In conversation

The Chairmen of the Basi Board

The Chairwomen of the Basi Executive Board, Saskia Osing and Dr. Sebastian Schneider, look back on eventful times and into the A+A year 2023. In the double interview, they talk about key experiences, challenges and many current topics relating to safety and health at work.

Can you describe a key experience that made you realize the importance of health and safety at work?

Osing: If you look back at the recent past and certainly into the future, the coronavirus pandemic and protecting employees from infection is a key experience. The companies have successfully managed both with great commitment, quick reactions and a lot of responsibility. As a result, working on site has been a safe affair in most cases. The vaccination campaign can also be seen as a success: by participating in the state vaccination campaign and the particularly high vaccination rate among employees, the business community and its company doctors have made a significant contribution to protecting their health and vaccinating the population.

Schneider: The coronavirus pandemic has been the most defining event of recent years. It has made it clear how important occupational health and safety is in combating such a pandemic. Companies in which occupational health and safety is well organized with the involvement of all stakeholders were also able to protect their employees quickly and effectively and keep operations running. In addition, thanks to the constructive and active involvement of the trade unions, we have managed to quickly develop effective rules and practical guidelines in this country.

What social, economic and political challenges in the area of occupational health and safety do you currently see as the most urgent for the Basi Executive Board?

Osing: Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) often have to contend with excessive and overly complex bureaucratic requirements in occupational health and safety. There is definitely a need for better support and assistance for MSEs. Digitalization remains a perennial issue, especially the topics of mobile work and artificial intelligence. We must not slow down or even prevent innovations and good company solutions by imposing overly rigid and strict occupational health and safety regulations. Instead, we need practical assistance for companies that allows occupational health and safety and value creation to be combined. In the end, everyone benefits from this: business, politics and employees. And the various stakeholders involved in Basi can make an important contribution here.

Schneider: We have a good set of regulations in many areas in this country, but they must also be implemented and their application regularly reviewed, regardless of whether the workplace is mobile or located at work or at home. The right to healthy and safe work is not a question of economic efficiency, but an inalienable fundamental right. It therefore remains particularly important that employees are fully involved in the design of occupational health and safety within the framework of co-determination.
However, it is also clear that the world of work is constantly changing and new hazards are emerging. It is therefore necessary to reflect on where and how occupational health and safety regulations need to be improved. Digitalization offers innovative opportunities here, but these must not lead to a drop in the level of occupational safety. The exchange of opinions and information within the framework of Basi makes an important contribution here.

What do you think the future will bring in terms of occupational health and safety?

Osing: In an international comparison, Germany is in the top league when it comes to occupational health and safety. Employees in German companies enjoy excellent working conditions. Nevertheless, we can still exploit potential. Occupational health and safety regulations that are designed in such a way that they can be implemented in a practicable manner offer assistance. The same applies to cooperation between internal and external occupational health and safety stakeholders: more support and advice in overcoming challenges and less formalism would create real added value for companies. Perhaps digitalization can also lead to simplification here, as in telemedicine, for example. Digital tools could also simplify cooperation between companies and the supervisory authorities. The fact is: occupational health and safety can only work together today and in the future. The personal responsibility of employees is becoming increasingly important. In future, it will become increasingly important for employees to have good work design and health skills.

Schneider: Risk assessment is our most important tool for occupational health and safety. Its consistent application, including to future challenges, must be constantly improved and enforced. Unfortunately, Germany is below the European average when it comes to risk assessments, although the rules and regulations are always said to be easy to understand. For example, mental stress has had to be taken into account in risk assessments since 2013, but this is far from being implemented sufficiently. Binding regulations are finally needed to ensure that the holistic process of risk assessment can be implemented properly.
Even under the conditions of climate change and the effects of digitalization, it must be ensured that people have safe and decent workplaces and return home from work in good health. The responsibility for healthy and health-promoting working conditions lies indivisibly with the employer. They are liable for this and cannot and must not delegate this responsibility to the employees.

What topics are you particularly looking forward to when you think about the A+A Congress 2023?

Osing: Oh, there will be so many exciting and interesting topics at the A+A Congress 2023. But digitalization and new working environments are certainly important future topics for employers.

Schneider: Next year’s A+A Congress will also be influenced by the megatrends mentioned above, which we have experienced in recent years and will continue to experience. I am convinced that there will be many interesting discussions on this topic at the A+A Congress.

These are the CEOs of Basi:

Saskia Osing

Lawyer, Deputy Head of the Social Security Department

1991 – 1996 Studied law in Marburg

1996 – 1999 Legal clerkship at the OLG Düsseldorf

4/1999 – 4/2011 Consultant for occupational health and safety and accident insurance law, Social Security Department, BDA

since 4/2011 Deputy Head of the Social Security Department,

Since the 2011 social elections, employer representative on the Board of the Verwaltungs-Berufsgenossenschaft (VBG) and on the Board of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV)

Dr. Sebastian Schneider

Department for Prevention, Statutory Accident Insurance and European Occupational Safety and Health Policy
German Trade Union Confederation, Federal Executive Board Administration, Social Policy Department

2015 – 2021 Research Associate, DFG research project “Troika-Debtor Negotiations in the Eurozone”, Freie Universität Berlin and FernUniversität Hagen

2014 – 2021 Doctorate, Political Science, Free University of Berlin

2011 – 2014 Master of Arts, Political Science, Free University of Berlin

2008 – 2011 Contract Manager, 118000 AG, Munich

2005 – 2008 Bachelor of Arts, Political and Administrative Sciences, Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen