Sports vacations in neighboring countries are popular. This is also shown by Suva's Accident figures. According to statistics from Switzerland's largest accident insurance company, the proportion of snow sports accidents has risen from 12 to 20 percent over the past two decades. This corresponds to around 6200 accidents per year, which is one fifth of all 33,000 snow sports accidents. According to Suva, most of these accidents occur in Austria, followed by France and Italy.

Suva reminds people that it is worth checking their current insurance when taking a sports vacation abroad. In principle, only those who are employed for at least eight hours a week are automatically insured for leisure accidents. In this case, the compulsory accident insurance covers the costs of medical treatment within the EU or EFTA.

However, if treatment takes place in the private ward of a public hospital or in a private clinic, additional costs arise that may have to be borne by the patient. It is therefore worth taking a close look at which costs are covered and, if necessary, taking out additional travel insurance. Suva also points out a number of basic prevention tips, to prepare as well as possible for winter sports.

Source: Suva

With the entry into force of the new criminal records law on January 23, 2023, a major IT project at the federal government will come to a successful conclusion. Due to the technical innovations, the price for ordering an extract from the criminal record has also been reduced. This now costs CHF 17 instead of CHF 20.

New look for the criminal record extract

The criminal record extract has also been revised and given a clearer appearance. According to the Federal Office of Justice, however, there will be no changes to the ordering process. As before, the information can be accessed via a Order form via internet and then print it out, sign it, and send it in by mail. It is also planned that the ordering process will one day be fully digital (via the e-ID). It will still be possible to order a statement over the post office counter.

Courts, public prosecutors' offices and prison authorities now have the option of storing data from their own systems directly in the new system in order to simplify digitization in criminal justice. The "New Vostra" project was launched in 2016, and the revised procedure should now make it possible to respond more quickly and easily to new findings and better involve the cantons in the development process.

Source: Federal Office of Justice

As a result of the corona pandemic and the massive increase in demand for FFP2 masks, various new mask manufacturers entered the market in spring 2020. In addition to the already established FFP2 masks with head straps, FFP2 masks with ear loops are now also available. Nevertheless, Suva recommends that companies continue to provide their employees only with FFP2 and FFP3 masks with head straps, as they did before the pandemic. These are less prone to errors in use and generally fit closer to the face.

Test results speak for headband masks

As the market regulator of FFP masks used in occupational contexts, Suva has intensified its inspection activities since the outbreak of the coronal pandemic and has tested FFP2 masks with ear loops and with headbands. The evaluation of our extensive testing of over 100 FFP2 masks has shown that headband masks generally offer better protection than ear loop masks.

Ear loop masks are more error-prone in use

The reason for this is not a reduced quality of the filter material in ear loop masks, but that these are more difficult to handle and therefore more prone to errors in use than headband masks. An FFP mask can only develop its protective effect if it sits close to the face. At the same time, face shapes are very different.

Laboratory tests with various test subjects have shown that ear loop masks lead to very different and sometimes unsatisfactory results depending on the shape of the face - even though the test subjects were wearing ear loop masks from the same production batch.

On the other hand, Suva found that the FFP2 masks tested with headgear gave much more consistent test results regardless of the different face shapes: With headbands, the masks fit closer to the face and thus protect better than masks with ear loops.

How do I do a seal seat check?

When checking the seal, exhale strongly while wearing the mask and observe the airflow, especially at the nose and chin, to compare different models. Also be sure to tighten the straps on headgear masks as needed.

Whether FFP masks with headgear or ear loops are used, the manufacturer's operating instructions must always be followed.

Tips for best possible respiratory protection

• Not every respirator fits every face. Order samples and have your employees perform fit checks to find out which products fit your employees' face shapes.
• The design of the FFP mask (vertical wrinkle mask, horizontal wrinkle mask, cup shape, etc.) also affects how close the mask sits to the face.
• Shape the nose clip so that the mask seals well.

More information

How to recognize correct FFP2 or FFP3 respirators.

