Occupational Safety: High Risk

Four in ten workers claim that safety in the workplace is not considered to be a particularly important issue. These are the findings of a representative survey of 1,000 workers from across Germany performed on behalf of expert organization DEKRA. According to information provided by employees, many companies still do not do enough with regard to health and safety at work.

• Safety regulations not followed by four in ten workers
• Shortcomings in safety culture and health protection
• DEKRA to present concepts at the A+A 2017 trade fair in Düsseldorf

In the survey, 41% of workers surveyed said that managers or employees at their company do not, or do not always, follow safety rules and regulations. The representative survey of 1,000 workers between the ages of 18 and 65 was carried out by opinion polling institute forsa on behalf of DEKRA in the run-up to the occupational health and safety trade fair A+A 2017 in Düsseldorf, from October 17 - 20, 2017.

Even regular safety training, which is actually required by law, is often carelessly treated. Approximately two thirds of workers (67%) stated that training and information on occupational health and safety is provided at their company on a regular basis. However, one third of companies provide safety training only when employees join the company (17%) or not at all (15%). According to DEKRA experts, this is a sign of an overall poor safety and management culture.

Nevertheless, six in ten employees have access to additional occupational health services provided by their employer. For example, 33% of employees say their workplace is designed to promote occupational health. 28% of companies have partnerships with sports facilities or fitness studios, 26% provide relaxation courses, stress management or massages and 24% offer back classes or walking trips (multiple responses). According to the responses provided, these types of services are not offered to workers at 39% of companies.

A disparate picture can be observed in relation to the type of stress experienced in the workplace. According to the DEKRA survey, considerably more respondents suffer from psychological rather than physical stress. 79% of respondents indicated psychological stress at their workplace as “quite high” (52%) or “very high” (27%). Only 41% of respondents indicated physical stress at their workplace as “quite high” (31%) or “very high” (10%).

Here, the exception is manual workers, with 78% still indicating physical stress as “very high” or “quite high” in contrast to office workers and civil servants. Occupational health and safety experts from DEKRA observe that this underlines the continuing vital importance of ergonomics and aids for physically demanding activities.

The expert organization DEKRA will be presenting its services at the A+A trade fair for occupational health and safety between October 17 and 20 in Düsseldorf. There it will showcase solutions for occupational safety and workplace health management, training and courses, medicines at work and when driving, services related to hazardous substances and concepts for a consistent corporate and management culture.

DEKRA at the A+A 2017 in Düsseldorf

Hall 10/stand C50