Saarland craft organizations launch new occupational health award

The Handwerkskammer des Saarlandes (HWK) and IKK Südwest have launched the inaugural ‘Gesundheitspreis des saarländischen Handwerks’ (Saarland Craft Health Award) for 2027. The award aims to recognize small and medium-sized craft businesses that actively promote employee health or are developing new preventative measures.

Data from IKK Südwest indicates a specific need for health initiatives in the sector. In 2025, the sickness rate among insured craft workers in Saarland was 8.92 percent, notably higher than the regional average of 7.91 percent. On average, craft employees recorded 28.48 days of incapacity for work per year, compared to 26.01 days for all insured employees.

The primary health challenges identified include musculoskeletal disorders (25.1 percent), respiratory diseases (14.6 percent), and mental health issues (13.6 percent). HWK President Helmut Zimmer emphasized that the award is designed to support smaller businesses that may lack the extensive health management resources of large corporations but can achieve significant results through consistent, small-scale measures.