Prevention guidelines for German social accident insurance institutions

  • Occupational safety and health (OSH) is to be guaranteed in and by companies. German social accident insurance institutions are to use all appropriate resources to support businesses and insured parties in this regard.
  • Prevention strategies are to focus on effectiveness and profitability. They are to monitor and adapt to innovation, structural economic change and the modified stress scenarios which accompany new technologies and changing forms of work.
  • German social accident insurance institutions are to base joint, sector-specific preventive measures on a precise assessment of working conditions, and in particular on knowledge and experience gained:
    • When delivering consulting to or monitoring companies;
    • During activities related to accidents and occupational diseases;
    • In connection with their duties in the fields of rehabilitation and compensation;
    • By members of the DGUV’s autonomous administration.
  • The German economy is characterized by a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In their case in particular, German social accident insurance institutions are to develop targeted prevention strategies which take not only circumstances specific to the respective sector and insured parties, but also company size and target groups into account.
  • The continuous decline in occupational accidents is primarily attributable to success in the field of prevention. The aim is now to further develop the preventive measures drawn up by German social accident insurance institutions and apply them to all major occupational risks to life and limb. German social accident insurance institutions are therefore to place increasing emphasis on incentivized prevention.
  • German social accident insurance institutions are to support joint facilities and interdisciplinary tasks in the field of prevention, for example divisional prevention committees, core activities and research.
  • German social accident insurance institutions are to cooperate with other OSH institutions, and in particular government departments and committees with responsibilities in prevention-related fields.