About us

The International Social Security Association (ISSA) is the principal international institution bringing together social security agencies and organizations. The ISSA’s aim is to promote dynamic social security as the social dimension in a globalizing world by supporting excellence in social security administration. Founded in 1927, the ISSA has its headquarters at the International Labour Office, in Geneva.

Preventing occupational risks has been an important ISSA task for nearly 50 years. The Special Commission on Prevention with its international Sections as members aims to initiate, coordinate and conduct international activities designed to promote in particular occupational safety and health.
In 2009 the Special Commission decided to develop and realize a practice-oriented working program for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) using the experience of as many partners as possible.  

AUVA  is the social insurance for occupational risks for more than 3,3 million working people and 1.4 million pupils and students. It is financed mainly by contributions paid by employers.  Its legal duties are: prevention of occupational accidents and diseases, occupational medical care, first aid for occupational accidents, post traumatic treatment, rehabilitation, financial compensation and research

AUVA offers advice, training, expert opinion and information in all questions related to occupational safety and health, to adapt the working process, the workplace and the individual protection. Safety experts visit the companies: they inform, advice and cooperate to find solutions. They offer safety and health assessment, counselling and training for employers and employees. They carry out safety and health protection activities.

Materials, equipment, machines and work processes are investigated with the aim of creating a human and safe working environment. The Safety Technology Testing and Research Centre carries out fundamental research and development. The Technical Safety Laboratory, a certified and officially licenced testing facility, offers European Conformity testing for manufacturers and producers.

One aim in occupational medicine is to provide protection against harmful influences at work. However, modern occupational medicine goes far beyond that, covering the entire individual and the work environment.

AUVA is explicitly authorised by law to carry out research in order to determine the most efficient means and methods to fulfil its duties. This applies to safety at the workplace as well as to methods of therapy. The results of research are valuable not only for AUVA but also its clients and patients: these results are made generally accessible through publications and events. Important research projects are usually carried out in cooperation with national and international partners.

The German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the energy, textile, electrical and media products sectors (BG ETEM) is the statutory accident insurance for approximately 3.8 million employees in more than 200,000 member companies. It supports its member companies in all issues relating to safety and health at work. In the event of accidents in the workplace or work-related travel accidents, as well as occupational illnesses, the BG ETEM ensures an optimal curative treatment and secures the livelihood of insured people by way of financial support. Furthermore, the BG ETEM assumes liability for any subsequent impact on the health of insured cases.

The BGHM is the German social accident insurance institution for the woodworking and metalworking industries. It assumes liability for nearly 200.000 enterprises in woodworking and metalworking industries and insures about 4,3 million employees against occupational accidents and diseases.

The BGN (German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the foodstuffs and catering industry) is a branch of the German Social Accident Insurance System and is responsible for the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases, their compensation and rehabilitation. The BGN is responsible for 3,3 millions of insured persons in 360 000 corporate members. We are a statutory corporation supervised by boards with equal representation of both social partners. Our task is the supervision of compliance with the regulations in enterprises and the development of prevention measures for the promotion of occupational safety and health. 

The German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the raw materials and chemical industry (BG RCI) is one branch of the Social Accident Insurance Institutions in Germany. It ensures around 1,3 million employees in around 35.000 enterprises of the branches building materials, rock and associated products, mining, chemical industry, leather, papermaking and sugar industries against occupational accidents and diseases. 

The British Safety Council is a global health, safety and environmental charity. We operate in more than 50 countries and have 8,000 corporate members. Our vision is that no one should be killed, injured or made ill through their work. We support our members with a range of services to assist them in raising standards and saving lives. In 2011 we will help 110,000 young people and those not in education, employment or training to gain a qualification in basic health and safety. 

CARSAT is a social insurer under private law supervised by a board with equal representation of both social partners.

The function of the department for prevention and management of occupational risks is:

• to promote and coordinate the prevention of occupational risks in the 80 000 enterprises in the region Alsace-Moselle
• to set and notify the contribution rates of the enterprises for the compensation of "occupational accidents and diseases"

The DGUV (German Social Accident Insurance) is the umbrella association of the accident insurance institutions for the industrial and public sectors (the BGs and the public-sector accident insurers respectively). It assumes responsibility for the common interests of its member institutions and promotes their functions in the interests of both member companies and insured individuals. The DGUV represents the statutory accident insurance institutions in their dealings with policymakers, regional, national, European and international institutions, and employers' and employees' representative bodies.

