In the scope of the Russia Health and Safety Week 2017, a session under the title ‘Education for a culture of prevention’ was held on 12 April in Sochi. The session was part of the event ‘Building a Culture of Prevention on OSH in APEC Economies’.
Moderated by Dmitry Platygin, General Director of All-Russia Research Institute of Labour of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Russia and Dr Ulrike Bollmann, Head of International Cooperation at the Institute for Work and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance and Coordinator of ENETOSH, several experts discussed the role of education and training for the development of a culture of prevention from different perspectives.


The APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Education strategy was endorsed by a leaders declaration at the 6th APEC Educational Ministerial meeting under the theme ‘An Inclusive and Quality Education’ on 5 – 6 October 2016 in Lima. The meeting was organized by Russia and Peru. The declaration said: ‘We encourage our economies to collaborate on improving education in the Asia-Pacific region under the principles established in the APEC Education Strategy. This strategy outlines a path for achieving a strong and cohesive APEC education community characterized by inclusive and quality education that supports sustainable economic growth and social well-being, enhances competencies, accelerates innovation and increases employability.’

We are glad to welcome the 84th member to our network: BG ETEM from Germany. The German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the energy, textile, electrical and media products sectors (BG ETEM) is the statutory accident insurance for some 3.7 million people in more than 200,000 member companies. Tasks of BD ETEM are to support the member companies on issues of occupational safety and health, to visit, advise and train the employees in the companies, to investigate the causes of accidents, to measure (e.g. noise or hazardous materials) in the workplace and check equipment and tools. Furthermore, rehabilitation and compensation are as important as prevention of accidents and occupational diseases.
More information on the member's page or webpage of BG ETEM.

The Institute for Occupational Safety Improvement, Croatia, is working together with 2 universities from Croatia and 9 international partners from the UK, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Poland and The Netherlands on developing a culture of improving safe and healthy working conditions.
The aims of the Erasmus+ approved project "Joining the Dots: Creating Entrepreneurial Networks" are to raise awareness of young workers about occupational safety and health, to promote entrepreneurship with healthy workplaces, to promote sustainable work and healthy aging from the start of the working life, to prevent health problems from the start of the working life throughout the working life and to encourage the exchange of information and good practice.
In the scope of the project, the institute developed e-learning materials which may help young workers to prepare for their first job or to establish an own business with an accent on safe working conditions from the start of their working life.
These materials will be presented at the international training course, which will be held in London from 26th February 2017 and to 3th March 2017 in Windmill Lane, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 9AJ.
More information on the project and the training course you will find here, to access the institute's website, please click here. A description of the project can be found on the website of the European Commission.

“A dream of mine becomes true by an OSH event mainly dedicated to the topic of education and training” – Dr Ulrike Bollmann, founder and coordinator of ENETOSH, started her speech “Culture of Prevention: Learning for change” at the first thematic session of the OSH conference under the auspices of the Slovak EU Presidency on 24 October 2016 in Bratislava.
In advance State Secretary for Labour Branislav Ondruš, Maria-Teresa Moitinho from the European Commission, Jozef Kollár and Silvia Surová representing the Social partners and last but not least Dr Christa Sedlatschek, Director of EU-OSHA, underlined the importance of innovative approaches in OSH to keep pace with the technological and social change in our societies.
The increasing importance of education and training to cope with these challenges was reflected on at school level, in businesses, for OSH experts and the labour inspection. The panels were enriched by interactive workshops.
During the conclusions of the conference especially the people-centered approach was highlighted as the future of a better preventive culture.
Stefan Olsson, Director for Employment of DG EMPL, identified the common learning process as the highlight of this conference in Bratislava.