In the past, the arrival of an HSE specialist in the shop triggered only one reaction: tension. We were seen as inspectors with a notepad for recording violations and issuing strict orders. Our function was reduced to finding the guilty parties. We were "punishers." And this image was our main problem.
The paradox is that the most valuable ideas for improving safety are born not in offices, but on the shop floor. The person who spends day after day in a production unit or manages the smelting process knows all the hidden pitfalls of their work. But as long as they see you as a threat, they will remain silent. Our task was not to force them to speak, but to make them want to do so.
The turning point came when we realized: we are not overseers, we are "Masters of Communication and Support," as our internal standard states. We changed our tactics. Instead of formal walkthroughs with inspections, we held regular informal conversations. Instead of asking, "Why are you violating the rules?" we asked, "What is preventing you from working safely? How can we fix it?"
The results were not long in coming. I remember how an experienced operator admitted after one such conversation: "I kept quiet for two years about an inconvenient shut-off valve in a hard-to-reach place. It was easier to take the risk than to write a request and wait a month for repairs." His minor observation allowed us to eliminate a systemic risk that we didn't even suspect existed.
The numbers are the best proof. While implementing the partnership approach, we simultaneously launched a bonus program for proactive HSE actions. While in 2023 the total amount of bonuses was about 25,000 rubles, by the end of 2024 it exceeded 2.7 million rubles. The number of employees receiving bonuses increased tenfold. This is not just an increase in expenses; it is an investment in safety culture that is already paying off by reducing the number of near misses.
The key to success lies in our new role as a "Safety Leader and Mentor." We don't "catch people making mistakes"; we help our colleagues prevent these mistakes. When a process engineer personally suggests an improvement to an instruction, or a maintenance worker reports a potential hazard before starting work, that is the main indicator that we are on the right track.
Changing our image is not a PR stunt. It is a strategic choice. We are no longer "punishers." We are partners. And our most valuable resource is the trust and openness of those who create the company's results with their own hands.