Non-profit organisation founded in 1991 in conformity with the CCNL for the Tourist sector concerning vocational training, and has as objectives
•    The promotion and organisation of  vocational training courses to improve professionalism in the sector.  
•    Economic help for seasonal workers attending EbT course during periods of inactivity, and income support for workers unemployed when firms are in a period of restructure.
•    The monitoring – through an Observatory on the Labour Market – of developments in the sector  concerning  needs for formation and the mobility of professional figures in the various sectors.
•    The organisation of a database to match demand/offer of
The members that make up the organisation are: FILCAMS CGIL, FISASCAT CISL, UILTuCS UIL, AVA, AEPE FIPE, ASSOCAMPING, FIAVET.
In the territories 3.000 firms are associated with the Ebt equal to 15.000 workers.

The ISSA Chemistry Section is an independent international organisation. Since it was founded on 17 June 1970, it has been committed to the global prevention of occupational accidents and diseases in the chemical and related industries. Our brochures, publications and international lecture programmes provide companies and their employees with guidance and assistance on safety at work. The ISSA Chemistry Section is of particular relevance to the following branches of industry:

• Plastics
• Rubber
• Pharmaceuticals
• Lacquer
• Paints
• Explosives and petroleum

Key focal points for the Chemistry Section‘s current and future work include biotechnology and, in particular, nanotechnology.

Download Informations about ISSA Chemistry Section

The ISSA – International Social Security Association – is an international non-profit organization. Members of the ISSA are national institutions from the social security sector. At present more than 340 institutions from 150 countries are members of the ISSA. They share the common objective to promote and to further develop social security worldwide. The ISSA was founded in 1927 in Geneva and has its headquarters in Geneva.

One aim of the ISSA is to enhance occupational safety and health protection worldwide. Thirteen international sections organized according to industries work commonly to achieve this aim. Their work is coordinated and maintained by the ISSA Special Commission on Prevention.

One of these Sections is the ISSA International Section for Electricity

The Section was founded in 1971 and is located in Cologne, Germany. The Section’s work is based on the collaboration of more than forty members from twenty countries.

Its objective is to promote occupational health and safety in the electricity area as regards the commercial production and distribution of electricity and gas worldwide.

The section encourages international exchange of information and experience among experts through symposia, workshops, international working groups and trainings on safety and health with regard to crucial issues of occupational safety and health protection in this sector.

The Section Machine and System Safety of the ISSA was founded in 1975. Our most important target group are persons responsible for machine and system safety in the enterprise. Partners and members are mainly accident insurance carriers, prevention services and institutions for the promotion of safety and health at work. The Section elaborates practice-oriented problem solutions for selected risks at work, generally in projects. The focus is on technical equipment, devices and systems as well as questions regarding organization and personnel in the sense of system safety.

Our findings shall contribute to improve not only performance, health and safety of individual workers but also competitiveness of enterprises.

We currently deal with topics from the fields of risk management, control devices, explosion protection, human factor and ergonomics, stop defeating protective devices on machines.

In cooperation with other international Sections the Section deals with selected topics.

For the specific target group of small and medium-sized enterprises (focus small enterprises) our Section coordinates the development and realization of a working  program for SMEs for the ISSA Special Commission on Prevention. 

INAIL - The Workers Compensation Authority - pursues several objectives: the reduction of accidents at work, the insurance of workers involved in risky activities; the re-integration in the labour market and in social life of work accident victims.
With a view to contributing to the reduction of accidents, INAIL has also implemented a number of important tools to continually monitor employment and accident trends, it provides small and medium size enterprises with training and advice in the field of prevention and funds companies that decide to invest in the improvement of safety. 

Prevent, the institute for safety and wellbeing at work, develops activities with a view to positively affecting the quality of life of employees and the sustainable performance of organisations. The institute collects and builds on scientifically substantiated information on safety, health and wellbeing at work, and distributes it through different media to various target groups. The activities of Prevent are thus aimed at increasing safety, health and wellbeing awareness and at creating a safety culture.

CRAMIF is a Social Security organization with the following responsibilities:

• Pay the following benefits : disability pension, early activity cession allowance for asbestos workers, benefits for  appliances for disabled persons
• Calculate contributions for work accidents and occupational diseases
• Training for social workers
• Social service
• Funding of projects of associations     
• Empower the equipment suppliers for disabled persons
• Proposal of health care service
• Advisor for disabled persons
• Prevention of Occupational Risks
  • 9760 companies visited per year
  • 3.5 M€ payed for financial incentives (2013)

The Federal Coordination Commission for Occupational Safety FCOS is the central coordinating office for information on health and safety at work. It is responsible for the standardized application of safety regulations in organizations, the coordinated distribution of financial support and for efficient cooperation cantonal labour boards, SECO, Suva and specialist organizations.

