The support group under DGUV Regulation 2 follows from the WZ code of your business type: section IV of annex 2 assigns each economic activity in WZ 2008 to one of three groups. Office and administrative businesses are almost always in group III, with 0.5 hours of basic support per employee and year. Exceptions exist, for example employment placement and telecommunications.
The support group is the hazard category DGUV Regulation 2 uses to set the scope of safety and occupational health support for a business. The WZ code is the code the Federal Statistical Office's Classification of Economic Activities uses to describe a business type. Without both, support hours cannot be calculated.
What does a business need the support group for?
In businesses with more than 20 employees, the support group sets the basic support factor under annex 2 of DGUV Regulation 2: 2.5 hours in group I, 1.5 hours in group II and 0.5 hours in group III per employee and year. In businesses with up to 20 employees, it governs under annex 1 how often the risk assessment is repeated with the specialist and the physician.
The duty to arrange support itself follows from sections 2 and 5 ASiG and applies from the first employee, regardless of the group. The group only decides the scope.
| Support group | Basic support under annex 2 (more than 20 employees) | Repeating the risk assessment under annex 1 (up to 20 employees, guidance) | Basic support for 40 employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group I | 2.5 hours per employee and year | after one year at the latest | 100 hours |
| Group II | 1.5 hours per employee and year | after three years at the latest | 60 hours |
| Group III | 0.5 hours per employee and year | after five years at the latest | 20 hours |
The annex 1 intervals are guidance; each accident insurance institution sets its own, and a significant change such as a move brings support forward. How the annex 2 hours are split between the specialist and the physician is shown in Calculating support hours under DGUV Regulation 2.
How is the WZ code structured?
The WZ code of the Classification of Economic Activities, 2008 edition (WZ 2008), arranges every activity on five levels: section (letter), division (two digits), group (three digits), class (four digits) and subclass (five digits). WZ 2008 is based on the European NACE Rev. 2.
| Level | Code | Name in WZ 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| Section | M | Professional, scientific and technical activities |
| Division | 69 | Legal and accounting activities |
| Group | 69.2 | Accounting, bookkeeping and auditing activities; tax consultancy |
| Class | 69.20 | Accounting, bookkeeping and auditing activities; tax consultancy |
The table in section IV of annex 2 is not filled in to the same depth at every level. For IT service providers, the cross is already set at division 62, so it applies to every class below. For research and development, by contrast, the list splits at group level: 72.1 (natural sciences, engineering, agricultural sciences and medicine) is in group II, 72.2 (law, economics and social sciences) in group III. Always read the most detailed level that carries a cross.
Which support group applies to typical office businesses?
Almost all business types with mainly office and screen work are assigned to support group III in section IV of annex 2 of DGUV Regulation 2. This covers law firms, consultancies, IT service providers, agencies, banks, insurers and administrations. In the office environment, group II mainly affects telecommunications, natural science research, employment placement and commercial temporary agency work.
| WZ 2008 | Business type | Support group |
|---|---|---|
| 58.2 | Software publishing | III |
| 61 | Telecommunications | II |
| 62 | Information technology services | III |
| 64.1 | Central banks and credit institutions | III |
| 65.1 | Insurance | III |
| 68.3 | Real estate agency and management on behalf of third parties | III |
| 69.1 | Legal activities | III |
| 69.2 | Accounting, auditing and tax consultancy | III |
| 70.2 | Public relations and management consultancy | III |
| 71.1 | Architectural and engineering activities | III |
| 72.1 | Research and development in natural sciences, engineering, agriculture and medicine | II |
| 73.1 | Advertising | III |
| 78.1 | Activities of employment placement agencies | II |
| 78.2 | Temporary agency work (industrial) | II |
| 78.3 | Temporary agency work (commercial and administrative) | III |
| 82.2 | Call centres | III |
| 84.1 | Public administration | III |
| 94.1 | Business, employers and professional membership organisations | III |
The rows come from the DGUV model version; the DGUV keeps the complete list. The VBG is responsible for most office businesses; why, is explained in DGUV and the Berufsgenossenschaft for offices.
How do you find your business's WZ code?
You determine the WZ code from the business's main activity, meaning what it mainly earns its money with. You look up that activity in WZ 2008 and then read the group in section IV of annex 2 of DGUV Regulation 2. If in doubt, agreement with the responsible accident insurance institution settles it.
- Define the main activity. Determine what the business mainly earns its money with. The business type is decisive, not the work of individual employees.
- Look up the WZ code. Find the main activity in the Federal Statistical Office's Classification of Economic Activities, 2008 edition, down to class or subclass level.
- Compare with existing classifications. Check whether authorities or chambers have already assigned the business to an economic activity, and resolve any differences.
- Read the group in section IV. Find the most detailed matching level of the code in the table in section IV of annex 2 and take the group marked there.
- Confirm and document. Clarify the classification with the accident insurance institution if in doubt, and record the WZ code and group in the support agreement.
Step 5 matters: in an inspection, one sentence in the agreement with WZ code, name and group explains why you use 0.5 rather than 1.5 hours per head.
Hazard class vs. support group: what is the difference?
Hazard class and support group are two separate classifications. The hazard class appears in the Berufsgenossenschaft's assessment notice and sets the contribution under the hazard tariff. The support group as a rule does not appear there; it follows from the WZ code and section IV of annex 2 of DGUV Regulation 2. It sets the support hours.
The most common mistake is to infer the support group from the notice. A hazard tariff item groups business types with similar accident risk; it is not a WZ code, and one classification may not be derived from the other. How to read the notice is covered in A letter from the Berufsgenossenschaft.
What applies to untypical activities and mixed businesses?
Under annex 2 of DGUV Regulation 2, the support group follows the business type, not the individual workplace. Hazards from activities that are untypical for the business purpose are additionally covered in business-specific support under section III of annex 2. A higher group does not automatically follow from them.
An engineering office (71.1) therefore stays in group III, even if two site managers regularly visit construction sites. Their hazards belong in the risk assessment and in business-specific support, with additional hours for the occupational safety specialist.
Businesses with two genuine business types are harder, for example an administration with its own warehouse or an agency with a studio and event technology. The model text contains no explicit rule for splitting them. Clarify with your accident insurance institution whether parts of the business are classified separately. Section 2(6) of DGUV Regulation 2 also allows it to permit deviations in individual cases, in agreement with the competent authority. Sector-specific notes are in our overview by industry.
What does a wrong classification cost?
A wrong support group shifts basic support under annex 2 of DGUV Regulation 2 by at least 1.0 hour per employee and year, and by 2.0 hours between group III and group I. With 60 employees that is a difference of 60 hours a year. Classified too low, support is missing; classified too high, the business pays for hours it does not owe.
| Business | Employees | Correct classification | Basic support | Plausible misclassification | Basic support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staffing provider for office workers | 60 | 78.3, group III | 30 hours | 78.2, group II | 90 hours |
| Software company | 120 | 62, group III | 60 hours | 72.1, group II | 180 hours |
| Recruitment agency | 45 | 78.1, group II | 67.5 hours | 70.2, group III | 22.5 hours |
The third example is the riskier one: a recruitment agency that sees itself as a consultancy and calculates with group III plans 45 hours too few. The actual main activity decides, not the company name. The support hours calculator gives your hours for each group, and the obligations quick check shows which other duties apply at your size.
For both from one source, you get an occupational safety specialist on site plus digital, audit-proof documentation.
This article is general guidance and does not replace individual legal advice. It is based on the agreed model text of DGUV Regulation 2 as of 29 November 2024. The version put into force by your accident insurance institution and its classification of business types are decisive.
