The fields of Occupational Safety and Health Protection are regulated and organised by the Miele Management System, mentioned in chapter 3, which regulates the contents and their  implementation down to the smallest detail. The standards are high and they cover the globally recognised OHSAS 18001 standard, although they are not certified in accordance with this.

16 specialists are employed within the factories to deal solely with occupational health and safety. They advise the factory manager with the planning, implementation and maintenance of operational plants; the acquisition of technical equipment; the introduction of procedures and substances; and in the structuring of jobs and operational procedures. In addition, 176 employees in the factories and sales and service centres work as safety officers alongside their main roles and are therefore contact persons for all their colleagues. The work-safety committee meets four times each year at the national and international levels.

Alongside, the occupational health and safety manager, the factory managers, department managers, works doctor, workers’ council and safety offi cers all meet in Germany. This responsibility is also taken seriously at the international level. Whether discussions be about adhering to regulations, measuring noise and dangerous substances, or about personal protective clothing or ergonomic issues; the occupational health and safety specialists play a large role. Safety discussions and inspections, which take place regularly in every department of the factory, guarantee the accurate application of important measures.

Approximately 20 to 25 inspections are undertaken each year in Gütersloh alone. All safety offi cers take part in a training session every quarter. Through an annual total of around 90 external professional training courses and 30 specialised training sessions in almost all departments, the necessary knowhow is passed on to all employees and kept up-to-date.

These consistent preventative measures are: Accidents at work have been signifi cantly reduced over the past ten years. The average number of notifi able workplace accidents at Miele per million man-hours hat have occurred in Germany over the last fi ve years (excluding commuting accidents) is 12.92 cases annually.

Health Care
In the Gütersloh factory, the largest location, there has been a company physician on site since 1973. One occupational health practitioner, three nurses and three medical assistants carry out the necessary preventative medical check-ups on all members of staff. They treat job-related accidents and on-site emergencies, as well as acute illnesses and offer annual flu vaccinations and bowel cancer prevention. The Bielefeld factory includes a doctor and a nurse. Statutory health insurance physicians and medical personnel cater for staff at the other locations.