As an employer, you must appoint an employee as an occupational safety specialist. It is also possible to appoint an external occupational safety specialist.

The occupational safety specialist reports directly to you and is a member of the health and safety committee. The management determines how long they are deployed in the company. This depends on

• the number of employees and
• their hazards

The relevant employers' liability insurance association specifies minimum deployment times specified.

The tasks of the occupational safety specialist include

• Advising the employer and other persons responsible for occupational health and safety and accident prevention, particularly with regard to
  • Planning, construction and maintenance of operating facilities as well as social and sanitary facilities,
  • Procurement of technical work equipment,
  • Introduction of work processes and working materials,
  • Selection and testing of personal protective equipment,
  • Design of workplaces, work processes, the working environment and other ergonomic issues, and
  • Assessment of working conditions
• Safety inspections of operating facilities and technical work equipment, in particular
  • before commissioning and
  • before the introduction of work processes
• Monitoring the implementation of occupational health and safety and accident prevention

You must support your occupational safety specialist in the fulfilment of Fulfil their tasks. To do this, you must, as required

• Make rooms, facilities and equipment available and
• enable them to take part in training courses.

You must also inform them of the employees who are employed in your company on a temporary or agency basis.