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VIZE Europe: Meet international OSH experts in Germany

Aworking world with no severe accidents und diseases: How can the ambitious aims of the VISION ZERO prevention strategy be met? Find answers at the international “First VISION ZERO Europe Conference“ (VIZE Europe), an event a European network of OSH experts is inviting to. Next to innovative concepts for on-site prevention, VIZE Europe offers the chance to learn of solutions from Australian expert Jim Joy, introducing a newVI approach to identify and manage critical risks. Free of charge for BG RCI member companies and ISSA Mining members.

Fig. 1. At the international conference VIZE Europe experts explain how the safe extraction of raw materials works. // Bild 1. Wie sichere Rohstoffgewinnung funktioniert, erläutern Experten auf der internationalen Konferenz VIZE Europe. Photo/Foto: Helmut Ehnes

Fig. 1. At the international conference VIZE Europe experts explain how the safe extraction of raw materials works. // Bild 1. Wie sichere Rohstoffgewinnung funktioniert, erläutern Experten auf der internationalen Konferenz VIZE Europe. Photo/Foto: Helmut Ehnes

Large scale mining, mining in SME´s and related industrial activities are globally still seen as high risk businesses regarding safety and health at the workplaces. On the other hand there are many outstanding positive business cases to be found in Europe. At “VIZE Europe” these companies will tell how they achieved their success.

On this occasion, the mining university “Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola“ in Bochum, Germany will open its doors wide for OSH: from 7th to 9th September the 200 year old academy is going to be the venue for “VIZE Europe“. Renowned European partners will offer a joint platform for occupational safety and health (OSH), right in the heart of the German coal mining district. The organizers of VIZE Europe are the International Section of the ISSA for Prevention in Mining, the mining university Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola, the National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work in Italy INAIL, the Polish Social Insurance Institution ZUS together with the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the raw materials and chemical industry, BG RCI.

The conference will focus on the new VISION ZERO Prevention Strategy of the ISSA and its 7 Golden Rules for successful implementation and economical effective prevention in enterprises. The International Social Security Association (ISSA) is the world’s leading international organization for social security institutions, government departments and agencies. The ISSA promotes excellence in social security administration through professional guidelines, expert knowledge, services. By its new prevention strategy and the tools for systematic implementation a new leaf in safety & health will be turned over – VIZE Europe is a part of this.

VIZE Europe Conference Topics

Models of good practice, new instruments for leadership, organization and technology as well as impulses for economic operations – VIZE Europe opens a wide range of topics for efficient occupational safety and health – SME’s included.

The topics are:

  • The VISION ZERO Strategy – Illusion or Realistic Vision?
  • The 7 Golden Rules of ISSA to implement VISION ZERO in Companies.
  • Leadership in OSH.
  • Developing a Safety & Health Culture.
  • New Focus on Risk Management.
  • Cost – Benefit Analysis.
  • Solutions for SME´s.
  • Technological Trends – Industry 4.0, the “fourth industrial revolution”.
  • Competence needs Training and Qualification – Life Long Learning.
  • Investment in Healthy Workforce Pays.
  • Global Supply Chains – The European Responsibility.

VIZE Europe is mainly designed for employers and managers from large and small scale mining operations. It addresses as well worker’s representatives, OSH professionals (e. g. safety experts, physicians, and psychologists), industrial associations & unions, expert organizations, producers and suppliers, universities & students. Furthermore experts from social insurances, government and state labor inspectorates will be welcome. Participation is free. Program, information and announcement at the official website
www.vize-europe-conference.de.

At a Glance

VIZE Europe – First VISION ZERO Europe Conference
7th to 9th September 2016
Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola,
Herner Str. 45, 44787 Bochum, Germany
Conference languages: English and German
www.vize-europe-conference.de

VIZE_MRG_Partner

Deepening and strengthening strategic partnerships“ An interview with ISSA Mining’s new president Ulrich Meesmann

Deepening and strengthening strategic partnerships“ An interview with ISSA Mining’s new president Ulrich Meesmann

Ulrich Meesmann is Member of the Board of the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the raw materials and chemical industry (BG RCI), Heidelberg/Germany.

Ulrich Meesmann is Member of the Board of the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the raw materials and chemical industry (BG RCI), Heidelberg/Germany.

Mr Meesmann, since 1st April you are president of the international network ISSA Mining. What do you wish for and what is your expectations in this new role of yours?

ISSA Mining is well positioned already! For the future I have particularly three aims in mind.

For one, we need to deepen and strengthen the multifold strategic partnerships of ISSA Mining. To achieve a higher level of impact worldwide we also want to look at more countries in which mining plays an important role to gain more partners for cooperation and members as well.

Also it will be about communicating our strategy “Vision Zero – Safe Mining Worldwide“ and developing it more. The latter goes particularly for our range of services.

An additional focus will be dealing with the topics and questions of the future, such as fair conditions in production and labor, transparent supply chains and new fields in the mining business, take e-waste as an example, and their impact on occupational safety and health. On this I see us in dialog with our partners and members, collaborating to find solutions.

Your new additional assignment is certainly something like a warm start, since you are in a managing position in the German social accident insurance for twenty years. Also as a member of BG RCI’s management international cooperation is in your focus, and you have developed the collaboration with prevention stakeholders in other countries.

That is right. Since 2010, I am also responsible for BG RCI’s prevention, addressing more than one million insured persons in some 35,000 enterprises. This includes mining, a sector looking back at an outstanding development in occupational safety and health in Germany. In my opinion it is of high importance to multiply these experiences internationally. Needless to say I have learned of many more excellent examples mining operators throughout the world can benefit from. Those we find among others with our strategically well-established partners in Chile and Canada.

Is there any particular focuses ISSA Mining will pursue with you as president?

We pursue the VISION ZERO prevention strategy, aiming at a working world in which nobody gets killed or is hurt so severely that lifelong injuries remain. Success is only possible by the implementation from the industry’s side, and for this we came up with the “Seven Golden Rules”. Internationally we are receiving a fantastic feedback on this concept. I am particularly glad that the ISSA adapted our models as its central prevention strategy. I would like to further disseminate this concept internationally and develop it, since I am convinced of it. Also at BG RCI we successfully introduced VISION ZERO and its tools for implementation.

On top of this, we conducted a strategy workshop with 50 experts stemming from 20 different countries. After a very inspiring discussion we jointly developed several project ideas to combine our initiatives. This supports a culture of prevention as well as our aim of the VISION ZERO.

Mr Meesmann, when you look into the future: Where do you see ISSA Mining in 2026, in ten years?

We have made significant steps towards Vision Zero and convinced many mining operators throughout the world of this strategy. Our “Seven Golden Rules” help to save the lives of many miners worldwide, and we managed to establish an extensive culture of prevention. Businesses also benefit from higher profitability by improved safety and health at the workplaces.