National occupational safety conference
The National Occupational Safety and Health Conference (NAK) was set up by the Accident Insurance Modernization Act (UVMG) that came into force on November 5, 2008 and consists of three representatives each from the federal government, the federal states and the accident insurance institutions, as well as three each in an advisory capacity from the top employers' organizations and the employee posted representatives together. The task of the NAK is to develop, control and update the Joint German Occupational Safety and Health Strategy (GDA). The constituent meeting took place on December 15, 2008 and decided to implement a joint work program for the prevention of accidents at work and work-related illnesses.
Priorities for action
The work program provides for three main areas of action:
- Reduction of the frequency and severity of accidents at work, including the reduction of inappropriate psychological stress and promotion of the systematic awareness of occupational safety
- Reduction of the frequency and severity of musculoskeletal stress and diseases, taking into account the reduction of psychological stress and promoting the systematic awareness of occupational safety in companies
- Reducing the frequency and severity of skin conditions.
In addition to the work program for 2008 to 2012, decisions were made on the structure and functioning of the NAK.
Office of the NAK
In performing its tasks, the NAK is supported organizationally and technically by a permanent office. After the mutual agreement of the GDA sponsors, the office for the NAK is permanently established at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Berlin and anchored in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The tasks of the office are derived from the tasks of the NAK and include in particular:
- Preparation of proposals for occupational safety goals and fields of action;
- Creation of a factual and data basis; Consolidation and pre-evaluation as well as the creation of key points for work programs;
- Evaluation of the results of work programs; Collection of data for evaluation;
- Preparation, organization, recording of the NAK meetings;
- Coordination of the cooperation between the NAK and its working groups.
Occupational Safety Forum
The Occupational Safety and Health Forum (ASF) has the task of ensuring early and active participation of the expert public in the development and updating of the GDA and to advise the NAK accordingly. The ASF was set up in 2006 and has met annually since then, the legal basis is in the UVMG. Expert representatives of the top organizations of employers and employees, professional and business associations, science, health and pension insurance institutions, institutions in the field of safety and health at work and institutions that promote employability are to take part in the occupational safety forum.