The Section on Prevention in the Construction Industry was created in 1968 with the objective of promoting the prevention of occupational risks in this very dangerous sector. The Presidency and the Secretariat of this Section are ensured by CRAMIF (Health Insurance Found of Parisian Region) and based in Paris (France). 
The purpose of this Section is to promote study and research in various countries. The section organizes technical meetings, studies, round tables, expert discussions and specialized meetings during Congresses and International Symposia on prevention of occupational accidents and diseases.
Thanks to an international network with its partners it constantly developed and was able to adapt itself to the last century’s considerable technical, economic and social changes. It is really essential to strengthen the worldwide collaboration among prevention experts. 
The missions of this Section are the proposal of innovative strategies, methods and tools, as also practical prevention solutions, and adaptation to new challenges of the globalization.

Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) is a government-funded public organization established on December 9, 1987. KOSHA aims to contribute to the growth and development of the national economy by enhancing the safety and health of workers, and promoting the accident prevention activities of employers.

KOSHA's work areas to effectively prevent occupational accidents include:
checking safety and health conditions in workplaces; providing technical and financial assistance; providing education and training on occupational safety and health (OSH); developing and distributing OSH-related information and materials; conducting research and development(R&D) for the prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses, and so on.

Mutual de Seguridad CChC is a non for profit company founded in 1966 to manage the Social Security Insurance that covers  Occupational Health and Safety of Chilean workers, financed by enterprises through a premium based on risk and health and safety performance.  In our 50 years of existence we have built know how in safety consultancy for worker’s protection and wellbeing, medical treatment and rehabilitation.  With our work we contribute to a better Safety Culture in Chile and we add value and sustainability to our associated companies by maintaining a healthy and productive workforce. 

Our organization provides coverage to over 74.000 enterprises, most of them (nearly 90%) SMEs that employ nearly 2 million Chilean workers (28% of the workforce in Chile).  Our services to our associated companies and insured workers include:

• Consultancy services to associated companies to assist them with their occupational health and safety risk management, through programs aimed at critical risks, applied research and innovation and continuous training in occupational health and safety.  We also collaborate with national Road Safety prevention and Social Inclusion initiatives. 
• Medical care and rehabilitation to injured workers and workers with an occupational disease through a nationwide network of clinics and outpatient medical facilities and a tertiary care hospital.  We are leaders in Trauma Care, Burn Treatments and Rehabilitation in Chile.
• Economic benefits (off work and pensions) for workers injured at work or with an occupational disease.

All of our services are free of charge for workers.

Our Vision is to be leaders in Social Security in Occupational Safety and Health in Chile and Latin America, protecting our insured workers’ life, health and wellbeing in their workplace and contributing to our associated companies sustainability.  We aim to reach ZERO HARM to workers in the workplace.

Suva's four cornerstones

• Suva is more than insurance: it combines prevention, insurance and rehabilitation.
• Suva is managed by social partners. The balanced composition of its Board of Directors, which is made up of employers', employees' and federal representatives permit widely supported and sustainable solutions.
• Insurees benefit from any profits Suva makes in the form of premium reductions.
• Suva is self-supporting; it receives no puplic subsidies.

The SVS is responsible for health, accident and pension insurance for all tradesmen, farmers and the newly self-employed in Austria.

The primary goal of the self-governing organisation of self-employed people for self-employed people is to maintain the health and well-being of its 1.2 million clients. In doing so, the SVS focuses strongly on prevention in order to strengthen the awareness that each individual is co-responsible for his or her own well-being. Under the slogan "Healthier together", insured persons are thus actively supported in staying healthy: with tailor-made prevention programmes, free health checks and a health bonus for all those who pay attention to their health.

The SVS also offers its insured members advice and support regarding occupational safety and health in their company. The SVS Safety Advisory Service provides free on-site safety and occupational psychology advice to help self-employed people create safe, healthy and health-promoting working conditions in their companies.

The task of safety counselling is the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases. This is understood as a bundle of preventive measures.

They all serve to protect working people on the one hand, but also to improve productivity and competitive conditions and to promote people's health at work.