Occupational safety pricing models: how the cost of safety support comes about
Occupational safety providers use ten different pricing models, from hourly rates and flat fees to per-head prices and package tiers. What safety support costs in the end depends on the hours included, not on the model itself. Convert every quote to the required hours of your business: in support group III that is 0.5 hours per employee per year for specialist and physician together, plus company-specific support.
This page is part of the overview of occupational safety providers. It is based on the 159 providers with a published price in the 2026 market study. The table shows how widespread each model is and which provider types mainly use it; below it, each model is explained with the points to clarify before signing.
The benchmark is basic support at market prices: 0.4 specialist hours and 0.1 physician hours per employee per year at the study's median hourly rates come to around 50.52 € per employee, i.e. 1,263 € for 25 and 2,526 € for 50 employees, excluding travel and company-specific support. Including both, the market median is 1,545 € to 1,800 € (25 employees) and 3,005 € to 3,520 € (50 employees). The page on the external occupational safety specialist shows what the legal scope looks like.
| Pricing model | Providers | Share | mainly used by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | 28 | 18 % | Individual specialists, Occupational health services, Regional firms |
| Hour bundle | 3 | 2 % | Regional firms |
| Flat fee by size | 36 | 23 % | Individual specialists, Regional firms, Occupational health services |
| Per-employee price | 11 | 7 % | Occupational health services, Individual specialists, Association models |
| Package tiers | 13 | 8 % | Software, Online providers, Large providers |
| Appointment only | 3 | 2 % | Online providers, Individual specialists |
| Platform plus hours | 2 | 1 % | Online providers |
| One-off package | 12 | 8 % | Individual specialists, Regional firms, Online providers |
| Levy model | 6 | 4 % | Association models |
| Framework agreement | 5 | 3 % | Association models, Regional firms |
| Single prices only | 40 | 25 % | Individual specialists, Regional firms, Occupational health services |
Hourly rate
Every service hour is billed at a rate per discipline. The median is 89.50 € for the specialist (middle half 77.50 € to 102.50 €) and 147.18 € for the physician. The model is transparent as long as it is clear what counts as an hour: travel time (median 110 € per hour), kilometres (median 0.60 €) and surcharges for preparation and follow-up mostly come on top.
- Is travel time charged, and does it count as service time? Under DGUV Regulation 2 it does not.
- Are there surcharges for preparation and follow-up, or billing per started hour?
- Is there a minimum purchase per visit or per year?
Hour bundle
The provider multiplies your required hours by its rate and quotes a fixed annual amount; extra hours cost more. 3 providers in the dataset use this model, all of them regional service firms. Calculated correctly, it reflects the legal scope most accurately.
- Does the bundle cover the required hours of both disciplines, specialist and physician?
- What do extra hours cost, and do unused hours expire?
- Is company-specific support included?
Flat fee by size
A fixed amount per month or year for a size band, usually up to 10 or 20 employees. It is the most common published model (36 providers). Entry flat fees have a median of 66 € a month. That is 789 € a year, or around 8.8 specialist hours at the median hourly rate. An office with 25 employees needs 12.5 hours of basic support for both disciplines.
- How many hours does the fee include, split by specialist and physician?
- Does the price still apply if the business grows beyond the size band?
- Are travel, risk assessment and safety briefings included?
Per-employee price
An amount per employee per year, mostly with a base or minimum fee. The median is 30.00 €; for 25 employees that is 750 €, for 50 employees 1,500 €. Mostly the per-head price covers only the physician. For comparison: basic support from both disciplines alone costs around 50.52 € per employee at median hourly rates; the physician's share alone around 14.72 €.
- Does the price cover specialist, physician or both?
- Are there base fees, minimum amounts or jumps at thresholds?
- Are on-site visits charged on top?
Package tiers
Basic, standard, premium and so on, each with a list of services. The model is used mainly by software providers, plus individual online providers and service firms (13 providers). Package tiers make the scope visible but invite comparing prices instead of included hours.
- What is missing from the smallest tier: safety committee, briefings, physician, inspections?
- Is the tier tied to employees, sites or features?
- With software: who is appointed as specialist and physician?
