Annual HV Safety Briefing – Requirements & Process

Who Needs the Annual Briefing?

The annual briefing applies to all persons qualified under DGUV Information 209-093 who regularly work on HV vehicles:

• FuP (Level 1S/1E): Particularly important, as the basic qualification is less in-depth. The annual briefing is a core element of ongoing competence assurance for FuP personnel.
• FHV (Level 2S/2E/3S/3E): Refreshes safety-critical content, incorporates new vehicle technologies and recent changes to standards and regulations.
• Employers must document the briefing in writing and obtain a signed confirmation from each participant.

Required Content

DGUV 209-093 does not prescribe an exact agenda, but all safety-relevant topics must be covered. Typical content includes:

• Repetition of the 5 safety rules under DGUV Regulation 3: De-energise – Secure against re-energisation – Verify voltage-free state – Earth and short-circuit – Cover adjacent parts
• Current hazards and new vehicle technologies (e.g. 800 V systems, new cell chemistries, solid-state batteries)
• Inspection and use of PPE: Insulating gloves, multimeter, VDE tools – air test, visual inspection, calibration date
• Behaviour in accidents and emergencies: First aid for electrical shock, firefighting on HV vehicles, emergency call procedure
• Changes to standards, internal procedures or legal requirements since the last briefing
• Workplace-specific updates: new vehicle models in the fleet, new working procedures, updated de-energisation sequences

Duration

DGUV Information 209-093 specifies no statutory minimum duration for the annual briefing. In practice the following has become standard:

• Typical scope: 2 to 4 teaching TP (each 45 min) – depending on participants' knowledge level and workplace-specific topics
• For mixed groups (FuP and FHV together): consider splitting or setting different focus areas
• Completeness of content takes priority over a minimum number of hours – all relevant topics must have been covered

Can the Briefing Be Conducted Online?

Yes – the annual HV briefing is fully deliverable as a remote (online) session. Unlike the main qualification (Level 2S, 3S), which requires an in-person practical component, the annual briefing contains no prescribed hands-on exercises on real vehicles.

Benefits of the online briefing:

• No travel costs and no vehicle downtime due to off-site attendance
• Flexible scheduling – including at short notice and in small groups
• For teams of 10 or more: particularly cost-effective as an online group briefing
• Digital participation certificates for all briefing records
• Content can be tailored to the specific vehicle fleet or workplace situation