The Unterweisung is the workplace safety briefing every German employer owes its staff: before work starts, when tasks or equipment change, and at least once a year. Young workers need it every six months, and hazardous-substance briefings must be signed. Here are the rules, and how to keep every employee current.
Last updated · ExpiryEdge editorial team
In Germany, employers must instruct employees on safety and health at work when they are hired, when their tasks change and when new equipment or technology is introduced (§ 12 ArbSchG). The instruction must be repeated at least once a year and documented (DGUV Regulation 1 § 4); young workers under 18 need it at least every six months (§ 29 JArbSchG).
The legal triggers and minimum intervals employers have to plan for.
| Situation | Rule | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring, new tasks, new equipment or technology | Before the employee starts the activity | § 12 (1) ArbSchG |
| Repeat instruction | As needed, but at least once a year; must be documented | DGUV Regulation 1 § 4 (1) |
| Young workers (under 18) | Before starting and at least every six months | § 29 JArbSchG |
| Hazardous substances | Before starting, then at least annually; oral, workplace-specific; content and date signed by the employee | § 14 (2) GefStoffV |
| Agency workers | The client company (Entleiher) instructs, taking qualification and experience into account | § 12 (2) ArbSchG |
| During working time | Instruction takes place in paid working time | § 12 (1) ArbSchG |
At least once a year for every employee, and in addition whenever someone starts, changes task or gets new equipment. For under-18s the minimum is every six months. For hazardous substances, the annual instruction must be given orally and confirmed by signature.
The duty lies with the employer. In practice, line managers or supervisors who know the workplace give it; the employer can transfer the task in writing to reliable and competent people (§ 13 ArbSchG). Safety specialists and company doctors support with content but do not take over the employer's responsibility.
DGUV Regulation 1 requires documentation; GefStoffV requires content and date to be recorded and signed. A good record holds the topic, the operating instruction or version used, the date, who gave it, who attended with a signature, and when the next one is due.
An instruction that happened but cannot be proven is, after an accident, treated much like one that never happened.
Digital tools can support the instruction and record signatures, but the content must stay specific to the workplace and the employee must be able to ask questions. Hazardous-substance instruction must be given orally under § 14 GefStoffV.
Every employee against every instruction topic, with the date, the signature and what is due next.
List the instruction topics per workplace and role - general safety, machines, forklifts, hazardous substances, fire safety, first aid.
Transfer the task to supervisors who know the workplace, in writing where you delegate (§ 13 ArbSchG).
New starters, transferred staff and agency workers are instructed before they start the activity.
Keep who was instructed on what, by whom and when - signed for hazardous substances.
Set the next instruction within 12 months, or 6 months for under-18s, with a reminder to the instructor.
Turn each instruction into a checklist assigned to the supervisor: topic, operating instruction attached, attendees confirm with an e-signature, timestamp recorded. When it is completed, the next due date is set 12 months - or 6 months - ahead.
Signature, photo and timestamp per step
Operating instruction attached to the record
Next due date set automatically
The supervisor is reminded 30 and 7 days before an instruction is due; overdue instructions escalate to the site manager. The safety specialist sees every overdue instruction across all sites and can export the records for an inspection by the Berufsgenossenschaft or the authorities.
Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack or Teams
Overdue list per site and department
Export as CSV, PDF or XLSX
At least once a year under DGUV Regulation 1 § 4, plus whenever an employee starts, changes task or gets new equipment or technology (§ 12 ArbSchG). Young workers under 18 must be instructed at least every six months (§ 29 JArbSchG).
Yes. § 12 ArbSchG obliges every employer to instruct employees sufficiently and appropriately on safety and health at work, during working time, with content specific to their workplace and tasks.
The client company (Entleiher) instructs agency workers under § 12 (2) ArbSchG, taking their qualification and experience into account. The agency's other safety duties remain.
DGUV Regulation 1 requires it to be documented. For hazardous substances, § 14 GefStoffV requires content and date to be recorded and confirmed by the employee's signature. A signature is the simplest proof in every case.
Yes. The employer can transfer the task to reliable and competent people such as supervisors, in writing (§ 13 ArbSchG). The employer remains responsible for organising and checking it.
A record should hold the topic, the operating instruction and its version, the date, the instructor, the names and signatures of attendees and the next due date. In ExpiryEdge that is a checklist with e-signature that schedules the next instruction automatically.
Record each instruction topic per employee with the date and the next due date, and remind the responsible supervisor before it falls due. ExpiryEdge does this with recurring records, checklists with e-signature and an overdue list across all sites.
Import employees and topics, assign supervisors, run instructions as checklists. Free 14-day trial, no credit card.
