Construction Site Coordinator (SiGeKo)
Health-and-safety coordination across multiple contractors, drafting the SiGe-Plan and the advance notice. Appointed by the client where works overlap, per the Construction Site Ordinance and RAB 30.
BaustellV § 3 · RAB 30
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What is a Construction Site Coordinator (SiGeKo)?
The Construction Site Coordinator, in German the Koordinator für Sicherheit und Gesundheitsschutz (SiGeKo), coordinates occupational safety across several contractors working on one site. The legal foundation is the Baustellenverordnung (BaustellV), which transposes EU Directive 92/57/EEC on temporary or mobile construction sites into German law. The decisive provision is Art. 3 BaustellV, under which the client (Bauherr) appoints one or more suitable coordinators where employees of more than one employer are active on the construction site.
The role splits into two phases. During the planning phase the coordinator integrates the general principles of prevention into the design and the construction schedule. During the execution phase the coordinator organises cooperation between the trades, monitors the correct application of the safety rules and adjusts the SiGe-Plan as the works progress. The concrete content and the structure of the coordination are set out in the Regeln zum Arbeitsschutz auf Baustellen, in particular RAB 30, which describes the suitability requirements and the tasks of the coordinator.
Two documents anchor the role. The Vorankündigung (advance notice) under Art. 2 BaustellV must be transmitted to the competent authority before work begins where the site exceeds the duration or workforce thresholds. The Sicherheits- und Gesundheitsschutzplan (SiGe-Plan) under Art. 2 Para. 3 BaustellV is required where particularly hazardous works listed in Annex II are carried out or where the advance notice is mandatory. Responsibility for appointing the coordinator and for these duties remains with the client and is not discharged merely by transferring tasks to a third party, as Art. 4 BaustellV makes clear.
Duties of the Construction Site Coordinator
- Draft and continuously update the Sicherheits- und Gesundheitsschutzplan (SiGe-Plan) under Art. 2 Para. 3 BaustellV
- Prepare and transmit the Vorankündigung (advance notice) under Art. 2 Para. 2 BaustellV to the competent authority
- Integrate the general principles of prevention per Art. 4 ArbSchG into the planning of the works
- Coordinate the protective measures of the different contractors and resolve overlapping hazards during execution
- Monitor the correct application of working procedures and adjust the SiGe-Plan to match construction progress
- Compile the Unterlage für spätere Arbeiten documenting residual risks for later maintenance and demolition
- Advise the client on the apportionment of duties and on the selection of suitable contractors
- Document hazardous works under Annex II BaustellV and verify the required protective measures are in place
- Liaise with the trade association, the supervisory authority and the appointed Fachkraft für Arbeitssicherheit
Appointment of the Construction Site Coordinator
The duty to appoint rests with the client (Bauherr) under Art. 3 BaustellV, or with a third party acting on the client's behalf under Art. 4 BaustellV. Appointment is mandatory whenever employees of more than one employer will be active on the site, because the coordination of overlapping hazards cannot be left to the individual contractors. A formal written appointment is recommended so the scope of tasks, the planning and the execution phase are clearly defined.
The coordinator must be suitable in the sense of RAB 30. Suitability combines a recognised construction-technical training, several years of professional experience on construction sites, and specific knowledge of occupational safety coordination acquired through a corresponding training course. The client should verify these qualifications before appointment and document the verification.
Where the works trigger the advance notice or include particularly hazardous activities from Annex II BaustellV, the coordinator must already be involved during the design phase. Appointing the coordinator only once construction has started defeats the planning-phase purpose and is a common ground for complaints by the supervisory authority. The appointment does not relieve the client of overall responsibility under Art. 4 BaustellV.
- Employees of more than one employer are active on the construction site
- The site exceeds the duration or workforce thresholds of Art. 2 BaustellV (advance notice required)
- Particularly hazardous works under Annex II BaustellV are planned
- Several trades work simultaneously or in close succession with overlapping hazards
- The client commissions the works as a commercial or public Bauherr
Industries and Sectors
- Structural and civil engineering (Hoch- und Tiefbau)
- Road, rail and infrastructure construction
- Industrial plant construction and turnarounds
- Public-sector building projects and tenders
- Property development and general contracting
- Facade, roofing and scaffolding works
- Demolition and refurbishment projects
- Energy and utility network construction
How CIVAC supports the Construction Site Coordinator role
CIVAC gives the construction site coordinator a single place to manage the documentation that BaustellV and RAB 30 demand. The SiGe-Plan, the Vorankündigung and the Unterlage für spätere Arbeiten are tracked as living documents with version history, so updates during the execution phase are never lost. Recurring site walks and coordination meetings are scheduled as tasks with due dates and reminders, and each protective measure can be linked to the contractor responsible for it. Appointment records and proof of coordinator suitability under RAB 30 are stored centrally, ready for the supervisory authority. Training renewals are flagged before they lapse, so the qualification underpinning the appointment stays current across every project.
Frequently Asked Questions
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