German Work-Safety Rules Get a Digital Overhaul as Office Robots and AI Reshape Jobs
Published on 06/17/2026 at 15:46 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Since January 1, 2026, German companies have been operating under a significantly relaxed version of the DGUV Vorschrift 2 – the country’s key occupational safety regulation. The threshold for simplified occupational health supervision has doubled from 10 to 20 employees. That means thousands of small and medium-sized businesses no longer need to provide mandatory on-site safety visits for every single worker.
The reform also allows firms to deliver up to one-third of their required supervision hours remotely, by phone or online conference. And the pool of qualified safety professionals has widened: degrees in ergonomics, psychology, or medicine are now accepted alongside traditional engineering credentials.
The changes were a central topic at the Ergotherapie Congress held on June 16 in Bielefeld, which drew more than 2,200 participants. Under the motto “Activity counts,” attendees debated direct access to therapy services and the state of training programs. A prize for digital teaching materials was awarded as well.
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What Happens When the Office Gets Smarter (and Heavier)
While the regulatory side shifts, hardware for the workplace is also evolving. LiberNovo launched its Maxis chair series in mid-June, designed for users weighing up to 181 kilograms. Certified to BIFMA standards, the chairs offer a seat depth of 52 centimeters and a backrest that measures 520 millimeters at the lumbar zone – filling a gap in ergonomic seating for larger body types.
Three versions are available: manual, electric-adjustment, and one with integrated seat ventilation. Prices range from €829 to €1,269; limited-time discounts run until the end of July. Deliveries start in August 2026. Existing lines like the Omni series received simultaneous updates.
Meanwhile, robots are making inroads where work is physically demanding – but not where it’s personal. A Hexagon study found that 68% of adults support the use of robots for heavy lifting. Yet only 12% accept them in nursing care, and 39% in schools. Children surveyed showed far more openness to robots as full colleagues than adults did.
In agriculture, automation is already tangible. The autonomous weeding and seeding robot FarmDroid FD20 operates with GPS accuracy of eight millimeters and, according to the manufacturer, cuts chemical use by up to 94%. A more powerful generation is due in September 2026, with shipments starting in spring 2027.
Third Places, Coffee Badging, and the AI Revolution
Office work itself is undergoing a structural transformation. A new 147-page guide from RealFM e.V. examines how to integrate workplace services, with experts pushing for “third places” like work cafés to make offices more appealing.
But the data suggests many employees aren’t buying in fully. “Coffee badging” – popping into the office just long enough to register presence – is on the rise. Roughly 41% of hybrid workers admitted to the practice. Yet employer pressure to return to the office is growing. A survey of 56 large companies found that 42% of employees would consider switching jobs if flexible models disappeared.
Every workplace, whether office, factory, or field, needs a solid risk assessment to protect employees and stay legally compliant. The free Risk Assessment Toolkit gives you 41 ready?to?use templates and checklists – covering fire safety, manual handling, lone working, and more. Over 37,000 UK businesses already rely on these resources. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
On June 17, 2026, Microsoft made Copilot Cowork generally available. The system can autonomously handle complex tasks across multiple applications. In an IWG report, 36% of CEOs named artificial intelligence the most influential office innovation in recent years – ahead of laptops and video conferencing.
The flip side: A study by Angestellte Schweiz found that about 28% of jobs examined in Switzerland are heavily affected by AI developments. Calls for broad retraining initiatives are growing louder.
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