Since July 1, operators in Germany face a significantly higher bar for proving their employees can safely handle any piece of workplace equipment. The new Technical Rule for Operational Safety (TRBS) 1116 spells out exactly who may perform which tasks and how that qualification must be recorded — in many cases replacing informal training with formal, traceable documentation.
Two distinct safety rules, two distinct purposes
The updated framework draws a sharp line between TRBS 1116 and its better-known cousin TRBS 1203. While TRBS 1203 governs the qualifications needed for people formally designated as “competent persons” to carry out inspections, TRBS 1116 covers the everyday use of all work equipment across the entire company. Every employer must now document both the initial instruction and the official assignment of responsibility, creating an audit trail that links each worker to the specific tools or machines they are allowed to operate.
Tied directly to the mandatory hazard assessment
TRBS 1116 does not stand alone. Its requirements are anchored in the risk evaluation that all employers must perform under Section 5 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG). That assessment must cover every activity and every piece of equipment on site. For companies with ten or more employees, the results also have to be recorded in writing.
Many employers underestimate how much their risk assessments need updating under rules like TRBS 1116. The new requirements demand clear documentation linking each worker to the equipment they are qualified to use. A free Risk Assessment Toolkit with 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists can help you document hazards and assignments in a way that stands up to scrutiny. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
Other technical rules overlap with TRBS 1116 in practice. TRBS 2121, for instance, targets fall hazards from ladders or mobile scaffolding. Instruction under Section 12 ArbSchG remains compulsory, and collective protective measures always take precedence over personal protective equipment (PPE) — a hierarchy that TRBS 1116 reinforces.
Inspection intervals and the two-percent rule
Alongside the qualification push, the system for periodically re-testing equipment remains central to operational safety. Inspection intervals — for example those laid out in DGUV V3 — must be set individually, based on the hazard assessment, how often the equipment is used, and the conditions it operates in.
Industry benchmarks have emerged for common settings: office equipment every 24 months, production machinery every 12 months. To gauge whether those intervals are appropriate, the so-called two-percent rule serves as a trigger. If the defect rate during inspections climbs above two percent, the interval must be shortened. If it stays consistently low, the period between checks can be extended.
Cybersecurity and a new rodenticide ban
The regulatory landscape has also shifted in adjacent areas. TRBS 1115-1, updated in 2026, now specifies cybersecurity requirements for safety-related measurement, control, and regulation (MSR) systems. Companies must segment networks, control access, and monitor continuously.
Separately, a ban on continuous, infestation-independent rodenticide baiting took effect on July 1, 2026. To obtain the required certificate of expertise for rat control, the Bundesrat has granted a transition period until July 28, 2030, citing unresolved coordination on the underlying technical rules.
Tax documentation gets digital
On the fiscal side, a letter from the Federal Ministry of Finance dated April 10, 2026 updated the templates for residency certificates and certificates for construction services. Machine-generated documents are now valid without a signature or official seal.
