New names for the research institutes of the German Social Accident Insurance

The new names reflect the developments in the accident insurance system

03-Dec-2009

The research institutes of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) are to receive new names and abbreviations. As of 1 January 2010, the former BGIA in Sankt Augustin will be named the "Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance" and will have the abbreviation "IFA". The BGAG in Dresden will in future be named the "Institute of Work and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance ". Its abbreviation will be "IAG". The academy campus in Dresden will cease to be known as the BG Academy and will become the "DGUV Academy".

The former BGFA in Bochum was renamed on 20 November 2009: it is now the "Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum", or IPA for short.

"The new names are a further step towards a uniform image for the institutions of the German statutory accident insurance system," says Dr. Walter Eichendorf, Deputy Director General of the DGUV. The process was begun in 2007 by the institutions for statutory accident insurance and prevention (the BGs) and the public-sector accident insurers with the merger of their umbrella associations to form the DGUV. "As a result, the institutes' activities have been extended in scope: their research is no longer limited to occupational safety and health, but now also covers safety and the protection of health in schools, institutes of higher education, and children's daycare facilities. I am confident that the new names will also soon become strong brands in the area of prevention."

In the three institutes of the DGUV, some 500 employees are concerned with the causes of occupational accidents, commuting accidents, occupational diseases and work-related health hazards, and above all with their prevention. These include traditional OSH topics such as protection against noise, hazardous substances, machine safety, ergonomics and occupational medicine, and also new issues such as mental stress and work organization. In their work, the institutes support BGs and public-sector accident insurers in fulfilling theirstatutory mandate of promoting prevention activity at workplaces and in educational establishments by all suitable means.

The Internet addresses of the institutes will change accordingly:
As of 1 January 2010, the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the DGUV (IFA) is to be found at www.dguv.de/ifa, and the Institute of Work and Health of the DGUV (IAG) at www.dguv.de/iag. Web users can already find the online presence of the Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the DGUV (IPA) at

• www.ipa-dguv.de.