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In the workplace and in leisure activities Accident prevention

Health protection and a sign of respect for your employees
Fewer absences and less administration
Fewer accidents at work or during employees' leisure time
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Key points at a glance
  • 1,000,000 accidents per year: Every year, over one million accidents occur in Switzerland during free time and at the workplace.
  • Raise awareness: Accident prevention teaches your employees the most important rules about preventing accidents and workplace safety.
  • Fewer absences: Safe conduct at the workplace reduces the risk of accidents and accident-related absences from work. That saves costs and resources.
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Why does accident prevention make sense?

On average, one fifth of all staff absences relate to accidents. These occur in the office, in the carpentry workshop, while snowboarding or on the way to work. Accidents always have one thing in common: They create problems for the victim as well as for the employer. The employee suffers pain, has to find his or her own way back to normal life again and above all get healthy. In the meantime, employers and colleagues hold the fort at work, take on extra work and work overtime. The administrative and organizational burden becomes quickly apparent throughout the company.

The top priority when it comes to accident prevention is protecting the health and safety of your employees. This is because only healthy employees are happy employees. Employers have an obligation to prevent occupational accidents, whereas preventing non-occupational accidents (NOAs) is voluntary. Many companies have successfully proven that it's also possible to exert a positive influence on their employees' behavior during their free time. The company and the health of the workforce benefit from this in equal measure. 

Health and safety at work and profitability

Protecting the health of your employees does not stand in the way of your company's profitability. Quite the opposite in fact. Measures that have proven their effectiveness minimize the workplace risks of accidents, occupational diseases and work-related health hazards – and they optimize costs.

  • Health protection
  • A sign of respect for your employees
  • Fewer hours lost
  • Less administration
  • Stable insurance premiums
  • Compliance with legal obligation as employer

Legal basis

Businesses insured under the Federal Accident Insurance Act (AIA) must comply with the Guideline on the Consultation of Occupational Physicians and Other Occupational Safety Specialists (ASA) issued by the Federal Coordination Commission for Occupational Safety  (FCOS) (note: target link is in German). This guideline is based on the Federal Act on Accident Insurance and the Ordinance on the Prevention of Accidents and Occupational Diseases (OPA).

Workplace accident prevention

The subject of health and safety at work should be dealt with in every company and discussed with employees. Many dangers lurk undetected and cannot be foreseen. Whether in building construction, restaurants or large offices, accidents can occur at any time regardless of the working conditions. Throughout Switzerland, there are twice as many non-occupational accidents as there are occupational ones. For companies with a high safety culture, this ratio changes to around 85% leisure time compared to 15% occupational accidents. Our tips and training courses help you identify these risks and therefore increase safety inside and outside your company. Our up-to-date prevention thus follows a holistic approach and combines technical safety, medical and first aid measures.

Basic training

The basic training on health and safety at work for companies is based on the Guidelines on the Consultation of Occupational Physicians and Other Occupational Safety Specialists (ASA). Training can be geared to the requirements of the entire workforce, management staff or any other employee group. You receive professional advice on workplace safety that is tailored to your company's specific needs. Every sector can benefit from basic training  – even companies with a supposedly low accident risk. Basic training is split into three levels:

  1. Immediate, on-site risk assessment by specialists and occupational safety specialists,
  2. Analysis of past cases and location of risks, as well as
  3. Advice on risk potential for new procurements, new buildings or conversions.

Training is geared to the requirements of the entire workforce, management staff or any other employee group.

 

Accident prevention in leisure time

Whether in road traffic, during sport or at home: Most accidents do not occur directly in the workplace, but on the way there or in leisure time. Statistically, falls account for the most accident victims, as they are responsible for every second non-occupational accident. The manner of an accident is irrelevant for employee and employer, as the consequences are the same: suffering and absence.

SafetyKits – Prevention of non-occupational accidents

In cooperation with the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU), we provide you with prevention material on various topics such as sports, house and garden. SafetyKits from the BFU are an ideal prevention tool for companies and can be obtained free of charge. Every SafetyKit is easy to understand and deals with a separate accident topic in compact form. For example, employees learn what the greatest accident risks are while out walking or what people working at home should look out for. 

More information on SafetyKits

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Accident insurance

Employers and companies are legally obligated to insure their staff. Mandatory accident insurance (AIA) covers the costs that can arise due to occupational and non-occupational accidents and occupational diseases. Read on to find out what this means for you in concrete terms.

More about accident insurance