"Our basic mission remains enforcement and control".
During the pandemic, the number of registered leisure-time accidents declined - but this is no reason for Suva to remain active in the area of leisure-time prevention in addition to the prevention of occupational accidents. After all, even leisure accidents incur costs for the company if employees are unable to come to work. The editorial team of SAFETY-PLUS spoke with Suva CEO Felix Weber about the thrust of the prevention strategy.
Mr. Weber, in which core prevention areas will Suva invest more?
We are pursuing our 2020+ prevention program. As part of this program, we are focusing on a culture of prevention. In this culture, it should be a matter of course for all employees in a company to pay attention to safety and health. We support companies on this path with our consulting services and specific prevention offerings. The topic of prevention culture will of course also be of central importance in the context of the prevention focal points that continue to be important: asbestos, vital rules, heavy physical loads, protection against natural UV radiation, safe apprenticeship periods, etc. These focal points are important topics for the coming years.
The risk of accidents during leisure time may remain constantly high. What does this mean for Suva's prevention work?
It is important for us to show companies that costs are also incurred when employees have accidents during their free time and are therefore absent. The indirect costs are usually much higher. For example, if a company loses an order due to the absence of employees and this even results in a contractual penalty. We counter this with a holistic approach: namely, to make companies aware that their employees should also pay more attention to safety in their free time, e.g., that they should also take to heart the careful use of a drill at home.
Why has your focus in sports been very much on football lately?
We want to be active where we can have the greatest impact. In the focus on sports, this is football with the over 40,000 accidents that happen every year. But many accidents also occur in snow sports, cycling and mountain biking. When we address the entrepreneurs on the subject of occupational safety in the company, we use the cooperation to also address the aspect of leisure accidents. It is important for us to build this bridge with our customers.
How will Suva fulfill its role as an implementing body for company inspections?
Our basic mission is and remains the enforcement of the Accident Insurance Act (UVG) and monitoring in the companies. In addition, we are increasingly using digital tools to reach more companies. For example, we have introduced self-monitoring, in which companies can carry out an independent assessment of their situation using an online questionnaire. They then receive suggestions from us for targeted measures and further information to increase the level of safety. So far, around 15,000 customers have taken advantage of our service. This is not a substitute for our checks, but is intended to help increase coverage and active use of digital tools. However, on-farm checks still remain in place.
What do you see as the biggest challenges for Suva in the coming years?
What will certainly continue to gain in importance is prevention and occupational health management. In times of a shortage of skilled workers and a lack of learners, taking care of one's own employees is of central importance. We help here with practice-oriented instruments. We offer a wide range of preventive services - from self-service modules to consulting and integrated safety.
