Vision Zero

Vision Zero is the vision of a world without occupational accidents and work-related diseases. Its highest priority is to prevent fatal and serious work accidents and occupational diseases. Vision Zero is the goal of a comprehensive culture of prevention.

As early as 2008, the German Social Accident Insurance’s prevention strategy firmly embedded the goal of shaping working and living environments in such a way that nobody is killed or so severely injured or ill for work reasons that they suffer permanent damage. However, in order for Vision Zero to become a reality one day, prevention work must always be realigned to this goal. This broad and networked approach requires everyone in society to get involved.

The basic maxims are:

• Life is not negotiable!
• People make mistakes!
• Tolerance limits are the physical load limits of humans!
• People have a basic right to a safe working environment!

If life is not negotiable and people make mistakes, then it is ethically unacceptable to pay for a mistake with a loss of life or a serious injury!

Vision Zero is a strategic, comprehensive and qualitative approach

• where objectives are formulated and agreed upon,
• which is geared towards risks and hazards, and
• which takes into consideration all the circumstances behind accidents at work and on the road, occupational diseases and work-related health hazards.

The goal of zero accidents might seem difficult, but it is the only ethically correct goal that we must work on in the future. Vision Zero provides a strategy to achieve this. Under Vision Zero, safety and health at work are values that companies, organisations and society appreciate and strive for.