Walter Eichendorf
German Road Safety Council (DVR), Germany
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Prim Health Care
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. The German Road Safety Council and the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) firmly embedded the goal of shaping working and living environments in such a way in their prevention strategy 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 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 and 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, organizations and society appreciate and strive for.
Dr Walter Eichendorf studied physics and mathematics. He was the head of statistical department from 1983, director of public relations from 1989, deputy director general since 1998. Since 2007, Eichendorf is deputy director general of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) and director of DGUV’s prevention division. In addition he is President of the German Road Safety Council (DVR). In the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Eichendorf is Vice President of both the Research Section and the Prevention Culture Section.