On the first Wednesday of each February, the functional readiness of sirens is tested throughout Switzerland - both the General Alarm and the Water Alarm sirens. This year, the siren test will be triggered on February 1. The population does not have to take any measures.

Information to protection seekers from Ukraine

This year there is an increased risk that the siren test will cause uncertainty and fear among those seeking protection from Ukraine. For this reason, the Federal Office for Civil Protection has provided the cantons with information on the siren alert in Ukrainian so that they can inform the people concerned.

The sirens will sound the general alarm at 13:30, a regular ascending and descending wail lasting one minute. If necessary, the siren test can be continued until 14:00.

Parallel test for Alertswiss

In the near zones below dams, the water alarm is tested from 14:00 until 16:30 at the latest. The signal consists of twelve low continuous tones of 20 seconds each at intervals of ten seconds.

With Alertswiss Web and App, the FOCP has expanded its range of tools in the area of incident communication. In parallel with the triggering of the general siren alarm, an information message will also be triggered on cell phones via the Alertswiss app on 1 February 2023.

Further advice and recommendations on how to behave can be found on the FOCP website, on the Alertswiss website and in the teletext of the SRG broadcasters, pages 680 and 681.

Source: FOCP - Federal Office for Civil Protection

The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) calls in cooperation with Einhell AG in an information letter the hedge trimmer "ARCURRA 18/55" back. On the affected shears, several screws were tightened in an undefined manner during the assembly of the housing shells of the front handle. It may happen that the blade runs even though both hands are not holding the handles and operating the switches. This poses a risk of accident for users.

Customers are requested to stop using the affected products and contact Einhell AG customer service for exchange.

If consumers have any questions, they can contact Einhell AG:
Phone: 052 235 87 87
E-mail: info@einhell.ch

Source: AAIB

According to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, the entire heating sector in Switzerland today accounts for around 50 percent of Switzerland's energy consumption and causes more than 35 percent of CO2 emissions. In order to achieve the net-zero emissions target, the heat demand (heating and hot water in buildings and process heat in industry) must be completely covered with renewable energies and CO2-free by 2050.

The 2050 heating strategy is based on the SFOE's Energy Perspectives 2050+, which examined various net-zero scenarios. Achieving the climate target requires both a switch from fossil to renewable energy sources and a reduction in consumption: in 2050, energy consumption in the heating sector should be around 30 percent lower than in 2020.

Around 60 organizations were consulted on the draft of the 2050 heating strategy (municipalities, cantons, energy companies, construction industry, business associations, educational organizations, environmental associations, etc.). Around 70 percent of the respondents consider the heating strategy to be realistic or rather realistic. The feedback was taken into account in the final version of the 2050 heating strategy.

The Strategy paper describes in a target picture 2050 and in text form the respective measures for a total of ten topic areas: Building Efficiency; Heating Systems; Process Heat: Thermal Networks; Thermal Energy Storage; Electrification; Renewable Gases and Synthetic Fuels; Confederation, Cantons and Municipalities; Legislation; Skilled Workers.

Various new measures are already underway, which are currently being discussed in parliament or are already ready for implementation. The revision of the CO2 Act and the indirect counter-proposal to the Glacier Initiative in particular support the switch from fossil to renewable heating systems.

Source: Federal Office of Energy

Inflammation, bronchitis, asthma attacks, cardiovascular problems ... - an excerpt from the list of possible health problems caused by high concentrations of particulate matter: particles with a diameter of ten micrometers or less - called "PM10" - and even smaller "PM2.5" particles that enter our lungs from car exhaust, heating systems, industrial operations and natural sources. Although strict monitoring and abatement measures have reduced pollution levels in Switzerland since the 1990s, the problem persists in many places, especially in cities.

Particle size, composition, sources and effects of particulate matter are not easy to determine. One thing is certain: the smaller the particles, the deeper they reach the human lungs. But which fractions are particularly dangerous? And in what combinations and concentrations? To describe this, the new criterion "oxidative potential" was developed a few years ago: a term intended to describe the ability of inhaled particles to trigger the formation of so-called free radicals in the body, which can ultimately lead to inflammation.

