The federal government, the nuclear power plants and the interim storage facility in Würenlingen have been looking for a suitable site for the final disposal of radioactive waste since 1972. The National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) still has its sights on three potential sites where the waste will be stored for generations to come: Jura East, Northern Lägern and Zurich Northeast. All three sites are located in northeastern Switzerland. The region belongs to the cantons of Aargau and Zurich and borders Germany.

According to a report by the "SRF"Nagra did not want to carry out any further test drilling until 2015. The composition of the watertightness and the rock layer are comparable with other properties. Everywhere, the thickness of the layer is higher than over 100 meters. According to a Nagra spokesperson, the properties of the Opalinus Clay allow the construction of a safe deep repository. The affected communities are not surprised. It had already become apparent in recent months that Nördlich Lägern could again be considered as a possible site.

Nagra expects to be able to announce in two years' time which region it will prefer for the radioactive repository. The final choice will be made by the Federal Council and Parliament and, if necessary, by the people as the final authority.

Source: SRF

Analyses from Germany show that the increase in absenteeism cannot simply be explained by Covid-19. For a recent sickness absence analysis, the Berlin-based IGES Institute evaluated data from more than 2.4 million insured employees of DAK-Gesundheit.

The samples show no increase in absenteeism over the year and no direct correlation between Covid case numbers and absenteeism. However, when interpreting and comparing the results with Switzerland, it should be noted that the case numbers in Germany were significantly lower.

The highest absenteeism rates are found in the first wave. Thereafter, there is a decline and absenteeism is lower than in previous years. The second wave from October onwards does not lead to a corresponding increase in absenteeism, despite the high number of cases. Over the year as a whole, absenteeism is slightly lower than in previous years. The analysis of the causes of absenteeism also shows no direct correlation with Covid-19. However, mental illnesses reached a new high of 20 percent of all absences, with a significant increase of eight percent in the case of adjustment disorders in particular.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system also increased, with days lost due to back pain rising by seven percent compared to the previous year. Respiratory diseases ranked only third among the most important types of illness in the Corona year 2020, with a decrease of 3.6 percent.

Sectors with a high proportion of home offices had lower absenteeism than others in 2020: For example, the analysis shows below-average absenteeism for banks, insurance companies and IT services. However, absenteeism rates were above average in the healthcare sector and in the transport and logistics industries.

Causes of the development

Back to the development in Switzerland. Even if no 1:1 conclusions can be drawn for Switzerland, it can be assumed that the increase in absenteeism in Switzerland is not due to Covid 19-related absences from work. Rather, the perceived increase in stress, which was felt by around 50 percent of those in employment, is likely to be relevant for the increase in absenteeism.

Health Promotion Switzerland conducted a Job Stress Index survey in the first quarter of 2020, before the acute phase of the Covid 19 pandemic: Three out of ten employees complain of stress, and more than half of them are emotionally exhausted. One reason for this is an imbalance between stress and resources. Employees who are affected accordingly have an increased risk of mental illness, such as burnout, with the threat of long-term or permanent incapacity to work.

Consequences for the companies

The corresponding increase in defaults has a financial impact on the KTG insurers on the one hand and on the companies on the other. In some cases, insurance companies have to restructure the contracts, i.e. increase premiums, which leads to additional costs for employees and the company. However, the insurance costs only represent part of the costs and problems; the additional burden on supervisors and employees, delays and qualitative problems are usually much more dramatic.

This technical article appeared in the printed edition SAFETY-PLUS 3-2021.
You want to read the articles of this issue? Then close right now here a subscription.

According to Suva, the pandemic led to an extraordinary, marked decline in the number of accidents. Although the average costs per case increased slightly, the overall result was a significant surplus. in the technical account. This is estimated at 108 million Swiss francs for occupational accident insurance and 145 million Swiss francs for non-occupational accident insurance. For all future benefits from accidents and occupational illnesses, there are provisions in line with requirements. Due to the special effects, policyholders should benefit from low premiums next year. The major part of a strong investment performance was contributed by equity investments.

