Law & occupational safety
Must remote employees receive safety instruction?
Yes. Under section 12 ArbSchG employees must be instructed on safety and health protection – on hiring, on significant changes and thereafter recurrently, at least annually. This also applies in the home office.
Home office topics include screen work, posture and furniture adjustment, lighting, breaks, trip hazards, electrical safety and dealing with psychological strain.
Instruction can be digital but must be documented and verifiable. An email with an attachment usually does not survive an audit.
Link it to the risk assessment: assess first, instruct specifically, then remedy deficiencies.
Key points
- Section 12 ArbSchG: on hiring and at least annually
- Digital instruction is fine; documentation is mandatory
- Best linked to the risk assessment
Sources
This page provides professional orientation, not legal or tax advice.
More answers
- What is the difference between home office, telework and mobile work?
- Is a risk assessment mandatory for home office work?
- What fines apply for missing occupational safety in home offices?
- Is an accident in the home office a workplace accident?
- Do employees in Germany have a right to work from home?
- Does the works council co-determine remote work?