Rapid transformations of work environments due to digitalization and introduction of new forms of work, also prompted by COVID-19 give rise to new occupational safety and health (OSH) challenges. At the same time, traditional risks and high-risk sectors such as mining, forestry and construction should not be overlooked.
If you want to learn more about the latest topics, developments and trends in occupational safety and health, you can now buy tickets for events at the 38th International A+A Congress 2023. The online Ticket Shop is now open, and a constantly updated overview of congress events is available. The 38th A+A Congress takes place from 24 to 27 October 2023 in Düsseldorf – it is Germany’s leading joint event for safety and health with European and international appeal. The International A+A Trade Fair, the WearRAcon Europe Congress for Exoskeleton Technology, and the Society of Work Science (GfA) Autumn Conference run in parallel as part of the Congress programme.
Under the motto “People Matter” numerous exhibitors will be presenting innovative solutions and concepts revolving around safe and healthy work at A+A 2023. This year, the overarching theme of the leading international trade fair will be the two megatrends digitalisation and sustainability. The tickets for A+A 2023, held from 24 to 27 October 2023, are available as of now. Organisers have changed the hall concept and optimised routing at the exhibition centre.
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) launched its flagship report Occupational safety and health in Europe: state and trends 2023 at the 2023 Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Summit in Stockholm. It provides a comprehensive review of the state and contextual developments of OSH in the European Union over the past years and provides insights into emerging trends.
The 38th International A+A Congress 2023 is taking form: sustainable strategies for safety and health at work will be one of the core themes of the congress, which takes place alongside the A+A Trade Fair from 24 to 27 October 2023 in Düsseldorf. Basi, the German Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health, conducted a survey of experts on this topic. “Sustainable businesses not only have environmentally friendly production processes, but also social sustainability and good working conditions. Safety and health at work is essential for this”, stated Federal Minister of Labour Hubertus Heil when talking about the topics of the 38th International A+A Congress.
Exosceletons play a prominent role as tomorrow’s ergonomic tools. An important conference in this field is WearRAcon Europe which will be held at A+A from 25 – 26 October 2023 for the first time. The Conference will be organised by the Fraunhofer Institute IPA in cooperation with the Stuttgart University and the Wearable Robotics Association (WearRA). The 38th A+A Congress, which is held by Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit (German Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health - Basi) will be closely dovetailed thematically and in terms of content with it.
In a small village in Ecuador, Vicky during daytime goes fishing and in the evening, she runs a little bar. Vicky belongs to the local trans community and she balances her physically tough work at sea with feminine elegance in her private life. ‘The Beach of Enchaquirados’ (Ecuador, 2021) shows how LGBTI people can be accepted in a remote fishing community. The jury was especially appreciative of “how this film shows that togetherness and solidarity are important dimensions of working life, showing that community spirit contributes to individual resilience.”
It’s not just the physical demands of a job that can cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Psychosocial factors such as excessive workloads, low job satisfaction and lack of support may contribute to or even worsen MSDs. Equally, MSDs can contribute to stress and mental overload. The current Healthy Workplaces campaign of EU-Osha aims to enhance understanding of the links between psychosocial risks and MSDs and recommends effective prevention approaches and examples of good practice.
The use of artificial intelligence-based worker management (AIWM) systems can help design healthy and safe jobs and workplaces, but it may also bring about risks to workers such as intensification of work, loss of job control and dehumanisation. A new report outlines the risks and opportunities of AIWM systems for occupational safety and health.
Digitalisation has been clearly identified an emerging occupational safety and health (OSH) issue by the 2019 European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER). But despite the increasing use of robots, laptops, smartphones or wearable devices, less than one in four workplaces (24 %) are having discussions about the potential impact of such technologies on the safety and health of workers.