Average refunds of 7.3 percent

As a result, Suva is able to invest many of its assets in real estate and alternative investments. Overall, the number of accidents fell by ten percent. The sharpest decline in occupational accidents was recorded in aviation, with a drop of 54 percent. In total, Suva received 431,827 reported accidents and occupational illnesses. In addition, due to restrictions on recreational sports activities, accidents in team sports were also down. For example, there were 37 percent fewer soccer accidents. This resulted in a large surplus of 253 million Swiss francs, which will be refunded to policyholders in the form of lower premiums in 2022.

"Suva's insured will benefit from historically low premiums in 2022," said Felix Weber, Chairman of Suva's Executive Board, at the annual media conference.

The premium burden for insured persons will be historically low next year, due to the surplus of investment income of CHF 779 million, or 22 percent of net premiums. Thanks to the positive investment income, 15 percent of net premiums are to be refunded for all classes and lines of insurance. Net premiums for 2022 will remain stable for workers' compensation insurance; net premiums for non-workers' compensation insurance will be slightly higher. The amount of the premium reduction would be defined by the effectively observed cost decrease of the respective risk class. On average, reimbursements will amount to 7.3 percent of net premiums for occupational accident insurance and 6.8 percent for non-occupational accident insurance, according to Suva.

To the Suva Annual Report 2020

Factsheet Suva on premiums 2022

Source: Suva

At the Mont Terri underground laboratory in St.-Ursanne (JU), experiments have been conducted on clay rock since 1996. The focus is also on research into the possibilities of storing radioactive waste and storing CO2 in deep repositories.

Opening of the laboratory in the Opalinus Clay formation in 1996

The scientific management is in the hands of the Federal Office of Topography. In her speech, Federal Councillor Viola Amherd praised the importance of the laboratory for research. The Jura rock laboratory is located 300 meters below the earth's surface and is adjacent to the safety tunnel of the A16 highway tunnel under Mont Terri.

The first experiments were carried out in 1996. Due to its success, the laboratory was gradually expanded and today extends as a pure research institute in a tunnel of about 1.2 kilometers. According to the Federal Office of Topography, more than 150 experiments have been conducted to date. In 70 percent of the ongoing experiments, the Opalinus clay rock is examined for its properties for the future storage of radioactive waste in deep repositories. The experiments are often long-term, and a third of them are still in progress.

Source: Federal Office of Topography

Virtual training environments, in which, for example, electrical planners and industrial employees learn new work processes on complex machines in a safe environment, are becoming increasingly important. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts wants to show what added value these technologies offer and whether investments are already worthwhile with a new center at the Department of Computer Science.

The Immersive Realities Center (IRC) will also be available for schools and vocational colleges. "Processes such as electrical circuits can be taught in a more vivid and lively way than with conventional learning materials," says IRC co-director Antonio Russo. The offering includes a showroom and an interactive room to learn about VR and AR infrastructures.

An initial training project has already been launched with the Gewerblich-industriellen Bildungszentrum Zug. A new focus of study in VR and AR is also a major of the Department of Computer Science in the area of Augmented & Virtual Reality, which has been started since the fall semester. Among other things, the focus module teaches the technical fundamentals of AR and VR as well as user guidance in virtual environments, according to the HSLU.

Source: HSLU 

The National Center for Cybersecurity (NCSC) recommends securing all access points with strong passwords. Data leaks occur time and again, especially on online platforms. However, the strongest password alone is of no use. For example, you should remember to lock the screen when you are actively working on a device.

The basic idea of a secure password is: For security reasons, passwords should preferably always consist of upper and lower case numbers and letters. According to "G-Data", if one were to use a powerful computer capable of testing a million passwords per second, it would take 29 years to calculate an eight-digit password from upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers and characters in the longest case.

There are various strategies for a secure password besides 2-factor authentication. A dilemma: Every website and every online service requires passwords. Of course, you can also use password managers, but a simple password management can do a lot.

Go for catchy tunes

Think of a phrase and take a song lyric or a quote from a movie. Take the first letters of the first five words and insert a special character with each letter. This game can be repeated with different online services using colors for different services, for example.

If your favorite song is called "Kiosk" - with the refrain "Bini Gottfriedstutz e Kiosk" - and you associate a blue color with Facebook, the password phrase for Facebook could be: B#G#e#KBlau. But maybe there is a password that should be very unique and based on a completely different phrase from other services.

