Occupational safety software: what it does and what it cannot replace
Occupational safety software, also called EHS software, organises risk assessments, safety briefings, inspection deadlines and records. It does not replace an occupational safety specialist or physician, because both must be people with proven expertise, appointed in writing. Software pays off for businesses under the employer model that keep their own records. Above 20 employees you also need support with fixed service times.
This page is part of the overview of occupational safety providers. The figures come from the 2026 market study of 1,037 providers; we do not name providers.
How this provider type works
Software providers sell a tool, not support. You usually pay a monthly fee in tiers by employees, sites or features, and prices are almost always published on the website. Individual programs cover only part of the job, such as the risk assessment or e-learning briefings.
The actual work stays in the business: evaluating hazards, implementing measures, keeping deadlines. On-site inspections and the legal service time of specialist and physician are not part of it.
Two programs, two pricing logics
A program for inspection deadlines and records costs just under 200 € a month for businesses with up to 100 employees, plus just under 1,000 € once for set-up. Another offers a free basic tier and paid tiers from just under 30 € a month for up to 15 employees; the provider itself states that its tool is no substitute for an expert inspection.
In both cases the legal support comes on top. For an office with 50 employees, basic support from specialist and physician alone costs around 2,526 € a year at market prices.
Strengths and limits for offices
Strengths
- Prices are published on the website, usually with a trial.
- Deadlines, inspections and records sit in one place, with reminders and export.
- Many tiers can be cancelled monthly.
- Under the employer model, software is a suitable tool for your own risk assessment.
Limits
- It does not meet the appointment duty: only people with proven expertise can be appointed (sections 1, 5 and 7 ASiG).
- The business or a specialist still has to evaluate hazards. Providers state themselves that their tool does not replace an assessment on site.
- No software delivers the service time of standard support, 0.5 hours per employee per year in support group III.
- The VBG provides its own software and a learning portal free of charge to businesses under the employer and competence centre models.
Compared with Safety Club
Software organises the records; Safety Club provides the support itself. Occupational safety specialist and physician are appointed and part of one contract, risk assessment, safety briefings, safety committee and annual report are included, and records are kept in the customer portal without a separate licence.
| Point | This provider type | Safety Club |
|---|---|---|
| Offer | Tool for risk assessment, briefings, inspection deadlines and records, without specialist or physician. | Occupational safety specialist on site and physician in one contract. Risk assessment, inspections, briefings, hazardous substances register, operating instructions and committee support. |
| Physician | Not included. The appointment remains mandatory. | Included. Same contract. |
| Price | Public, but for a different product. Legal support comes on top. | Predictable annual costs for the legal scope. Range shown upfront in the quote calculator. |
| Billing | Tiers by employees, sites or features, partly with a set-up fee. | Fixed annual costs for the agreed scope. Travel, set-up and annual report are included. |
| Travel | Not applicable. There are no on-site visits. | Included. |
| Risk assessment | Partly included. The program guides the assessment, the business has to evaluate. | Included. Including mental stress. |
| Safety briefings | Partly included, mostly as e-learning. | Included. Digital, with records. |
| Way of working | You work with the program yourself. Nobody comes for an inspection. | Inspection and risk assessment on site, everything else digital. Measures, deadlines, briefings and coordination run through the customer portal, with a report after each visit. |
| Your effort | High. Maintain data, evaluate hazards, organise briefings, and hire specialist and physician in addition. | Low. One initial call, one contract, one contact. Because we work very digitally, folders, paper and extra coordination meetings fall away. |
| Records | In the program. Check the export before switching. | All records in the customer portal. Complete, current, shareable. |
| Start | Usable immediately, mostly with a trial. | At most five working days from first contact to signature. On-site support starts within ten working days. |
For offices with more than 20 employees that means one contract with predictable annual costs instead of software plus a support contract. For 50 employees, Safety Club is 41 per cent below the median of all providers (market study, comparison). The page on the external occupational safety specialist describes the scope.
What does support cost for your office?
