The institution – if it covers occupational diseases – participates in the development of a national strategy on occupational diseases and the regular updating of the national list of occupational diseases.

The institution defines a clear policy for working with occupational health services, including the nature of the support and cooperation.

Principles and suggested structures and mechanisms for occupational health services outlined in the ISSA Guidelines on Workplace Health Promotion apply (e.g. Guideline 27, Supporting the development of occupational health services).

The prevention of occupational diseases is a major challenge for social security systems. Accident ratio studies can predict the exact probability of the occurrence of a major accident or injury. However, calculations on the probability of the occurrence of occupational diseases must take into account factors that are difficult to measure or predict, such as prevalence, the duration of medical treatment and environmental factors that foster occupational risks.

Good internal communication carries the prevention message to the operational level of the institution, enables staff to better understand the purpose of the institution’s prevention activities and facilitates motivation.

The institution undertakes campaigns for the transfer of prevention information and to raise awareness on prevention topics or health and safety targets.

Campaigns are a very effective tool as they are typically broadcast through several media channels and attract far more attention than sporadic advertising activities.

The prevention department and its prevention experts take into account different levels of development and education when producing and disseminating information materials for children and adult students.

The institution’s prevention experts continuously provide information on prevention to member enterprises through various information channels.

The institution guarantees the transfer of prevention information to the operational level of enterprises by using selected media and effective communication and taking into account the different demands of target groups when generating material for their workplaces.

The institution’s prevention experts are in direct exchange with employers and safety representatives to enable the transfer of prevention knowledge and facilitate the implementation of prevention measures at the operational level.

Information and communication constitutes an inherent part of all prevention services. Information is the basic element which underpins all prevention services. It involves the systematic collection, processing, description, presentation and transfer of knowledge (e.g. through the education and training of staff dealing with prevention) and making effective use of all available communication channels. The dissemination of information to target groups as well as the general public is vital. In this process, knowledge in prevention is the key.