Safe workplaces - even when working from home: the role of risk assessment

The German economy is facing a number of challenges. Skills shortages, digitalisation, electricity prices and demographic change are just some of the issues discussed in the media on a daily basis. Unfortunately, one major challenge still tends to be neglected, and that is health in German companies. In 2023, employees were absent from work for an average of 20 days. The sickness rate was 5.5%, which means that for every 1000 employees, 55 are absent every day. These are alarming figures that unfortunately still receive far too little attention in society.

The most common types of illness are respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and mental illnesses. The top 3 even account for more than half of sick days.

This is precisely where companies need to start and make savings in order to remain competitive in the future. The risk assessment can be very helpful here. On the one hand to prevent accidents, and on the other to eliminate health risks that can lead to mental or physical complaints.

What is a risk assessment?

What a risk assessment (AR) is is actually self-explanatory. The word says it all: a risk assessment. But where and to whom does it apply? This question is also relatively easy to answer: For every employee.

Now you might think that's easy. Then let's get started! But how should we get started? What exactly do we need to assess? What dangers are there anyway? In what situations and at what time do we need to do this? What do we do when we know which dangers exist?

As you can see, just because it quickly becomes clear what the risk assessment is about doesn't mean that it is easy to implement. You can find out how to approach the risk assessment and what you need to know about it on the following pages.

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