This is especially important for email addresses, for example: Because, whoever can access your e-mail account once, not only gains access to your mails, but possibly also to your frequently used websites with the associated password phrases. In a so-called bruteforce attack, attackers try to obtain a password by guessing it. When a password is guessed, it is repeatedly tested on different platforms.

Another way to remember a password can be a sentence, for example, "I go to bed at 10 p.m. every night." This then becomes IgjAu22UiB!.

Replace letters using the alphabet

A simple encryption algorithm was probably already known to the Roman generals. In order to transmit secret military messages securely, individual letters in the alphabet were shifted by one letter each for the purpose of encryption. Cat then becomes Lbuaf, for example.

The method is efficient, but should be enriched with special characters and numbers. Thus, it is better to remember a string like Lbuaf#1, but do not write down the password anywhere and do not change the appended number for multiple online services.

Disable password storage in browser

It's convenient to save passwords in the browser all the time, but there are risks involved. After all, no system is one hundred percent secure. How to disable password storage in your browsers:

Firefox

• Open Firefox
• Click on the far right of the application menu on Settings. The icon consists of three horizontal lines in the navigation bar of the browser.
• Click on the menu item on the left Privacy and security
• Make sure that there is no check mark in either box under "Credentials and Passwords".

Chrome

• Open Chrome
• Click Chrome's three-dot menu icon on the far right.
• Click Settings.
• Click on the menu item on the left Privacy and security.
• Click Passwords and flip the switch for "Offer to save passwords".

No-Go: Do not use names of family members or your cat

At best, this technique will make you remember a password better, but beware: such information can sometimes be spied from social networks or people search engines. Using your partner's name or your pet cat everywhere is safer than using phrases like 123456, but not a better tactic.

Oliver Hirschi, lecturer and head of "eBanking - but secure!" at the HSLU, knows a simple trick for creating strong, easy-to-remember passwords, and brings it in a YouTube video also to the point: It is important to have a strong password that is at least twelve characters long and consists of upper and lower case letters and at least one special character.

In addition, care should be taken not to use the same password everywhere. If strong passwords are used, the chance of being hacked is relatively smaller than if easy-to-guess passwords are used. He also points to sentence memorization as a way to come up with a password. Ideally, it should be a sentence that is particularly easy to remember. Ideally, you should also take the punctuation marks and special characters from it.

Conclusion

Always remember to use strong passwords - not just as a poor excuse. Kaspersky advises the following tips, for example:

• The length of the password is very central to using strong passwords.
• The uniqueness of the password is also very important. Therefore, always use a unique password for each web service!
• If you want, make your passwords personal to make them easier to remember, but still make sure to follow the basic rule of a secure combination of upper and lower case numbers and characters!

This technical article appeared in the printed edition SicherheitsForum 5-2021.

You want to read the articles of this issue? Then close right now here a subscription.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion Define Health as a state of physical, mental and social well-being. The definition implies that there is no health without mental health and that health should be seen as a state of physical, mental and social well-being. However, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBT) workers are according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) continue to be exposed to harassment and bullying in the workplace.

Musculoskeletal diseases

There is still a lack of protection and promotion of their health and safety in the workplace. These stress factors often lead to fatigue, depression and burnout among these employees. In a detailed article (in English) study authors from EU-OSHA and the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency explain how the research gap on the safety and health of LGBT people in the workplace can be closed.

According to the report, LGBT people are still exposed to many psychosocial risks such as discrimination, bullying and harassment in the workplace. According to the authors of the study, better work organization and management could reduce many of the factors that make those employees ill.

Frequent consequences of poor work organization among LGBT people are risks of depression, a generally poor state of health, anxiety, stress and fatigue, the study concludes. Other factors such as job dissatisfaction and burnout can be associated with sickness-related absences, it continues.

Poor mental health among LGBT workers often has an impact on the physical health of employees and leads to a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders such as neck tension, neck pain and back pain.

Source: EU-OSHA

As the IT non-fiction author Günter Born in his tech blog reports, there is speculation that Volvo Cars has been the victim of a successful cyberattack. He refers to screenshots and to a security researcher with Twitter alias "SecuNinja" (@secuninja), according to which the Snatch ransomware gang claimed to have carried out the successful ransomware attack.