Your own quote in two minutes: the quote calculator shows the range for your company size and location, including specialist, physician and travel.
What the law requires
The occupational safety specialist and the physician are appointed in writing (sections 1, 2 and 5 ASiG) and must prove their expertise (sections 4 and 7 ASiG). The employer may only delegate safety duties to reliable and competent persons (section 13(2) Occupational Safety and Health Act).
Up to 50 employees, the employer model is possible instead of standard support. The employer attends training by the accident insurer, prepares the risk assessment personally and calls in specialist and physician when needed. Software is a sensible tool there.
Five questions for the contract
- Does the contract state that no specialist and no physician is appointed, and who covers that instead?
- Is the price per site, per user or per employee, and what happens when you exceed a tier?
- Net or gross, set-up fee, automatic renewal, notice period?
- Can all data (risk assessment, briefing records, inspection logs) be exported in full if you switch?
- Does your accident insurer offer the same function free of charge for your support model?
More on providers
| Page | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Freelance specialists | One fixed person in the region. Physician and cover come from third parties. |
| Regional service firms | Several specialists at one to a few sites. The largest provider type in the market. |
| Nationwide large providers | Many sites, specialist and physician mostly from one source. Prices rarely public. |
| Online and flat-fee providers | Monthly flat fees and packages online, plus brokerage portals. What matters are the hours included. |
| Pricing models | Hourly rate, flat fee, per-head price, packages: how each model works and what to check. |
| Market study 2026 | Prices from more than 1,000 providers, converted to the same required hours. |
Frequently asked questions
Can occupational safety software replace the occupational safety specialist?
No. The Occupational Safety Act and DGUV Regulation 2 require the written appointment of people with proven expertise. Software makes their work and the employer's work easier, but it does not fulfil the appointment. Even under the employer model, support from specialist and physician when needed remains mandatory.
What does occupational safety software cost?
The cheapest paid tier costs a median of around 29.95 € a month, larger packages several times as much. Billing is usually in tiers by employees or sites, sometimes with a set-up fee.
May I prepare the risk assessment myself with software?
Yes. The risk assessment is the employer's duty (section 5 Occupational Safety and Health Act), and software is a permitted tool for it. Under standard support, specialist and physician assist with it as part of basic support. The program does not replace the expert evaluation of hazards.
Is there free software from the accident insurer?
At the VBG, yes. Businesses under the employer model and the competence centre model receive software for the risk assessment and a learning portal at no extra cost. Support when needed and on-site appointments are still charged.
Do I need software as well if I have an external specialist?
Not by law. What is required is a risk assessment, safety briefings and records, not a particular tool. Many service providers include a portal; check before buying whether documentation is already part of your support contract.
How much work does occupational safety software create?
The software provides the structure, the work stays with you: setting up work areas, evaluating hazards, implementing measures, rolling out briefings and maintaining deadlines. Appointing and coordinating specialist and physician comes on top, which no software does.
Who evaluates the hazards if we use software?
The employer, supported by specialist and physician (section 5 Occupational Safety and Health Act, section 6 ASiG). The software provides questions, templates and reminders; it does not replace the expert evaluation of hazards and measures.
How do I compare occupational safety software sensibly?
Not just by the monthly price. What matters is the tier (employees, sites or users), the modules included, a full export of your data, the term, and whether your accident insurer offers the same function free of charge.
Do I need occupational safety software if I hire Safety Club?
Not for the duties covered by support. Records are kept in the customer portal that comes with the service, without a separate licence. You only need additional software for tasks outside support, such as your own equipment management.
Sources
- Safety Club market study 2026
- Occupational Safety Act (ASiG), sections 1 to 7
- Section 7 ASiG: requirements for occupational safety specialists
- Section 19 ASiG: external services
- Occupational Safety and Health Act, sections 3, 5, 12 and 13
- DGUV Regulation 2, VBG version
- VBG: the new DGUV Regulation 2 (German)
- VBG guidance: using occupational safety and medical support (German)
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