"Every cent invested in climate protection is also an investment in safe and healthy work"

Construction workers suffering heatstroke, farmers contracting white skin cancer, firefighters risking their lives in forest fires and floods. Climate change brings with it a multitude of risks for employees. The International Labour Organization (ILO) points this out on its World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April 2024. In order to find answers to the challenges of climate change, occupational safety and health needs good, application-oriented research. Dr Stefan Hussy, Director General of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), comments:

"Every year, we record an average of between 4,000 and 6,000 recognised cases of white skin cancer caused by UV radiation in the social accident insurance and the social insurance for agriculture, forestry and horticulture (SVLFG). There are also regular deaths from heatstroke at work. However, these figures are just the tip of the iceberg. Climate change is currently changing the world of work, and many companies are aware of this. This was the result of a representative survey conducted by the DGUV in 2022. 43 per cent of managers surveyed stated that climate change had already changed their work.

The task of accident insurance is to analyse the effects of climate change in detail in order to develop suitable protective measures for employees. How can we better protect outdoor workers from excessive sunlight? Do cooling waistcoats really help when working on hot days? What new infectious diseases and allergens are we facing as a result of global warming? We are trying to answer such questions with the support of our own three research institutes and external research. However, one thing is already clear: Every cent invested in climate protection is also an investment in safe and healthy work."

The DGUV's Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (IFA) is home to the "Climate Protection and Occupational Safety and Health" competence centre. The IFA researches and advises on specific scientific and technical issues. The competence centre pools expertise on the effects of climate change on occupational safety and health and also networks with the social accident insurance institutions.

The Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the DGUV (IPA) researches the causal relationships between occupational diseases and work-related health hazards. Various IPA research projects deal with the direct or indirect effects of climate change. This concerns the development of allergic diseases, the effects of UV radiation and possible hazards from the use of new materials and technologies resulting from the energy transition.

At the Institute for Work and Health of the DGUV (IAG), qualification, research and development on occupational psychology and social science topics are at the centre of its work. The IAG deals with psychological aspects of the climate crisis, conducts surveys and organises events and seminars on this topic.