KOSHA Expands Partnerships with Singapore and Germany

KOSHA signs technical arrangements with WSH Institute and DGUV

May 4, 2011

Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA; President: Min-Ki Noh) signed technical arrangements with WSH Institute in DGUV in Germany to boost its technical exchanges with professional accident prevention organizations in Singapore and Germany.

On April 29, 2011, KOSHA signed technical arrangement with WSH Institute, which is an organization under the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore. Also, on May 2, 2011 KOSHA signed another technical arrangement with DGUV in Sankt Augustin, Germany. Through the arrangements, the organizations agreed to work together to enhance the expertise in safety and health in each country.

So far, KOSHA has been promoting technical exchanges with the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore. However, Singapore established and expanded the function of WSH Institute in 2011 whose function is to prevent occupational accidents, similar to KOSHA. Upon the request made by KOSHA, the two organizations now have a firm basis for technical collaboration.

※ Workplace Safety and Health Institute (WSH Institute) of Singapore:

  Established in 2011 as an organization under the Ministry of Manpower, WSH Institute is a professional organization specializing in occupational safety and health. WSH Institute provides training and education to develop OSH experts and conducts R&D to formulate policies on OSH.

KOSHA has been having numerous exchanges and collaborations with the DGUV of Germany but there were no formal grounds for further cooperation between the two organizations. Thanks to the recent signing of technical arrangement, DGUV ? the host of the 20^th World Congress on Safety and Health at Work to be held in 2014 ? and KOSHA ? the successful host of the 18^th World Congress in 2008 ? will have more active cooperation in the future.

   ※ DGUV (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung: German Social Accident Insurance)

       DGUV is a central organization in Germany, in charge of accident prevention, compensation, and rehabilitation. It manages 36 BGs (Berufsgenossenschaft) some of which include mining, machinery & metal, and chemicals. DGUV’s main roles are: legislation and revision of accident prevention regulations; testing of hazardous machinery and facilities; technical consultation and inspection; and training for OSH managers.

Through the technical arrangements signed with professional OSH organizations in Singapore and Germany, KOSHA will be able to exchange expertise and information related to safety and health. Meanwhile, KOSHA is the chair organization of the new “Prevention Culture Section” of ISSA. Against the backdrop, the two organizations discussed ways for future collaboration in advancing prevention culture worldwide.

Director General Shin-Jae Yi for Technology of KOSHA, who visited the countries on behalf of KOSHA said, “Building the foundation for cooperation with professional OSH organizations in Singapore and Germany, the representative countries in Asia and Europe, is a good investment for the future. I am very positive that KOSHA will develop reliable partnerships with these organizations, which are beneficial for each other in pursuing activities home and abroad.

So far, KOSHA has concluded 59 technical arrangements with professional OSH organizations in 28 countries. Through the technical arrangements, KOSHA has been engaged in various activities that foster vibrant exchanges of human and technical information.