In brief
The main driver of the OSGB fee is the statutory monthly minutes derived from headcount and hazard class; travel, shift pattern, number of workplaces and extra services are added on top. Compare quotes not by total price but by the minutes and scope written into the contract.
Why is there no single “OSGB price”?
Most employers searching for “OSGB prices 2026” expect a single figure. Yet the fee for two workplaces can differ several times over, even if they have the same number of employees. This is because what an OSGB (joint health and safety unit) provides is a time set by legislation: the minimum minutes that the workplace physician, the OHS specialist and, where required, other health personnel (DSP) must devote to your workplace each month.
In this article we do not give a TL amount; a correct figure can only be calculated with your workplace’s details. Instead, we explain the elements that make up the fee and the right way to compare quotes.
A reminder: under Law No. 6331, the cost of occupational health and safety measures cannot be passed on to employees (Art. 4); the cost of health surveillance is also borne by the employer (Art. 15/4). The budget needs to be planned with this in mind.
The main driver: minutes × class × headcount
The monthly time is the number of employees multiplied by the minutes per employee; the minutes per employee vary by hazard class. For the same 40-person workplace, the table looks like this:
| Workplace with 40 employees | Workplace physician | OHS specialist | DSP | Total monthly time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less hazardous | 200 min | 400 min | Not required | 600 min (10 hours) |
| Hazardous | 400 min | 800 min | Not required | 1,200 min (20 hours) |
| Very hazardous | 600 min | 1,600 min | 400 min | 2,600 min (43 hours 20 min) |
The table shows at a glance why prices differ so much: a workplace of the same size requires more than four times as much time in the very hazardous class as in the less hazardous class. Moreover, in a very hazardous workplace the specialist must hold an A-class certificate.
When the number of employees exceeds certain thresholds, for example 500 employees for the specialist in the hazardous class, full-time assignment comes into play and pricing moves to a structure different from the minute calculation. Calculate your own workplace’s time with the OHS obligation calculator; for thresholds and the calculation for additional employees, see our article on physician and specialist working times.
Other factors affecting the fee
The statutory minutes form the base; the factors below are added on top of it:
- Travel and location: In Bursa, the difference in travel time between a workplace in Osmangazi, Nilüfer or Yıldırım and one in İnegöl, İznik, Karacabey or Mustafakemalpaşa is large; for workplaces in neighbouring provinces the difference grows further. Travel time does not replace the minimum time that must be spent at the workplace, but it does enter the cost of the service.
- Shift pattern: In a three-shift factory, the night shift must also be seen on site and training must be split across shifts.
- Number of workplaces and layout: Since the time is calculated separately for each workplace, multiple buildings, branches or construction sites increase the fee.
- Specialist class: Assignments in very hazardous workplaces requiring an A-class specialist are more costly.
- DSP requirement: In very hazardous workplaces with 10 or more employees, DSP time is planned in addition to the physician and specialist.
- Sector-specific risks: Risks such as chemicals, dust, noise or work at height require more frequent site follow-up, measurement and health surveillance.
- Contract terms: The contract period, the price adjustment clause and payment terms are reflected in the quote.
What these factors have in common is that they can all be made visible in the quote. If there is a significant difference between two quotes, ask why: if it comes from travel, shift coverage or extra services, it is understandable. If the difference cannot be explained, it often means the statutory minutes themselves have been cut, and that is a risk the employer bears.
Extra services: are they included in the quote?
This is where quotes get confused most often. One quote may cover only the specialist and physician time, while another may also include training, the drill or periodic inspections. Clarify each item before comparing:
| Service | Why might it be priced separately? | Clarify in the quote |
|---|---|---|
| OHS training | Varies by hours, number of groups and the face-to-face requirement | Are induction, basic and refresher training included? |
| Periodic inspections of work equipment | Depends on the type and number of equipment | Which equipment, how often? |
| Workplace environment measurements | Carried out by authorised laboratories | Which parameters, the laboratory’s authorisation |
| Tests (hearing test, lung function test, chest X-ray, etc.) | Carried out at authorised healthcare facilities | Which test is done where, and who pays? |
| Emergency plan and drill | Requires plan revision and on-site implementation | Is the annual drill included? |
| Vocational training | A certificate is mandatory for jobs listed in the regulation annex | Modules and certificate type |
| Fire training | Practical training is planned separately | Theoretical or practical? |
For jobs requiring a vocational training certificate, see our article on the vocational training certificate requirement; for examination and test frequencies, see periodic examinations and tests.
How to plan the annual OHS budget
The OSGB fee is only one item in your annual OHS budget. To build a realistic budget, you need to know which work is repeated and how often; these frequencies depend largely on the hazard class.
Repeated every month: The specialist and physician service, and the DSP service in very hazardous workplaces with 10 or more employees. This item changes directly with headcount; if you have a hiring plan, reflect it in the budget.
