The accident-prevention regulation, "Prevention principles" (BGV A1), entered into force in Germany for all "BGs" (institutions responsible for statutory accident insurance and prevention) on 1 January 2004.

As the new strategy behind BGV A 1 does not require detailed regulations, it raises employers’ personal responsibility for occupational safety and health, as called for by politicians and associations. It also directly obliges the insured employees to support the measures employers take to ensure safety and health at the workplace. 

• "Allgemeine Vorschriften" ("General regulations"), VBG 1,
• "Erste Hilfe" ("First aid"), VBG 109,
• "Umgang mit Gefahrstoffen" ("Handling of hazardous substances"), VBG 91,
• "Biologische Arbeitsstoffe" ("Biological agents"), BGV B 12 and
•  43 accident-prevention regulations relating to machinery construction and fittings (only available in german).

This was the first of the BGs’ measures to streamline their body of regulations. As a result, it is now roughly half as small as it was at the beginning of 2003. Since the body of governmental legislation on occupational safety and health (OSH) has been expanded and is referred to in the new BGV A 1, the reduction will not be detrimental to workers? safety and health. BGV A 1 is therefore a crucial step towards deregulation and increased transparency, which will be beneficial to the enterprises in particular.

BGV A 1 is the central underlying regulation in a restructured body of BG regulations concerning prevention. It links up BG bylaws with governmental OSH legislation. Consequently, rather than "doing their own thing" when it comes to legislation on the prevention of occupational accidents, disease and work-related health hazards, as has sometimes been the case, the BGs and the government now pull in the same direction. The provisions contained in the individual regulations are explained in an official statement of intent (only available in German).

The main elements of the BGV A 1 are as follows:

• the underlying regulation has been adapted in line with Part VII of the German Social Code,
• the expanded prevention function, resulting from the addition of the requirement to prevent work-related health hazards, has been incorporated into the BG bylaws,
• there is no more duplication of regulations which exist in governmental OSH legislation
• and the body of BG regulations has been streamlined with the additional effect that transparency has been increased.