Germany's Safety Overhaul: Psychology Meets Compliance as New Rules Widen Expertise and Allow Remote Inspections
Published on 06/18/2026 at 05:53 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Industrial safety professionals in Germany are increasingly turning to behavioural-psychology techniques rather than relying solely on written rules. The approach, known as motivational interviewing (MI), aims to boost worker buy-in for safety mandates such as wearing protective gear or following lockout-tagout procedures during maintenance. Proponents stress that MI is not a replacement for legal requirements but a supplement designed to engage employees actively rather than issuing top-down instructions. The method rests on four core processes: building a relationship, focusing attention, strengthening motivation, and planning concrete steps.
The shift gains urgency with the introduction of a new European standard, DIN EN 17975, which provides a uniform framework for controlling hazardous energy during maintenance work. Ensuring that staff not only understand but also take personal responsibility for these complex procedures is where psychological techniques are seen as especially valuable.
While motivational interviewing builds worker buy-in, a documented risk assessment remains the legal backbone of any safety programme. A free Risk Assessment Toolkit provides 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists covering hazardous energies, manual handling, fire safety, and more. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit to ensure your safety documentation is both compliant and practical.
Regulatory changes are pushing professionalisation even further. Since 1 January 2026, the revised DGUV Vorschrift 2 has been in force. Its most significant change: the list of recognised safety experts now includes specialists in work psychology, human medicine and ergonomics alongside the traditional engineers. At the same time, the threshold for simplified routine supervision has been raised from ten to twenty employees. Companies can also deliver up to one-third of their required safety supervision hours digitally, provided an initial on-site inspection has been carried out.
The economic stakes are high. A recent study on workplace health management estimates that trust-based approaches could save around €30.5 billion annually by reducing absenteeism, presenteeism and staff turnover. Mental illness is a major driver of sick leave: in 2025, it accounted for more than 22% of long-term absences among women and over 13% among men.
Leading industry bodies are mobilising. On 11 June 2026, the VDSI (Association for Safety and Health at Work) together with occupational medicine representatives signed the "Berlin Declaration on Interdisciplinary Prevention". The declaration calls for closer cooperation between safety engineering and occupational medicine. A practical example from the textile retail sector shows how this can work: repeated surveys on psychosocial risk assessments conducted in early 2025 produced measurable improvements. With participation rates above 80%, the data provided a foundation for targeted leadership training and organisational adjustments.
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