{"id":38424,"date":"2025-04-28T08:52:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T08:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basi.de\/workers-memorial-day-safe-work-for-all\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T17:36:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T17:36:18","slug":"workers-memorial-day-safe-work-for-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basi.de\/en\/workers-memorial-day-safe-work-for-all\/","title":{"rendered":"Workers Memorial Day: Safe work for all"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every year, the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the construction industry (BG BAU) registers more than 90,000 accidents at work. Every fourth day, construction workers suffer a fatal accident. All those who have lost their lives as a result of an accident at work or an occupational illness are remembered on Workers Memorial Day. The idea is that no one should be harmed at work. BG BAU takes part in the central memorial event <\/strong> of the Industrial Union for Construction, Agriculture and the Environment (IG BAU) on April 28 in Leipzig.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Under the motto “Human dignity is inviolable. For the right to integrity at work, for everyone and everywhere in the world!”, this year’s Workers Memorial Day focuses on the working conditions of migrant workers. People of different nationalities also work in the construction and cleaning industries. Language barriers and the resulting communication problems can pose additional challenges in everyday working life – for example, when it comes to instructing employees who have little knowledge of German on health and safety topics. <\/p>\n\n

“Occupational health and safety applies to everyone – regardless of origin or status,” says Mathias Neuser, Specialist Officer for Social Law and Accident Insurance at the Federal Executive Board of IG BAU and Chairman of the Board of BG BAU on the insured side. “It is therefore crucial that employees who speak a different language or come from a different culture also know their rights with regard to safe working conditions. Language must never be a barrier when it comes to protecting human life”. <\/p>\n\n

Gerhard Citrich, Head of the Occupational Health and Safety Department at the Federal Executive Board of IG BAU and member of the Executive Board and alternating head of the BG BAU Prevention Committee, adds: “In the self-administration of BG BAU, we are working with employers to find practical and inclusive solutions. This includes multilingual materials as well as offerings that function independently of language – for example through images or videos.”<\/p>\n\n

Occupational health and safety in many languages<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

BG BAU offers a wide range of information in several languages, including Arabic, Bulgarian, English, Polish and Hungarian. From brochures and training aids to YouTube videos – all foreign-language offerings are summarized on the BG BAU website at www.bgbau.de\/sprachangebot<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

Minute’s silence and church service<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

IG BAU has declared a nationwide minute’s silence for Workers Memorial Day on April 28 at 12 noon. Those who have died will be remembered on construction sites and in companies. The central memorial service, in which BG BAU is also participating, will then take place at 5 pm in Leipzig’s St. Thomas Church. The memorial service is open to the public and everyone is invited to attend. <\/p>\n\n

Background: BG BAU’s self-governing body<\/strong>BG BAU’s self-governing body consists of the Executive Board and the Assembly of Representatives. The employer and insured parties are equally represented in the self-governing bodies. Together, they set the objectives for the work of the full-time administration and provide important impetus for occupational safety and the prevention of accidents at work, occupational diseases and health hazards in the workplace. They are responsible for deciding on the matters and benefits of BG BAU, including the risk tariff or rehabilitation and pension benefits. The self-administration also approves the budget and monitors the work of BG BAU, in particular the main management. Similar to a parliament, the most important issues are dealt with by the voluntary members in committees, for example in the Prevention Committee or in the Appeals Committees, where decisions are made on appeal applications from insured persons. Based on the democratic principle of self-administration, decisions are made by people with practical experience and expertise. <\/p>\n\n

Further information<\/strong><\/p>\n\n