Wuppertal – November 03, 2026 -- Cutting bureaucracy in occupational safety does not make workplaces safer unless the freed-up time is spent on the shop floor, according to Wuppertal-based WandelWerker Consulting GmbH. Managing director Anna Ganzke argues that a completed form prevents no accident, and that managers and safety specialists who spend much of their time on checklists and documentation have less time in production, warehouses and on construction sites.

Consultancy targets duplicate checks and handwritten records for removal

WandelWerker names three areas where companies can simplify processes: duplicate inspections, handwritten records that could be captured digitally, and inspection and documentation duties that could be aligned more closely with actual risks. Any relief must be checked against applicable legal requirements, the firm says. Responsibility for occupational health and safety remains with the employer.

Behavior-based walkthroughs replace checklist inspections with joint observation

The firm recommends behavior-based walkthroughs, in which managers and employees review together how tasks are actually performed, what obstacles hinder safe work and what could be improved. Managers who criticize every deviation immediately will learn little about why practice differs from procedure, Ganzke says. She adds that safe behavior and well-functioning processes should be acknowledged explicitly.

Short safety talks aim to surface causes behind unsafe behavior

WandelWerker also promotes regular short safety conversations that need neither long meetings nor extensive documentation. Managers should listen to employee experience rather than only pass on prepared messages. The firm cites James Reason's Swiss cheese model: accidents often result from several weaknesses combined, such as time pressure, unclear expectations, problematic workflows, older machinery or inadequate onboarding.

Ganzke, who works with Stefan Ganzke and a team advising mid-sized companies and large corporations, says the goal is not to run as many safety campaigns as possible. Regular conversations with employees that lead to concrete improvements are the measure of success, she says.