Appointment only
The provider sells the appointment with a certificate for a small monthly or annual amount; each visit is billed by the hour. The appointment meets the duty to appoint in writing, not the service time required by DGUV Regulation 2. The required hours come on top.
- What does a visit cost, and how many are needed per year?
- Is an on-site inspection planned before any digital support?
- Is the physician included, or appointed separately?
Platform plus hours
A software subscription for records and deadlines plus an hourly rate for the specialist. 2 online providers in the dataset offer this model. It separates tool and service time cleanly; the total cost only becomes clear with the required hours.
- How many hours are planned for your business?
- Is the physician included or only referred?
- How is travel charged?
One-off package
A one-off service at a fixed price: a starter package, a training course for the employer model or a draft risk assessment (median 400 € per assessment). It works as an entry point or to bridge a gap; ongoing support is not included.
- What happens after the package, and what does ongoing support cost?
- Who updates the risk assessment?
- Is there an on-site inspection?
Levy model
Support is funded through a membership or accident insurance contribution, sometimes per head, sometimes as a base fee plus a wage-based share. The model is open only to members of the respective insurer or association and is usually not available to typical offices.
- Is your business a member, and does the offer apply to your sector?
- Which services does the contribution cover, and what costs extra?
- Is there on-site support, or only advice?
Framework agreement
Terms negotiated by an association, guild or chamber for its members, usually a list price with a discount. Rates are mostly lower there; non-members sometimes pay considerably more. For public clients the model is a framework agreement: hours per year split into basic and company-specific support, with a maximum value over several years.
- Is membership required, and what does it cost?
- Is there a minimum volume or a long term?
- How recent are the terms?
Single prices only
By far the largest part of the market: 878 of 1,037 providers (85 per cent) publish no price, and others only give prices for single services such as courses or health checks. Comparison is then only possible with written quotes. Ask every provider the same questions so the quotes become comparable.
- Hours per year, split by specialist and physician, basic and company-specific support
- What costs extra: travel, risk assessment, briefings, committee, set-up?
- Term, notice period, price adjustment, record of hours
What no model shows
Many costs appear in no pricing model: travel is explicitly included by only a few providers (33 of 49 with a statement charge it separately), surcharges for preparation and follow-up have a median of 28 per cent of service time, set-up fees a median of 199 €. Cancellation fees for short-notice changes and price adjustment clauses, stated explicitly by 9 providers with a price, come on top.
Stated minimum terms have a median of 12 months, notice periods 3 months. So compare the total over the whole term, including possible adjustments.
How to make quotes comparable
Convert every quote into hours: the annual amount divided by the hourly rate (or the market median of 89.50 € if none is given), separately for specialist and physician. Compare this with the required hours of your business. If the quote is well below, it covers either only the appointment or part of the hours; if it is well above, ask what else is included.
How many required hours does your business have?
The service time calculator works out basic support under DGUV Regulation 2 and the split between specialist and physician, so you can convert any quote into hours.
More on providers
| Page | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Software without a specialist | Organises risk assessments, briefings and deadlines. Does not replace an appointment. |
| 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. |
| Market study 2026 | Prices from more than 1,000 providers, converted to the same required hours. |
Frequently asked questions
Hourly rate or flat fee: which is cheaper?
It depends on the hours, not the model. Convert the flat fee into hours: a typical entry fee of 66 € a month equals around 8.8 specialist hours a year. An office with 25 employees needs 12.5 hours of basic support for both disciplines.
Are per-head prices of 10 to 30 euros per employee realistic?
For the physician's share alone, yes: 0.1 hours at the median of 147.18 € comes to around 14.72 € per employee. For specialist and physician together, basic support alone costs around 50.52 € per employee per year at median prices.
Is an appointment for 30 to 50 euros a month enough?
It meets the written appointment under sections 2 and 5 ASiG, not the service time under DGUV Regulation 2. The required hours are billed on top.
What costs extra even though it is not in the price?
Most mostly travel, surcharges for preparation and follow-up, preparing the risk assessment (median 400 € each), set-up fees (median 199 €) and cancellation fees for short-notice changes.
Is an association or insurer model worth it?
Only if your business is a member. Rates are mostly lower there; non-members sometimes pay considerably more or are not accepted. For most offices the model is not available.
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