German Workplace Safety Vocabulary
This set covers the German you'd actually hear during a safety briefing or read on a warning sign: der Feuerlöscher (fire extinguisher), die Warnweste (safety vest), and der Notausgang (emergency exit) sit alongside more abstract terms like der Arbeitsschutz, the umbrella word for occupational safety as a system rather than a single object. One trap: die Gewerkschaft means trade union, not "guarantee" or anything to do with warranties, despite looking like it might.
Learn these 12 words
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All 12 words
plural: die Feuerlöscher
fire extinguisher
Der Feuerlöscher hängt neben der Tür. — The fire extinguisher hangs next to the door.
plural: die Notausgänge
emergency exit
Der Notausgang muss immer frei bleiben. — The emergency exit must always stay clear.
plural: die Schutzbrillen
safety goggles
Ohne Schutzbrille darfst du hier nicht arbeiten. — You may not work here without safety goggles.
- schützenA2
to protect
Ein Helm schützt deinen Kopf vor Verletzungen. — A helmet protects your head from injuries.
occupational safety
Der Arbeitsschutz hat oberste Priorität im Betrieb. — Occupational safety has top priority in the company.
plural: die Gewerkschaften
trade union
Die Gewerkschaft vertritt die Interessen der Arbeitnehmer. — The trade union represents the interests of employees.
plural: die Warnwesten
safety vest
Die Warnweste macht dich im Dunkeln sichtbar. — The safety vest makes you visible in the dark.
- brennbarB2
flammable
Brennbare Materialien müssen sicher gelagert werden. — Flammable materials must be stored safely.
- drosselnB2
to throttle / reduce / choke
Der Motor wird gedrosselt, um Energie zu sparen. — The motor is throttled to save energy.
plural: die Sicherheitsdienste
security service / security
Der Sicherheitsdienst patrouilliert nachts. — The security service patrols at night.
plural: die Wartungen
maintenance
Die regelmäßige Wartung der Maschinen ist für die Sicherheit essentiell. — Regular maintenance of the machines is essential for safety.
plural: die Fehlausrichtungen
a misalignment
Die Fehlausrichtung der Maschine verursachte Verschleiß. — The misalignment of the machine caused wear.
How to learn this set
Several nouns here are compounds built on a base word whose gender you may already know: Feuerlöscher (Feuer + Löscher), Notausgang (Not + Ausgang), and Warnweste (Warn + Weste) all borrow their gender from the second half, so if you know der Ausgang, you already know der Notausgang. Separately, drill schützen against drosseln by noticing they're both plain, unprefixed verbs (not schützen vs. beschützen), which matters because German often adds prefixes to shift meaning slightly and these two don't need one. For die Fehlausrichtung, break it into Fehl- (wrong/mis-) and Ausrichtung (alignment) since Fehl- shows up in other error-related compounds and is worth learning as a unit.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Arbeitsschutz in English?
It literally means 'work protection' and refers to occupational safety as a whole system: laws, equipment, and procedures that keep people safe on the job. It's a broader, more formal word than Sicherheit (safety) alone, and you'll see it on official signage and in HR documents.
What's the difference between Sicherheitsdienst and Arbeitsschutz?
Sicherheitsdienst is the security service or guards you hire to watch a building or event, dealing with theft and access. Arbeitsschutz is occupational safety, the rules and gear that prevent workplace accidents. They overlap in a large company but answer different questions.
Why is Warnweste feminine?
Because Weste (vest) is feminine, and Warnweste is just Warn- (warning) attached to it, so the compound keeps the base noun's gender. This is the normal rule for German compounds: the last word decides der, die, or das.
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