However, it remains unclear whether an incident actually occurred. Ransomware attackers often brag on the darknet about screenshots of captured documents and their ransom demands. According to the Swiss news portal "Inside-IT", a spokesman for the Volvo Group would not comment on the attack, but would not deny it either.

"Snatch" is known as a cryptovirus that demands a ransom in bitcoin, and was in 2019 circulating. At that time, the malware primarily attacked Windows systems and rebooted the target computers in each case because most security solutions do not work in safe mode.

Source: borncitiy.com

A digital application for the burglar alarm system is definitely nothing new, and as digitalization continues, the possibilities are becoming more extensive and smarter.

As in almost every area, the opportunities and application possibilities with digital applications are manifold and seem to be limitless. Especially in the lower market segments of intrusion detection systems, there are a variety of offers that allow full access to the system via cloud with a digital application. When an alarm is detected by the motion detector, a photo is automatically taken with the camera integrated in the detector and transmitted to the user's smartphone. However, security applications are also often integrated into smart home systems, which brings additional convenience to the user, as he can manage and switch everything at a glance.

Self-sufficient system provided

However, the question now arises: Where does the convenience and benefit begin with professional security systems of digital applications and what does this mean for the security of the intrusion detection system? The application possibilities should bring a gain and additional benefit to the existing possibilities of a stand-alone intrusion detection system.

Before digital applications can be used, it is important to have a stand-alone intrusion detection system that - without an app - can only be operated with the control devices installed on site, because it can always be the case that a mobile end device is not available for reasons such as an empty battery, non-existent reception or maintenance work on the cloud or server. It is important to distinguish which user has which rights when operating the device. This is the only way to ensure that only manipulations that are purely for operation, such as arming/disarming, are carried out and that parameters are not changed through ignorance, which leads to reduced detection of the system.

Advantages and disadvantages of digital monitoring control

In the event of an alarm, even today the only information available from the alarm transmission side is often that an intrusion alarm has been triggered, for example - without any further information. With the possibility to push events to a mobile application in real time, a location-independent notification can be realized, in addition to the autonomous and locally connected operating device to the EMA system.

However, a professional alarm transmission device is essential. Only with alarm transmission to an alarm receiving point manned during 24 hours does an intrusion detection system achieve its maximum possible effect. With the possibility of having detailed information available by means of a digital application, an intervention can be specifically initiated (or not). A false alarm is reset remotely and the detector is temporarily taken out of service. It is also possible to save travel time during an event analysis, as the event memory can be conveniently viewed from the office.

More convenient management

Access to an intrusion detection system with digital applications can also be very helpful in the daily challenges of operating buildings that are equipped with security systems. During conversion work, shutdowns of zones or individual detectors can be carried out remotely in consultation with the operators on site.

Thus, the building services or the person responsible for safety can operate the system at short notice without being on site. It enables the management of individual parameters of a plant or even of several plants at the same time. Thus, in the sum of all applications, the possibility arises to achieve cost savings in the operation of the plants.

The management of multiple sites can also be significantly simplified. For example, if an employee forgets his code for operating the intrusion alarm system or leaves the company, a code can be deleted or changed centrally by the responsible system operator in real time.

New EMA SES guidelines
Since April 1, 2021, the Swiss Association of Security System Installers (SES) has issued a revised intrusion alarm system guideline, which for the first time describes the requirements for smart device applications in a separate chapter. The minimum requirements for smart device applications for intrusion detection systems are described.
The safety level EN-CH 2 to 4 is defined for all break detection systems.

In the course of an internationally coordinated Europol action against ransomware attacks, one person was arrested in Binningen on October 26, 2021. This was also communicated by the public prosecutor's office of Basel-Landschaft in a communication from last Thursday.

Twelve individuals from Ukraine and Switzerland were targeted in the Tuesday, November 26, 2021 operation. The individuals are suspected of conducting ransomware attacks against over 1800 compromised individuals/institutions in 71 countries.

The person arrested in Binningen was subsequently questioned on the basis of an international request for legal assistance from the Paris public prosecutor's office. Various items of evidence were secured.

The Basel-Land public prosecutor's office is simultaneously conducting criminal proceedings at the national level against the accused person on suspicion of data corruption and money laundering.

