38th International A+A Congress 2023 closes: significant interest in real-world occupational safety solutions
The 38th International A+A Congress 2023, organised by the German Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health (Basi), was a showcase for sustainability in occupational safety. Some of the other topical issues discussed by the around 3,000 congress visitors included artificial intelligence and its potential applications, as well as the consequences of climate change. The A+A Congress was held in conjunction with the WearRAcon Europe Congress for Exoskeleton Technology and the autumn conference of the German Society of Workplace Science (GfA) in Düsseldorf.
Dr Christian Felten, Managing Director of Basi, expressed how pleased he was with the outcomes from the 38th A+A Congress, which took place between 24-27 October 2023 in Düsseldorf: ‘We’re delighted that the outstanding quality of the contributions from our more than 320 speakers across 46 sessions attracted so many enthusiastic attendees. Around 3,000 visitors were presented with a wide range of possible solutions to real-world problems, such as those resulting from mobile working and digitalisation in the workplace.’ Dr Felten went on to say that the numerous guests from abroad proved once more that the congress, as Germany’s leading event for workplace safety and health, is gaining in popularity both across Europe and internationally.
Among the presenters were well-known keynote speakers such as Professor Thomas Rigotti, Professor of Work, Organisational and Business Psychology at the University of Mainz and working group leader at the Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research. In the various sessions, experts addressed key topics of the GDA (Joint German Occupational Safety and Health Strategy) such as the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders and mental stress. The Vision Zero Days organised by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the ORP Foundation (Occupational Risk Prevention) focused on how accidents and illnesses in the workplace can be prevented altogether. Dr Mohammed Azman, the 17th President of the ISSA, travelled to Düsseldorf expressly for the congress.
The stage programme for the Trend Forum at the International A+A Trade Fair, organised by Basi, was a resounding success. Every day, hundreds of people attended the various sessions and were eager to ask questions. Numerous Basi members contributed to the sessions – they also had the opportunity to talk to visitors at the ‘Safety and Health Meeting Point’. The extensive poster exhibition, which Basi organised together with WearRAcon, attracted a great deal of interest.
The 39th International A+A Congress will take place from 4 to 7 November 2025.