Lesson 4.1 · 5 min
Site visits: how often the safety specialist and occupational physician come
Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz
At a glance
- Care through site visits. In workplaces with up to 50 workers, safety and occupational health care takes the form of site visits.
- At least every two calendar years. With 1 to 10 workers, at least once in two calendar years, by a safety specialist and an occupational physician, together if possible.
- Every three calendar years. With 1 to 10 workers and only office workstations or similar: at least once in three calendar years. An occupational physician makes the first visit.
- Every calendar year. With 11 to 50 workers, at least once a calendar year. Further visits must be arranged as needed.
- As many as possible present. For site visits, the employer must make sure that, as far as possible, all workers are present.
In detail
Site visits
In workplaces with up to 50 workers, safety and occupational health care takes the form of site visits by a safety specialist and by an occupational physician § 77a(1) ASchG. What counts is how many people regularly work at the workplace § 77a(5) ASchG.
How often
| Workplace | Regular site visit at least | § 77a(2) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 workers | once in two calendar years | no. 1 |
| 1 to 10 workers, only office workstations or similar | once in three calendar years | no. 1a |
| 11 to 50 workers | once a calendar year | no. 2 |
The regular visits are made by both a safety specialist and an occupational physician, together if possible, and cover the whole workplace including its construction sites and outside work locations § 77a(2) ASchG. Further visits must be arranged as needed § 77a(3) ASchG.
Offices
In workplaces with only office workstations, or workstations with comparable hazards and strains, the first visit must be made by an occupational physician; further visits may be made by the occupational health service as needed § 77a(3a) ASchG.
Being there
For the visits, the employer must make sure that, as far as possible, all workers are present, unless they are away on leave, sick or prevented for other important reasons § 77a(4) ASchG. Who makes the visits, whether AUVAsicher, your own specialists or the employer, is the next lesson.
Checklist
- We know how many people regularly work at our workplace.
- We know our visit interval: two, three or one calendar year.
- The last visit falls within that interval.
- Both the safety specialist and the occupational physician come.
- As many workers as possible were present at the visit.
Quiz
How often must a workplace with 15 workers be visited at least?
- Once in two calendar years
- Once a calendar year
- Only when the inspectorate asks
- Once in three calendar years
Show the answer
The answer is B: Once a calendar year. § 77a(2) no. 2 ASchG: in workplaces with 11 to 50 workers, at least once a calendar year.
Sources
This lesson's statements rest on:
Not legal advice. What counts is the Workers Protection Act (ASchG) and its regulations in the Federal Legal Information System (read on 4 October 2026). Rules for areas outside the ASchG, such as agriculture and forestry or the public service, and special rules for particular substances or sectors are not covered. Not an offer of the Labour Inspectorate, the AUVA or the Chamber of Commerce.