According to Europol, the twelve arrested are key players in a criminal network. During the arrests of the other members, a total of more than 52,000 US dollars and five luxury vehicles were seized.

The internationally led operation took place in cooperation with the Basel-Land police, the Federal Office of Police Fedpol and with the European police office Europol.

Source: Public Prosecutor's Office of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft, Europol

Every year, the Swiss Association for Company First Aid (SVBS) awards the "First Aiders of the Year". The so-called "SVBS Award" is aimed at innovative projects or exemplary operations in the field of first aid. The motivation behind this is, on the one hand, the praise of the association and, on the other hand, the communication of touching stories to other first responders so that they are even more motivated to act correctly in an emergency. This year, two SVBS Awards were presented in November. as part of the First Aider Symposium at the KKL Lucerne awarded.

Team spirit and immediate action at a Christmas market

The traditional award of 2019 could only be presented this year due to the pandemic. It went to Manuela Greco. The course instructor and Samaritan teacher of the SV Neuhausen am Rheinfall is a professionally active company paramedic. She initiated, without hesitation, resuscitation on a man who was affected by cardiac arrest.

Between lined up trees at a Christmas tree sale lay a man who suddenly fell to the ground as if "struck by lightning". By chance, a former trainer of the Samaritan was also on the scene. The active firefighter knew the area well and immediately ordered the fire department to get the defibrillator. It worked like a perfectly coordinated team. The resuscitation was started immediately without any big words. Two firefighters quickly rushed over to start chest compressions, while the first-aider took over the procedure with the AED and her colleague assisted with bag resuscitation.

Prevented a dangerous eye burn in just a few minutes

This year, the SVBS Award 2020 went to IBM Research Zurich. According to the SVBS, the company's first-aid team provided exemplary assistance in an emergency involving an incident with caustic soda in the eye of an employee in the summer of 2020. While emptying a canister, a splash of caustic solution got into the employee's eye via the bottom of the canister - behind his glasses. The employee then immediately ran to the sink and rinsed his eye.

When someone from his team returned to the workplace, he heard screams from his injured colleague. He sent him to fetch the eye wash bottle. On the way, his colleague immediately alerted the company ambulance and then immediately took care of the affected employee again.

The three company paramedics who were alerted were on the scene within two minutes with additional eye wash bottles. Only about ten minutes later, the police and rescue services were also on the scene and about forty minutes later the incident was already being debriefed.

In addition to the SVBS Award, the winners received a voucher worth 2500 Swiss francs from IVF Hartmann AG of the betriebsapotheke.ch platform. Anyone who would like to inspire other first responders with their stories may submit a Online form send in. Next year's award ceremony will take place on November 5, 2022 - again in Lucerne.

Source: SVBS 

Older people who have to do manual work outdoors or on farms are particularly at risk if they fall. The situation is aggravated in winter by slippery conditions. Older people often suffer very serious injuries. The consequences of such an accident are therefore also a burden on the company if the worker is unable to work.

Walk slowly and achieve more safety with simple means

The Advisory Service for Accident Prevention in Agriculture has some tips on important measures to take in winter:

• Autumn leaves, in particular, should be removed early as they become a treacherous slip trap when combined with wet conditions.
• Room equipment, shovels, brooms and gritting materials are best always deposited within easy reach at entrances to residential buildings
• If possible, the flights of stairs should always be cleared of snow.
• Icy surfaces must be regularly sprinkled with road salt, but also the thawed "ice slush" should always be removed.
• Snow-covered roofs should only be walked on if there is a good reason for doing so, as the risk of slipping is particularly high there.
• Dark outdoor areas become safer when they are well visible and secured by suitable LED spotlights with motion detectors.

The advice center also recommends suitable protective equipment. This includes, for example, well-fitting shoes with non-slip treads. Shoe spikes, which can also be fitted, provide additional protection against slipping. When climbing stairs, you should also hold on tight to the handrail. The general rule for slippery conditions is to walk slowly and take short steps ("penguin gait"). Do not look at your cell phone while walking. In very poor visibility conditions, a headlamp is advisable. Finally, the BUL also has a tip for older people: They can protect themselves with regular strength and balance exercises, at least preventively, so that they do not suffer serious injuries in the event of a fall.

Source: BUL