These Guidelines focus on the prevention and administration of occupational accidents, diseases and other work-related health risks. They form part of a broader concept of prevention which includes proactive and preventive approaches to social security, addressing the prevention of occupational risks, health promotion and return to work.

Prevention approaches and services vary around the world, reflecting different levels of socio-economic development, policies and legal frameworks. Prevention is normally driven by government through occupational safety and health legislation, developed in consultation with the social partners and enforced by competent state authorities (through labour inspection). Social security institutions in many countries complement these services and contribute to the prevention of occupational risks.

As social security institutions are responsible for the compensation of occupational accidents and diseases, and in a number of cases for the rehabilitation of injured workers, they (should) have a strategic interest in contributing to a safe and healthy workforce. However, in many countries their main focus remains to provide compensation in case of occupational injuries, rather than to engage in their prevention.

Social security institutions are, in many countries, valuable partners for safety and health authorities as they dispose of detailed data on the insured workers. Such data is of great importance for the preparation of national prevention programmes, in particular for targeting risk areas and for setting priorities, as well as for the evaluation of their impact.

Besides complementing government services in occupational safety and health at work, social security institutions may be offering support to government authorities in the occupational sectors they insure.

These Guidelines provide measures to assist social security institutions to conduct prevention activities with a view to reducing the number of occupational accidents and diseases and related compensation claims. By including all relevant stakeholders, such as the social partners, government authorities and prevention experts, social security institutions can actively promote a culture of prevention by encouraging improved prevention performance at both enterprise and national levels.