Support-hours calculator (DGUV Regulation 2)
Office and administrative businesses fall into support group III under DGUV Regulation 2. Above 20 employees, Annex 2 applies: 0.5 hours of basic support per employee and year, shared between the specialist and the occupational physician, at least 20 percent each. With 40 employees that is 20 hours a year, plus business-specific support. Up to 20 employees, Annex 1 applies with no fixed support hours. The calculator shows your figure and the split between specialist and physician.
Pure office and administrative businesses almost always fall into Group III.
Specialist hours are usually cheaper; a higher specialist share lowers the cost, a higher occupational-medicine share strengthens health topics. Legally at least 20% per role.
Total basic support per year (employees × factor). Split by your focus:
Calculation: employees × the support-group factor (Group III = 0.5 h/person/year). This is the basic support; business-specific support is added on top. Fixed hours apply above 20 employees (Annex 2); up to 20, Annex 1 applies with no fixed support hours. Up to 50 employees the Unternehmermodell is permitted as an alternative. Guidance, not legal advice.
How the calculation works
The legal basis is DGUV Regulation 2. It sorts businesses into three support groups by risk and assigns each group a fixed share of hours per employee and year. Office and administrative businesses sit in group III, the lowest level.
Basic support = employees × 0.5 hours per year (group III)
shared by the safety specialist and the occupational physician, at least 20 percent each
| Support group | Hours per employee and year | Example: 25 employees |
|---|---|---|
| Group III: office / administration | 0.5 h | 12.5 h |
| Group II: medium risk | 1.5 h | 37.5 h |
| Group I: high risk | 2.5 h | 62.5 h |
| Split | specialist and physician together, at least 20 percent each | 60 to 40 in group III: 7.5 h and 5.0 h |
| up to 20 employees | Annex 1, no fixed support hours | example in the text: office with 12 employees |
| more than 50 employees | standard support with a formally appointed specialist | Unternehmermodell only up to 50 |
What matters is the scope: the figure covers the specialist and the physician together. How it is split is decided within the business, though under Annex 2 DGUV Regulation 2 at least 20 percent must fall to each side. The former additional rule of at least 0.2 hours per employee per side was dropped with the new version, at the VBG since 1 December 2025.
Two examples
- Office with 25 employees: 25 × 0.5 = 12.5 hours of basic support per year. Split 60 to 40, that is 7.5 hours specialist and 5.0 hours physician. An office with 12 employees, by contrast, falls under Annex 1 and has no fixed support hours.
- Administration with 65 employees: 65 × 0.5 = 32.5 hours per year, so 19.5 hours specialist and 13.0 hours physician. With more than 50 employees, standard support with a formally appointed specialist is mandatory.
What the figure does not cover
The calculator shows basic support. Not included are:
- Business-specific support, driven by actual events: relocation, new workstations, an accident, introducing remote work.
- The initial effort in year one for the walkthrough, the first risk assessment and setting up the documentation.
- Follow-on costs such as first-aider training, fire safety helpers or the inspection of electrical equipment.
How this turns into a price is explained in What does a safety specialist cost?. If you would rather not cover these hours yourself, the three support models are compared on the page external occupational safety specialist.
Legal basis
- DGUV Regulation 2 "Occupational physicians and occupational safety specialists": Annex 2 with the support groups and hours, Annex 1 for businesses with up to 20 employees.
- DGUV Regulation 2, model text 2024 (PDF): the wording of the new version with the minimum share of 20 percent per side.
- VBG: the new DGUV Regulation 2: in force at the VBG since 1 December 2025, removal of the 0.2-hour rule, threshold of 20.
- Occupational Safety Act (ASiG): sections 2 and 5 oblige the employer to appoint occupational physicians and safety specialists; the hours give that substance.
Frequently asked questions
Does group III apply to every office business?
As a rule yes. Pure office and administrative businesses fall into the lowest support group because of their low risk. Placing an office business in group II means calculating with three times the hours. In case of doubt, the interpretation of your responsible employers' liability insurance association decides.
Must I split the hours between specialist and physician?
Yes. Both share basic support, and under Annex 2 DGUV Regulation 2 at least 20 percent must fall to each side. Assigning the whole share to one side is not permitted.
Do part-time staff count in full?
For the 20-employee threshold, part-time staff are weighted under section 2(5) DGUV Regulation 2: up to 20 hours a week as 0.5, up to 30 hours as 0.75. For the hours themselves this calculator counts per head, which is the safe side. Confirm any other counting method with your insurance association.
What is business-specific support?
The second component alongside basic support. It follows specific events rather than headcount, such as relocation, refurbishment, new work equipment or an accident. In a stable office business this share is small, but it is not zero.
How do I calculate the scope of occupational safety support?
Total support is basic support plus business-specific support. This calculator works out the basic support: employees times the deployment time of the support group, 0.5 hours per year in an office (group III). Business-specific support is added as needed.
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