Basi in dialog with DGUV and EU-OSHA: How companies can become resilient

Avoiding work intensification, mastering digitalization and dealing with the consequences of climate change and decarbonization – these are just some of the many challenges that occupational safety will face in the future. The hybrid event “Die Basi in Dialogue with the DGUV and EU-OSHA” in Berlin focused on how risks are scientifically identified and what is already being done to counter them. Around 490 participants took part in lively surveys and put numerous questions to Dr. Christian Felten, Managing Director of the Federal Working Group for Safety and Health at Work (Basi), who chaired the dialogue. His discussion partners were Dr. Stefan Hussy, Director General of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Professor Dr. Dietmar Reinert, Director of the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the DGUV (IFA), Dr. Dietmar Elsler, Project Manager from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)

The risk identification system
Professor Dietmar Reinert is responsible for the DGUV’s risk observatory. He explained its system, which uses regular surveys, in which future experts are also involved, to formulate priorities with regard to the future of occupational health and safety. The research results of the Risk Observatory are supplemented by the results of a trend search based on the model of the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (SUVA) and the Topic Monitor, which identifies current issues in companies. “This results in the prevention radar for the near, medium and distant future,” explained Reinert.

Using scenarios to determine key factors
Anticipating and managing change was presented by project manager Dr. Dietmar Elsler as the tasks of EU-OSHA. “Change is primarily green, digital and demographic – these are the three megatrends that we need to look at to see what impact they have on occupational health and safety,” said Elsler. To this end, long-term scenarios are being developed and forecast cycles are being used, for example on the circular economy within the EU, on so-called “green jobs” (work in the environmental sector) or on the major topic of digitalization, which will also determine the next EU-OSHA campaign from autumn 2023. Scenarios are used to identify the key factors in the various areas – EU-OSHA and its partners then focus on the groups of people and sectors that are particularly affected.

Changing industries
Relevant future trends are regularly the subject of strategy discussions and the deliberations of the accident insurance institutions’ managing directors and executive boards, explained Dr. Stefan Hussy, Director General of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV). Among other things, he emphasized the importance of inspiring discussions at national and international events and cited the transformation of certain, particularly energy-intensive sectors such as the steel industry as a forward-looking example: “Steel production will be hydrogen-based in the future. We need to adapt to the associated change in processes and have answers to the questions that will be asked in this context. Because working conditions will also change as a result,” says Hussy.

Using artificial intelligence correctly
Professor Dietmar Reinert used the example of a manufacturer of circular saws to show how artificial intelligence is already being used to better manage risks in occupational safety. Its products can use a camera system to distinguish hands from wood in order to prevent injuries. “However, AI can only ever perform individual tasks and cannot be used in a variety of ways like we humans can,” emphasized Reinert. He used exoskeletons to explain that digitalization can not only create problems, but also solve them: These offer enormous opportunities to lift and transport heavy loads more easily – provided that companies keep an eye on the risks: For example, an exoskeleton must not restrict the ability to move, so that no incorrect postures arise.

Important topics for future prevention work
Mental stress, digitalization / artificial intelligence and the consequences of climate change / the EU’s “Green Deal” were selected by the event participants as the three most important topics for the direction of future prevention work. The shortage of skilled workers also came out on top in the vote. Professor Dietmar Reinert explained that experience shows that work intensification, the shortage of skilled workers and digitalization also play a major role in the Risk Observatory’s surveys. If there are too few people to do the work at hand, this leads to mental stress. Reinert referred to tools available online that can help to identify possible sources of work overload and take countermeasures.

Dr. Dietmar Elsler explained the background to the Green Deal – the EU’s goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050 with the help of measures in various areas such as greenhouse gas trading. According to Elsler, occupational health and safety has to deal with completely new risks in this context, such as those that can arise during the assembly of turbines in offshore wind farms or during the dismantling of old power plants.

Dr. Stefan Hussy emphasized that accident insurance and occupational health and safety are not the ones who can prevent climate change – we have to learn how to deal with the consequences in the workplace. To this end, it may be necessary to look to countries that have experience with special requirements for buildings (such as industrial halls in warm climate zones). According to Hussy, IAG studies show that climate change can also cause psychological stress. “We can support companies in providing their employees with more safety,” said the DGUV Director General, opening up a possible perspective. He emphasized how important it is for companies and society to become resilient in order to better deal with stress: “A successful company has change and resilience at its core.” Resilience also means accepting change and seeing it as an opportunity, said Hussy.

Initiating strategies now
A large majority of participants were in favor of using existing findings from trend analyses and risk research to initiate prevention strategies. “There is an expectation behind this,” stated DGUV Director General Dr. Hussy and explained that the accident insurance institutions wanted to take this into account by positioning themselves for the future: They must be able to adapt to rapid changes in order to be able to provide answers to surprising questions (for example in connection with pandemics such as Covid-19) – in coordination with other partners and with the help of continuous further development.

Further information and answers to questions (coming soon) can be found on the Basi in dialog with the DGUV and EU-OSHA event page.