The BGHM Silver Safety Award for Weidemann.

For years, the nationwide safety award presented by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Wood and Metal Industries (BGHM) has been setting the standard in the field of occupational safety and health promotion across companies in both sectors. Weidemann GmbH has received the coveted Silver Award for several innovative occupational safety initiatives that contribute positively to improving the company’s development and production processes. Ute Emsel and Matthias Proll from the BGHM presided over the award ceremony on April 28 during a celebration held directly at Weidemann GmbH in Korbach. Weidemann employees Jens Harde, Arne Heinemann, Marius Knoche, and Carsten Krummel were honored and recognized for their groundbreaking improvement ideas.

“The BGHM Safety Award was established in the 1990s and has undergone several revisions since then. With the Silver and Gold Safety Awards, which were redefined in 2026, our specific aim is to take the award to the next level. “The BGHM now honors particularly innovative ideas from member companies that exemplarily and practically prevent workplace accidents or occupational diseases with the BGHM Silver Safety Award,” explains Ute Emsel from the BGHM Academy. From the Silver Award winners, three Gold Awards will ultimately be selected.”

However, the award ceremony did not focus solely on the winning projects; the company’s culture was also highlighted. Matthias Proll, a representative of the BGHM, commented: “The occupational safety culture at Weidemann continues to develop very well; the abundance of good ideas within the company and their implementation are exemplary—a positive result of the consistent involvement of employees. The award for Weidemann GmbH recognizes this.” 

Weidemann GmbH has been consistently pursuing and promoting workplace safety as an integral part of an active corporate culture for years. After all, the goal is precisely to ensure that all employees can work safely, thereby minimizing workplace accidents.

The improvements in detail:
Jens Harde, Technical Director of Operations, noticed that during assembly work in the rear of a machine, with the hood already installed and open, there was a risk of injury from the hood’s sharp-edged latch. Using an edge guard—which was produced in-house using 3D printing—the employee’s head is now protected simply and efficiently.

Arne Heinemann, a member of the Continuous Improvement Team, has been working on the installation of the drive shaft, which is performed from below. The use of a custom-made rolling board has significantly improved ergonomics for installation work performed beneath a machine in the space between two assembly trolleys.

At the suggestion of Carsten Krummel, Head of Maintenance, a suitable collection container for critical lithium-ion batteries from small devices was set up and filled with fire-extinguishing granules. This significantly enhances operational safety with regard to fire hazards and ensures that defective batteries are disposed of properly.

Marius Knoche, a member of the Quality Management team, was recognized for a total of six individual ideas related to workplace safety. He designed and manufactured special tools that ensure a high level of safety during handling, particularly in tight spaces during assembly, such as a wrench for securing a magnetic coil, a compact screwdriver for installing the radio bay, a screwdriver tool for attaching a tight pipe bend, and a special wrench for adjusting Bowden cables. These new tools are characterized by their ability to prevent hand injuries and scratches on components, as well as by the time savings they offer in every operation. 

In addition, he developed a mounting bracket for the electrical connection test box, which previously had no fixed position during the testing process. This tool for the safe installation of large hydraulic cylinders also offers a significant safety advantage.