Competence Centre for Climate Change and Occupational Safety and Health (KKA) at the IFA

Background

Climate changes caused by global warming present the occupational safety and health community with growing challenges. To fulfil its prevention mandate, the German Social Accident Insurance works towards ensuring a safe working environment for its insured individuals, even under these changing conditions - now and in the future.

As the average temperature in Germany continues to rise, so do impacts on workers’ health and risks to their safety. Examples include:

• Heat stress to which workers are exposed at both outdoor and indoor workplaces, during heavy physical work or when wearing protective clothing, or experienced by children and young people in schools and daycare centres
• More frequent extreme weather events, leading to a higher risk of accidents and injuries
• Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, leading to diseases such as skin cancer, or eye damage
• Shorter development cycles and better survival rates of pathogens such as bacteria or viruses and their vectors, such as mosquitoes or ticks, owing to higher temperatures throughout the year
• Greater mental stress on workers, triggered by concerns about the effects of climate change or by personal experience of disasters (for instance) resulting from extreme weather events that are a consequence of climate change

The effects of climate change are complex and mutually reinforcing, have a worldwide impact upon ecosystems and biodiversity, and jeopardize global security and stability. Against this background, occupational health and safety is (also) an interdisciplinary research task.

The progression of climate change will be determined largely by the level of current and future global greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonization measures are crucial for ensuring that if at all possible, the global surface temperature in 2100 does not exceed that in the period between 1850 and 1900 by more than 1.5 °C. At the same time, implementation of decarbonization processes and the transformation to a low-carbon economy must ensure safe and healthy work.

Work of the KKA at the IFA

The IFA has set itself the goal of supporting the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions and the companies and establishments insured by them in shaping safe and healthy work against the backdrop of climate change. To this end, the IFA conducts research and consulting on specific scientific and technical issues. The IFA also monitors and analyses trends as part of the DGUV Risk Observatory. The Competence Centre for Climate Change and Occupational Safety and Health pools the IFA’s expertise on the effects of climate change on occupational safety and health, expands this expertise, and networks for this purpose with other bodies across the DGUV and the individual German Social Accident Insurance Institutions.