PRESS RELEASE NO. 30/2019 Occupational Safety: IG Metall Calls for More Staff and Stricter Inspections

Frankfurt am Main – Government occupational safety oversight in Germany is inadequate. “Most employers today hardly have to fear inspections or sanctions anymore,” said Hans-Jürgen Urban, executive board member of IG Metall, on Wednesday at the A+A occupational safety trade fair. Urban attributes this to government spending cuts, which have not spared occupational safety oversight.

In most federal states, staffing levels at the regulatory agencies have been reduced since the late 1990s, in some cases by more than 50 percent. This has consequences for the oversight of workplaces by the relevant authorities. Since the turn of the millennium, the total number of inspections nationwide has fallen by nearly two-thirds. Mathematically, there is a gap of 22.5 years between two inspections at a single workplace. This decline is all the more significant given that the number of people in the workforce has risen sharply in recent years.

If the federal government relaxes its oversight of occupational safety—which falls under the jurisdiction of the states—there is a risk that hazardous working conditions will go unrecognized. “Increasing staffing levels and strengthening the range of possible sanctions are essential prerequisites for preventing hazardous working conditions from arising in the first place. The current sanctions are far too lenient to have a preventive effect,” said Urban.

Risk assessments demonstrate that inspections can have a positive impact. Where inspections are conducted, such assessments are carried out significantly more frequently. They are also conducted more often in companies with a works council. A risk assessment involves identifying and evaluating all risks to which employees are exposed in the workplace. In addition, safety measures to protect health must be implemented, and their effectiveness must be verified. Companies are legally required to conduct risk assessments.

While employers bear the primary responsibility for ensuring a healthy work environment, the government also has a duty to act. “Workplace safety without oversight is like a soccer derby without a referee,” said Urban.