Measurement campaign at five Swiss locations

Empa researchers Stuart Grange and Christoph Hüglin from the "Air Pollutants / Environmental Technology" department have investigated the suitability of this measure of health risk for Switzerland in greater detail - with an elaborate measurement campaign supported by the French "Université Grenoble Alpes". With the help of the National Air Pollutant Monitoring Network (NABEL), which Empa operates with the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), they collected particulate matter samples in the PM2.5 and PM10 categories around the clock between June 2018 and May 2019. The measuring stations covered the entire range of particulate pollution and were located in cities, the agglomeration and in rural areas south and north of the Alps.

In total, the experts analyzed around 900 samples in the laboratory - using test methods for oxidative potential that work with different analysis substances: Ascorbic acid (AA for short), dithiothreitol (DTT) and dichlorofluorescein (DFCH). In the AA test, the consumption of ascorbic acid, an important antioxidant, allows conclusions to be drawn about the oxidative "toxicity" of the particulate matter sample, for example due to contained metals. The other two methods work in a similar way, but use different substances for detection. Put simply, says Christoph Hüglin, the three methods offer different perspectives on similar biological processes.

Machine learning reduces complexity

In addition to the oxidative potential, a large number of chemical constituents of fine dust were analyzed. This resulted in a large amount of data on the elements, ions and organic substances that make up the fine dust in Switzerland. In order to identify the "suspicious substances" with the greatest oxidative potential in these masses of data, the Empa researchers used "machine learning" methods. More precisely, they used the "Random Forest" algorithm, which, metaphorically speaking, allows a forest of countless trees to grow, each of which makes decisions about relationships in the data - such as, in this case, the ingredients of particulate matter and the associated oxidative potential. In the end, a mean model is formed from the decisions of the entire forest.

In this way, the experts reduced the number of suspect ingredients to around a dozen, which they in turn analyzed using conventional calculation methods and models to finally track down the most important health hazards - various metals or even organic substances, which in turn provide clues to their origin and causes.

The results confirm known facts such as a clear urban-rural divide in particulate matter and its health consequences, as well as higher pollution in winter than in summer. Admittedly, there were exceptions: The values for the oxidative potential, related to the air volume, had increased particularly significantly in the south of Switzerland during the cold season - in areas that were polluted by smoke from wood combustion during this time.

The lowest mean values were found in rural areas, while the highest values over the entire period came from an urban and traffic-heavy measuring station. At busy intersections in cities, other emissions besides exhaust gases are a cause for concern: metals such as copper, zinc, and manganese indicate particulate matter components that may originate from the abrasion of car tires or brake pads, for example.

How exactly the criterion of oxidative potential can describe health hazards is currently the subject of controversial debate among experts. After all, even the most precise measurements and analyses of air pollutants do not answer open questions about inflammatory processes in the human body. But Empa researcher Hüglin, after the analyses with his team, at least assumes that meaningful measures can be derived from them: Although all fine dust particles could affect health - but with regard to the oxidative potential, the components from road traffic, which do not originate from exhaust gases, and from wood combustion should be given special attention in measures to protect the population.

Dangers due to fine dust

Particulate matter can be described as a mixture of solid and also liquid particles in the air - from anthropogenic sources such as engines or industrial exhaust gases or also natural sources such as volcanoes. While many particles enter the air directly through emissions (primary particles), secondary particles are first formed in the atmosphere through chemical reactions of gaseous compounds. Of particular importance for human health is respirable fine dust, whose particles have an aerodynamic diameter of less than ten micrometers. Particulate matter also includes so-called ultrafine particles, such as those from diesel engine exhaust, which penetrate deep into the lungs and can cause severe damage.

Source: Empa

For the seventh time in a row, Perimeter Protection will be held in Nuremberg from January 17-19, 2023. The focus in the exhibition halls will be on video surveillance, access control, fencing systems and building security. The last few months have shown how great the interest of the industry is after three years, it says in a Communication. The company has achieved a unique position among security planners by clearly focusing on the linking of mechanical, electrical and electronic measures for intelligent protection of outdoor areas and buildings.

