Common goal: More safety and health at work! The Federal Working Group for Safety and Health at Work (Basi) hosted a board and members’ meeting at the home of Basi member DIN in Berlin. The guests came in large numbers and were committed to making the event a success. The meetings focused on preparations for the A+A Congress 2025, which will be enriched by many new aspects. In this context, the Basi is extending its deadline for the Call for Participation until November 15, 2024.
You still have the chance to participate until November 15, 2024! Basi has extended the deadline for submitting contributions for the 39th International A+A Congress 2025. The occupational safety and health of the future needs the personal fingerprints of experts, stakeholders from business and politics, science and administration, practitioners in companies and institutions and their networks. Together, they shape occupational safety and health and develop sustainable concepts that have an impact both nationally and internationally.
How can sustainability be taken into account and implemented for personal protective equipment (PPE)? At the 5th A+A Expert Talk on November 5, 2024, best practice examples will be used to demonstrate the exemplary structures for the sustainable use of PPE in companies. Christine Hentschel, Business Development Manager Sustainability at the Uvex Safety Group, and Bernadette Niehaus, Sustainability Manager at 3 M Germany, will be speaking from 10 a.m. onwards. They will be available online for discussions until 11 am.
Successful new concepts presented at the A+A Congress are among the important topics in the ASU Magazine – Journal for Medical Prevention. Speakers and keynote speakers engaged by Basi at the A+A Congress present their ideas in a series of articles. Some texts have already been published, and Basi is planning more together with the editorial team – with a view to the 39th International A+A Congress in 2025.
With shorter days and poor visibility, the risk of accidents increases in the fall, especially on construction sites. The German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the construction industry (BG BAU) recommends measures to keep employees visible and safe. “In darkness and poor visibility, the risk of accidents and being overlooked increases,” says Bernhard Arenz, Head of Prevention at BG BAU. He emphasizes the importance of lighting and high-visibility clothing.
The TikTok campaign “komm gut an.” aims to raise young people’s awareness of safe mobility during training. It was launched by the Berufsgenossenschaft Handel und Warenlogistik (BGHW), the Bundesverband Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen (BGA) and the German Road Safety Council (DVR). After a successful first year, the campaign will continue until mid-2025 in order to draw attention to the dangers of road traffic and commuting.
A recent survey by the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) shows alarming trends: more than half of teachers at general education schools have observed an increase in psychological violence and bullying among pupils following the pandemic. 44% of those surveyed also reported an increase in physical violence. DGUV statistics recorded around 64,897 violence-related school accidents in 2023, an increase of 11,000 compared to the previous year.
Effective occupational health and safety is based on many elements and their interaction. This includes not only an appropriate and up-to-date set of rules and regulations, but also coordinated cooperation between the various stakeholders in different committees. The current issue of the publication “baua: Aktuell” sheds light on how the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) is further developing the structures, strategies and instruments of occupational safety and thus contributing to the effectiveness of occupational safety.
The winners of the 15th German Hazardous Substance Protection Award have been announced: The prize, endowed with 10,000 euros and awarded by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS), went to the General Customs Directorate in Bonn for its innovative solution for identifying containers contaminated with hazardous substances using the GDA-F gas detection device. This technology protects customs officers from hazardous substances in import and overseas containers.