Initial and further training

According to Paragraph 23, Book VII of the German Social Code (SGB VII), the German social accident insurance institutions are required to provide the necessary initial and further training of people, such as OSH specialists and OSH officers, who are entrusted by a company with implementing measures to prevent workplace accidents, occupational diseases and work-related health hazards, as well as making sure that there is effective first aid. This training is to ensure that these people receive the knowledge, competences and skills which are needed to effectively deal with issues related to safety and health.

Contemporary occupational safety and health (OSH) necessitates a thorough, holistic, process-oriented understanding of safety and health amongst employees. Initial and further training play a key role in the practical fulfilment of this requirement and the tackling of new challenges brought about by accelerated structural change throughout society. Quality assurance is therefore of decisive importance to the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) and its member institutions where the initial and further training of both in-plant target groups and their own prevention staff (and in particular labour inspectors) are concerned. The spectrum of required measures also includes cooperation in the training of junior physicians and the further training of qualified physicians.

The DGUV supports its members by developing and promoting programmes of qualification from the conceptualization phase right through to further training. Such programmes are targeted at labour inspectors and in-plant target groups (e.g. OSH professionals and other OSH-related target groups).

The Initial and Further Training Committee (AAW) contributes to the fulfilment of these duties in its role as the DGUV’s expert committee on initial and further training.