200 mark just missed for exhibitors

In addition to the internationality of this year's exhibitors, almost 29 percent of the trade visitors in 2020 came from abroad, according to Nürnberg Messe- Pre-registration also already makes it clear that exhibitors can look forward to many trade visitors from abroad again in 2023.

The 200 mark for exhibitors was only just missed. New participants included suppliers from Ireland, Slovenia, Spain, Taiwan and the USA, says Frank Venjakob, head of the Perimeter Protection department. The fair started around 2010 with only 60 exhibitors, 20 percent from abroad at that time. The 20 percent growth in exhibition space shows the positive development of the exhibition and, according to its own figures, again exceeds the past best mark from 2020, Nürnberg Messe writes.

Source: Nuremberg Trade Fair

The German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) has published a Study on the effects of data storage in the workplace. The report shows that the digitization of work can also take the form of digital monitoring. After all, automatic data storage of work steps is already used in many processes today.

The evaluations show that data from a large number of employees in large German companies (40 percent) is already being stored automatically. More than a third of employees feel monitored as a result. However, employees experience a violation of privacy much less frequently (11 percent). 27 percent see data storage as an opportunity to organize work more efficiently.

Differences according to occupational characteristics

There are also differences depending on the occupational characteristics. For example, around 45 percent of employees in unskilled and semi-skilled jobs as well as in technical jobs report that data and information relating to their work is stored. Among employees in highly complex jobs, this applies to 31 percent. Employees in unskilled and semi-skilled jobs in particular perceive automatic data storage as surveillance.

The results indicate that the digital Monitoring is associated with poorer mental health and reduced autonomy. Thus, in addition to benefits such as improved process optimization or increased transparency in performance evaluation, automatic data storage can also bring new burdens and reinforce possible (existing) occupational inequalities.

Source: BAuA

The Allianz Risk Barometer is an annual ranking published by the eponymous corporate insurer with a view to the biggest corporate risks. The survey was addressed to 2712 risk experts from 94 countries. For the second year in a row, the Allianz Risk Barometer shows that companies currently see themselves most at risk from cyber incidents and business interruption. At the same time, they see inflation, an impending recession and the energy crisis as immediate threats to their business. Companies from Europe and the USA are particularly concerned about the ongoing "perma-crisis" now resulting from the consequences of the pandemic, but also from the economic and political consequences of the war in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Allianz writes that it is pleased that many of its customers are seeing continuous improvements in resilience and risk management. Many companies have made their supply chains more robust and are now better equipped to withstand disruptions to their business operations. There has also been increased investment in IT security. It seems that this has been the central task of many companies in recent years.

In 2023, however, the Allianz Risk Barometer's top four risks will remain across all company sizes. Furthermore IT failures, cyber incidents, ransomware attacks and data breaches ranked as the greatest risk, globally. According to the Allianz Cyber Center of Competence, the frequency of ransomware attacks remains elevated in 2023, while the average cost of a data breach is at an all-time high of $4.35 million and could cross the $5 million threshold this year. The conflict in Ukraine and other geopolitical tensions increase the risk of a large-scale cyberattack by state-sponsored actors. In addition, there is a growing shortage of cybersecurity professionals, which presents additional challenges to improving security.

For companies in many countries, 2023 is likely to be another year of increased risk for Business interruptions (BU), as many business models are vulnerable to sudden changes, which in turn affect revenues and profits. In countries such as Brazil, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden and the USA, business interruption is the second top risk worldwide.

The range of disruption sources is wide. Cyberattacks are the cause of BU most feared by companies (45 % of responses), followed by the energy crisis (35 %) and natural disasters (31 %). Skyrocketing energy costs have forced energy-intensive industries in particular to use energy more efficiently, move production to alternative locations, or even consider temporary shutdowns. The resulting shortages threaten to cause supply disruptions in a number of critical industries in Europe, such as food, agriculture, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, construction and manufacturing.

