• Date 2021-10-25

Dortmund - The German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) has announced the 14th German Hazardous Substance Protection Award. Until March 31, 2022, individuals, groups of people, companies and organizations can participate in the prize, which is endowed with a total of 10,000 euros. Under the motto "STOP cancer in the workplace", the focus this time is on carcinogenic dusts, including fibers, and fumes.

In particular, exemplary practical solutions and initiatives are being sought that protect employees from carcinogenic dusts and smoke. Possible target groups and hazardous substances include, for example, quartz dust and dust in construction activities in the building trade and in the recycling industry, cytostatics in the health service, mineral fibers or carbon fibers in fiber production, wood dust in wood processing or welding fumes in metal processing.

By awarding the Hazardous Substances Protection Prize next year, the BMAS would like to give greater publicity in particular to those ideas that help to identify and prevent hazards.

Eligible for the award are exemplary safety, organizational and hygienic solutions for minimizing dust, fibers and fumes in the workplace, the introduction or further development of new, safe or alternative work equipment or processes, and exemplary initiatives in the areas of training, motivation and employee participation.

Entries for the award can be submitted informally to the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) in Dortmund until the end of March 2022. The documents should include a characterization of the participant, the type of measures implemented and the improvement achieved or expected, as well as an approximately one-page summary of this information.

The award ceremony will take place in the fall of 2022. The winning entries will be presented at the DASA Arbeitswelt exhibition in Dortmund. There is no right of appeal.

For further information, please contact Judith kleine Balderhaar by phone at 0231 9071-2594 or by e-mail at gefahrstoffschutzpreis@baua.bund.de.

Examples of good practice from previous competitions and further information can be found on the BAuA website at www.gefahrstoffschutzpreis.de.

Source: BAuA-Press release (in German) 39/21 of October 25, 2021 https://www.baua.de/DE/Services/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2021/10/pm039-21.html

Even though the call is only open to contributors from Germany, results will be shared in English through BAuA homepage. Please have a look at previous awards and the ongoing call: Link (English website).