Repeated every year: Periodic inspections of work equipment (at least once a year for equipment such as pressure vessels, lifting equipment, electrical installations and fire installations; every 6 months for building scaffolding), the emergency drill, and in very hazardous workplaces refresher training and periodic examinations.
Repeated every few years: Refresher training every 2 years in hazardous and every 3 years in less hazardous workplaces; periodic examinations at least every 3 years in hazardous and at least every 5 years in less hazardous workplaces; renewal of the risk assessment and emergency plan every 2, 4 or 6 years. First aid certificates are also renewed every 3 years.
Event-driven items: Induction training and pre-employment examinations for new starters, revision of the risk assessment after a new machine or production method, and additional training after a work accident or occupational disease. These items are hard to predict, but setting aside a small share of the annual budget reduces surprises.
This breakdown is also useful when comparing quotes: the monthly fees of a quote that includes an annually repeated service in the price and one that prices it separately cannot be compared directly. You can use the OHS calendar tool to track the dates.
The right way to compare quotes
Compare quotes not by the total figure but on the same scope. For each quote, get written answers to these eight questions:
- Are the monthly minutes for each assigned person written in the contract?
- Do these minutes meet the minimum time for your headcount and hazard class?
- Are the names of the specialist and physician to be assigned, and the specialist’s certificate class, known?
- What is the visit plan, and how will the night shift be covered?
- Which services are included in the price, and which will be priced separately?
- Which authorised organisations will carry out tests and measurements, and who pays for them?
- If the number of employees changes, how will the time and fee be updated?
- What happens in the event of termination or a change of personnel?
A practical method: divide each quote’s monthly fee by the total monthly minutes stated in the quote and compare the fee per minute. You cannot include a quote that states no minutes in this calculation, and that in itself is a warning sign. For other selection criteria, see our article on what to look for when choosing an OSGB.
Why is a very cheap quote risky?
Consider a hazardous workplace with 45 employees. The minimum time is 900 minutes (15 hours) a month for the specialist and 450 minutes (7 hours 30 minutes) for the physician. A quote offering “one two-hour visit a month” covers only a very small part of the 1,350 minutes required in total. The gap may not be visible on paper, but it comes to light in an inspection or in an investigation after a work accident.
Under Art. 4 of Law No. 6331, outsourcing services does not remove the employer’s responsibility. The consequences of an inadequate service also fall back on the employer. Some of the 2026 base fine amounts:
| Breach | 2026 base amount |
|---|---|
| Failing to assign a specialist or physician | 111,263 TL for each person not assigned; every month the breach continues |
| Failing to assign DSP | 55,597 TL; every month the breach continues |
| Failing to carry out a risk assessment | 66,725 TL; 100,119 TL every month the breach continues |
| Failing to provide health surveillance | 22,194 TL per employee |
| Failing to provide training | 8,980 TL per employee |
An inadequate service rarely stays limited to a single item. When visit time is cut, training and health surveillance are among the first things likely to slip, and the fines for these two items are calculated per employee. In the same 45-employee workplace, failing to provide training alone corresponds to a base fine of 45 × 8,980 = 404,100 TL, and failing to provide health surveillance to 45 × 22,194 = 998,730 TL. Next to these figures, the saving made on the service fee is very small.
Under Art. 26/3 of the Law, these amounts are increased according to workplace size and hazard class: in workplaces with 10–49 employees, by 50% for hazardous and 100% for very hazardous; in workplaces with 50 or more employees, by 50% for less hazardous, 100% for hazardous and 200% for very hazardous. No increase is applied to fines calculated per employee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do OSGB prices differ so much from company to company?
The main source of the difference is that quotes do not cover the same time and scope. One may cover the full statutory minutes, training and the drill, while another may provide only short visits. Travel distance, shift pattern and specialist class also change the fee.
Are test and measurement fees included in the price?
It varies from quote to quote. Workplace environment measurements are carried out by authorised laboratories and tests by authorised healthcare facilities, so they may appear as separate items in quotes. Ask for the tests and measurements included to be stated in writing in the quote.
If my headcount changes during the year, does the fee change too?
Since the statutory time is calculated according to the number of employees, the required minutes increase when the number rises. The contract should state at what intervals and how the time and fee will be updated when the headcount changes. This clause is especially important for businesses with seasonal staff increases.
Can I deduct the OHS service fee from employees?
No. Under Law No. 6331, the cost of occupational health and safety measures cannot be passed on to employees; the cost arising from health surveillance is also borne by the employer.
What information should I prepare to get a quote?
The company name, workplace address, NACE code and hazard class, number of employees and shift pattern, number of workplaces and the extra services you need are sufficient. Stating the status of your current risk assessment and training records makes the quote clearer. You can send this information via our quote form.
A physician assigned for the time your hazard class requires: pre-employment and periodic examinations, fitness-for-work reports and health surveillance.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.