Risk ascenders and descenders

The energy crisis is the most worrisome risk, appearing in the Allianz Risk Barometer in new or 4th place (22 %). Some industries, such as chemicals, fertilizers, glass and aluminum production, can be dependent on a single source of energy - Russian gas in the case of many European countries - and are therefore vulnerable to disruptions to the Energy supply or price increases. When such basic industries experience problems, the impact can be felt in other sectors further down the value chain, according to Allianz. According to Allianz Trade, the energy crisis represents the biggest profitability shock for European companies. At current levels, the Energy prices wipe out profits for most industrial companies as pricing power dwindles in the face of weakening demand.

Economic crises

Macroeconomic developments such as inflation or volatility in economic and financial markets rank as the third biggest risk for companies worldwide in 2023 (25 % of responses), up from 10th place in 2022. It is the first time in a decade that this risk has "made it" into the top3. All three major economies - the United States (US), China and Europe - are in economic crisis at the same time, albeit for different reasons.

Source: AGCS

According to a Suva report around 5,300 people have accidents while walking or hiking each year in December, January and February. Yet a large number of these tripping and falling accidents could be prevented with simple measures. It is true that exercise in the fresh air is healthy even in the cold season. However, it is also important to wear appropriate clothing and shoes with a tread.

Work absences of up to three months

According to Suva statistics, accidents while walking and hiking during the winter months have tended to increase over the past ten years. While there were 3900 accidents in the year, in 2020, for example, there were already 5500 accidents on icy ground. According to Suva, most accidents occur in January, when temperatures usually drop even more.

Suva's statistics make people sit up and take notice: The six percent of accidents while walking on slippery terrain usually cause at least three months of lost work. Two accidents per year end fatally, and ten cases result in IV pensions. Accident insurers pay an average of 34 million Swiss francs annually for the consequences of careless winter walks.

Make sure you have winterized equipment

Most injuries usually affect the lower leg, ankle and foot. This is followed by injuries to the shoulders, elbows and arms. In third place are injuries to the hip, thigh and knee.

Suva also notes that physically fit people are usually more adept at balancing tricky situations due to snow and ice-covered surfaces. They usually have faster reaction times and better mobility.

Suva refers to eight general prevention tips:

• Check the current weather conditions before you leave the house.
• Wear winter-appropriate clothing and footwear with tread or spikes.
• Plan enough time for the way and/or the route. Because if you are in a hurry, you will fall faster.
• Use bright, high-visibility clothing and a flashlight and/or headlamp at dusk and/or in the dark.
• Use hiking poles. They give additional grip on slippery ground.
• Carry the cell phone in the inside pocket of the jacket. This keeps it always at hand and the battery lasts longer.
• Make sure you are fit enough: physically fit people are better able to handle tricky situations and are more likely to avoid slips and falls.
• Think of the others, too: Clear snow-covered entrances, paths and stairs.

Source: Suva

The ministers of culture from 31 European countries and various organizations from the construction and real estate industry met in Davos at the World Economic Forum (WEF). The occasion was the founding of the new initiative "Building Culture Allianceto drive forward the overarching dialogue at the international level. The newly created alliance is to be chaired by Switzerland for five years.

Increased dialog with politics and business

According to an Communication of the Federal Office of Culture to master the global challenges in planning and building with high quality in building culture for the time being. The reason for the alliance: according to the federal government, better designed cities, villages and landscapes require increased dialog with politics, business and civil society. The goals: a high level of building culture in Europe, which is to be based on the criteria of the Davos Quality System for Building Culture.

Energy transition and sustainable construction

"Good building culture has never been as important as it is today," said Alain Berset in Davos. Without it, there can be no sustainable development. Its promotion is also important in order to rapidly advance the energy transition. In addition, a sustainable building culture helps to counteract progressive urban sprawl in order to support the needs of an inclusive and diverse society, Berset said.

The working groups also discuss topics such as the circular economy, energy-efficient refurbishment and a certification system. The secretariat of the alliance is located at the World Economic Forum and forms the interface with the private sector.

Source: Federal Office for Culture