BG visit forecast
There is no fixed date for a visit from the Berufsgenossenschaft. Under sections 17 to 19 SGB VII, the BG inspectorate visits partly on a regular basis, partly as-needed and partly as a random sample, even without prior notice. The strongest triggers are a new business, a move or clear growth, a reported workplace accident, a complaint from within the business and a long gap since the last contact. This check estimates the likelihood from these triggers.
Important: the BG inspectorate visits businesses partly on a regular basis, partly as-needed (after accidents, complaints) or as a random sample (sections 17 to 19 SGB VII). An exact date cannot be calculated, this is a rough probability estimate, not a prediction and not legal advice. Either way: if your documentation is audit-proof at all times, a visit holds nothing to fear.
What the estimate is based on
The insurance association has a statutory supervisory mandate under sections 17 to 19 SGB VII. Inspections happen partly on a routine basis, partly triggered by events, partly as random samples. No exact date can be calculated from that, but a probability can.
If you want to pass the visit without last-minute preparation: what an external occupational safety specialist takes on in an office so the records are always to hand.
These triggers raise it most in practice:
- New registration or significant change. A new business, a relocation or a marked increase in headcount often prompts contact.
- A reported accident at work. After an accident report the association regularly examines the circumstances. See Accidents at work in the office.
- A tip-off from inside the business. Complaints from employees or the works council are followed up.
- A long gap since the last contact. The longer ago the last inspection, the more likely the next one.
| Input | Effect in the forecast |
|---|---|
| last BG contact less than 6 months ago | repeat inspection highly unlikely in the short term; at most "medium probability", even with an accident or complaint |
| last BG contact more than 6 months ago or unknown | medium probability |
| reportable workplace accident in the last 12 months | increased probability if the last contact was more than 6 months ago |
| complaint or tip-off to the BG | increased probability if the last contact was more than 6 months ago |
| business newly founded or never visited | note on a first inspection, level unchanged |
| 40 or more employees | note that the BG tends to inspect more regularly, level unchanged |
What the forecast does not do
- It is not a prediction. Random samples also hit businesses with no trigger at all.
- It does not know your association's internal planning. Responsibilities and cycles differ between associations.
- It says nothing about the outcome. That is what the BG risk check is for.
Whatever the result: for anyone ready to be inspected at any time, the visit is a formality. What is then requested is set out in A letter from the Berufsgenossenschaft.
How to prepare
Whenever the visit comes, you are prepared if these records sit in one place.
- The written appointments of the occupational safety specialist and the occupational physician
- The current risk assessment including mental stress
- The training records with date, topics and signatures
- The first-aid organisation: first aiders, supplies, notice
- Above 20 employees the committee minutes, from 50 the appointment of safety officers
Where you stand is estimated by the BG risk check. That is considerably more pleasant than discovering the gap during the visit.
Legal basis
- SGB VII section 17: supervision and advice of businesses by the accident insurers, the mandate behind every inspection.
- SGB VII section 19: powers of the inspectors, such as entering premises and examining records.
- SGB VII section 193: the employer's accident report, the most common event-driven trigger.
- Occupational Safety Act (ASiG) section 11: occupational safety committee with more than 20 employees, whose minutes are requested during an inspection.
Frequently asked questions
Can the association turn up without notice?
Yes. Inspectors are entitled to enter and inspect business premises, including without prior notice. In practice appointments with office businesses are usually agreed in advance, but there is no entitlement to that.
Is there a fixed cycle?
No, not nationwide. The associations work through their member businesses on their own criteria, supplemented by event-driven visits and random samples.
Does a reported accident raise the likelihood?
Yes, considerably. After an accident report the association regularly examines the circumstances. That is no reason not to report an accident: the duty applies regardless, and breaching it is a regulatory offence.
Which association is responsible for office businesses?
For administrative and office businesses it is usually the Verwaltungs-Berufsgenossenschaft (VBG). What counts, though, is your actual membership notice, not an assumption based on sector.
Talk to us.
