.
Dig deeper
Key guides on BGM-Kompass
Our knowledge hub answers the detailed questions — free and without sign-up.
This page refers to German law (ArbSchG, ASiG, SGB IX).
Where do you stand on your legal duties?
The free compliance check shows you in a few minutes what's still open — no sign-up needed.