Which type of provider fits your project, and how do you recognise quality before the contract is signed? Twelve criteria with check questions and a requirements check that turns your answers into a role profile and a checklist.
Choose an HSE provider for a major project by what the site needs, not by the type of provider. What counts is the proven qualification of the named person, experience with the plant type, secured availability with cover, a suitable contract type and effective leadership on site. This guide is for clients, project managers, EPC contractors and procurement.
As of:
First clarify whether you need a SiGeKo under the Construction Site Ordinance, an HSE manager on site or consulting. The role determines the evidence.
Quality happens with the specialist on site. Check the named person, their evidence and their cover.
Contract type, right to give instructions, duration and insurance belong clarified before the first day on site, not after.
In the market you will mainly meet four types. None is better per se; what matters is what your project needs. Hybrid forms are common, and many self-employed specialists work as freelancers. The same criteria apply to them.
Fits whencoordination under BaustellV is needed for a clearly defined construction project.
Checkcover, experience with the plant type and whether permanent presence on site is feasible.
Fits whenyou integrate HSE staff into your own organisation and lead them professionally yourself.
Checkthe licence under the AÜG, maximum period and equal treatment, and who handles onboarding.
Fits wheninspection, expert and certification services are to be bundled.
Checkwho is actually on site and whether that person stays the same over the term.
Fits whenyour project needs HSE presence for months and leadership of the specialists should stay with the provider.
Checkthe actual share of employed specialists, the depth of consulting and regional coverage.
Use the check questions in the selection interview or as part of the tender. The requirements check in the next section shows which criteria have priority for your project.
Each role has its own evidence: a SiGeKo under RAB 30 with coordinator knowledge per Annex C, an occupational safety specialist with expertise under section 7 ASiG, GWO training on wind sites and often NEBOSH on international projects.
A wind farm, a battery storage site, a substation and a production plant differ in hazards, trades and operator rules. Experience with the same plant type shortens onboarding and makes hazards visible earlier.
Holidays, sickness and shift changes can be planned. What matters is who takes over, how quickly, and whether the cover knows the project.
Under temporary agency work (German AÜG) the specialist works under your instructions within your organisation. The agency needs a licence, the contract must expressly name the arrangement as agency work, and the maximum period is 18 months. Under a service or work contract the provider directs its own specialists.
Good people are prepared for a project: client standards, plant type, tools and escalation paths. Structured onboarding shows whether a provider secures quality systematically.
Risk assessment, permits to work, incident investigation and behaviour observation are a craft. Those who master methods find causes in the system instead of culprits.
Even experienced specialists need backing: professional leadership at the provider, clear escalation paths and a contact who can take decisions.
Digital last minute risk assessments, inspection reports and indicators make safety traceable. What matters is that the data belongs to you and can be exported.
Short distances save travel time and make cover easier. For projects at several locations a network of offices counts for more than a single office.
Large sites bring together teams from many countries. Briefings only work when they are understood, and reports to international clients are often in English.
Advice and coordination can touch financial losses and personal injury. A current proof of insurance with suitable cover belongs in every award.
Reference lists show where a provider has worked, not how. A short call with a former client says more than any list.
Answer eight questions with a click. The result shows a recommended role profile and a checklist for your selection. Everything runs in your browser; no data is transferred or stored.
RAB 30 specifies section 3 of the German Construction Site Ordinance. A suitable coordinator needs construction and occupational safety knowledge, specific coordinator knowledge under Annex C and at least two years of professional experience in planning or executing construction projects, graded by complexity. Ask for the Annex C course certificate and for comparable projects.
Source: RAB 30, edition 27.03.2003; section 3 BaustellV. Retrieved 29.09.2026.
What matters is who gives instructions. Under agency work the specialist is integrated into your organisation and follows your instructions; the agency needs a licence and the contract must expressly name the arrangement. Under a service or work contract the provider directs its own people. If practice deviates from the contract, sections 9 and 10 AÜG may apply.
Source: section 1 AÜG; IHK Ostwestfalen, as of 01.07.2026. Not legal advice.
The service pages describe the roles from practice, the glossary explains the terms with sources.
HSE managers on site for client, EPC contractor or subcontractor.
Coordination under BaustellV from planning to the file for later work.
Advice on concept, audit, indicators and safety culture.
More than 50 terms from RAB 30 to WINDA, briefly explained with sources.
It depends on qualification, duration, shift model, plant type and travel and accommodation costs. Billing is usually by day rate or monthly fee. Offers only become comparable with the same scope: presence on site, cover, documentation and incidental costs should be defined the same way in every offer.
The client appoints the SiGeKo under section 3 of the Construction Site Ordinance as soon as employees of several employers work on site. The SiGeKo coordinates; employer duties stay with the companies. An HSE manager is a contractual role that implements HSE requirements on site. On major projects both roles complement each other; the contract defines who does what.
What counts is who actually instructs the specialist. If you lead, it is agency work with a licence, naming in the contract and a maximum period of 18 months. If the provider leads, a service or work contract fits. What matters is that practice and contract match. If in doubt, have the contract reviewed by an employment lawyer.
That depends on plant type, qualification and region. Have the named person, the availability date and the cover confirmed in writing. Request evidence before signing so that the first day on site does not start with checking documents.
For the person: the RAB 30 Annex C course certificate for a SiGeKo, occupational safety specialist expertise, valid GWO certificates registered in WINDA on wind sites, NEBOSH where needed. For the company: proof of insurance, references and the certifications your project requires, such as SCC or ISO 9001.
On wind sites manufacturers and operators usually require GWO Basic Safety Training from everyone who climbs turbines, including HSE staff. Certificates are valid for 24 months and are then refreshed; proof runs via the WINDA database. Clarify the manufacturer's requirements before awarding.
Ask for a comparable project with a contact person and call yourself. Clarify what role the provider had, how long they were on site, how cover worked and whether the former client would award the work again. A reference for the named person says more than one for the company.
No. The check runs entirely in your browser. There is no form, no transfer and no storage. As soon as you close the page, the answers are gone. You can copy or print the checklist.
Jennifer Stöckel is your first point of contact and connects you with the right specialist or consulting.
