The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) in Germany has published a report examining how data sharing between authorities and other institutions could improve occupational health and safety.
The report, titled “Data Protection in Occupational Safety and Health”, explores the legal, ethical and technical requirements for sharing information to support workplace risk prevention.
Improving workplace risk identification
Occupational health and safety institutions already hold information that could help identify risks to workers and improve preventive measures.
According to BAuA, greater cooperation between organisations could support more targeted workplace inspections, improve coordination of company visits and inform the development of safety policies.
However, uncertainty remains about the circumstances in which authorities and other institutions can legally exchange and use information.
Report identifies conditions for data sharing
The report summarises the findings of an expert assessment examining the possibilities for sharing occupational health and safety data between organisations.
It concludes that such exchanges can be legally permissible and ethically justifiable when appropriate safeguards are established.
BAuA identifies clear legal provisions, a shared understanding of data protection requirements and secure technical systems as important conditions for responsible information exchange.
Protecting sensitive workplace information
The report also highlights methods for protecting personal information when occupational health and safety data is shared.
These include removing identifying details from datasets or replacing personal information with labels.
Such approaches can help institutions make use of existing information while protecting sensitive data.
Supporting coordinated prevention measures
BAuA explains that sharing information between institutions could help authorities monitor workplace safety developments and coordinate occupational health and safety policies.
The information could also support the identification of preventive measures and assessments of their effectiveness.
The report provides a basis for developing a common understanding of how data protection requirements can enable responsible cooperation between occupational health and safety organisations.
