One of the most underrated yet extremely effective practices in the health, safety, and environment system is the internship of HSE specialists in structural units.
How is this implemented at Bystra?
Specialists responsible for coordinating structural units in matters of occupational health, industrial, and transport safety undergo mandatory internships directly in production shops and sites. The internship lasts from 3 to 7 days, depending on the specifics of the unit, the number of employees, and the variety of production operations. During the internship, the HSE specialist is assigned to a foreman and is fully "immersed" in the work process of every employee at the site: a crane operator, a local mine surveyor, or a mechanic; they are not an observer but a full member of the team. From the moment the work order is issued in the morning until the shift is handed over in the evening, they work shoulder to shoulder with colleagues, performing the same tasks and facing the same working conditions and challenges.
An HSE specialist internship is not a "control visit" but specifically an immersion into the actual work of the shop, crew, or facility, as without an "inside" understanding of the situation, implemented HSE measures and practices risk becoming detached from reality and purely formal.
Furthermore, an HSE specialist internship in production is an investment in developing a culture of trust and openness between the HSE function and production personnel. It is trust and openness that form the foundation without which all procedures and rules remain suspended in mid-air.
Why is this important?
There is often an invisible barrier between production personnel and HSE specialists. Workers and managers often perceive HSE specialists as "punishers" who understand nothing about real work.
An internship breaks this stereotype. When an HSE specialist works in the shop and sees all the difficulties from the inside, they stop being "the guy in the white helmet." They become one of their own.
Being in the thick of things, the HSE specialist sees what it means to work "to a deadline" under the pressure of a plan, how safety requirements fit into the overall production process, and where "bottlenecks" occur. Later, when investigating a violation, they will be able to understand the context ("the worker violated energy isolation requirements because the instructions say the repair takes 4 hours, but the boss only gave 2"). This allows for seeking a systemic solution to the problem to eliminate the root cause (for example, revising the permit procedure or the equipment connection scheme) rather than blaming the individual.
If workers see that the HSE specialist is sincerely trying to understand the process to make it safer and more efficient, rather than catching violators, it breaks down prejudices.
A key element for building trust is the willingness to show that you are not a know-it-all.
The HSE specialist is, by definition, in the position of a student. They ask questions, admit when they don't know something, and learn from experienced workers. This vulnerability is powerfully endearing.
Workers become teachers. This changes the power dynamics. They feel their expertise and significance; their knowledge is valued. In return, they begin to trust the HSE specialist more.
Trust is born when people believe they can speak the truth without consequences and be heard.
During an internship, in an informal conversation over a cup of tea or during a break, workers are much more willing to share their real concerns, complaints about uncomfortable tools, or silly rules than they would with an official from the HSE department.
Collecting "unfiltered" information about what is actually happening in production, which rules are being broken and why (the main question!), provides invaluable data for improving the system.
Undoubtedly, the key to future openness is the HSE specialist's reaction to the signals received (for example, simplifying a procedure, changing an impractical rule, or helping with PPE); they prove they can be trusted. Workers see that their words did not vanish into thin air but led to real changes. This is the main incentive to report risks in the future.
After the internship, the HSE specialist is left with many informal acquaintances and contacts in the shops.
In the future, they can be contacted directly: "Vasily Ivanovich, remember when we were working on that machine together? I have a problem here, what do you suggest...". This resolves issues many times faster than official requests.
New acquaintances become "agents of influence" and ambassadors for safety ideas within their teams. They can tell colleagues: "I know him, he's reasonable, he'll figure it out."
An HSE specialist who has completed a good internship will later be able to organize higher quality and more practice-oriented training for other employees, as they will understand real risks rather than textbook ones.
Furthermore, by studying processes in practice, the HSE specialist can see inconsistencies or the obsolescence of existing instructions and rules. They become a driver for updating them.
Thus, an HSE specialist with a deep understanding of processes becomes a driver for the constant improvement of working conditions. They can initiate changes in equipment, tools, and workplace organization, which is the ultimate expression of a mature safety culture.
Can an HSE specialist internship have negative consequences?
Absolutely! If the HSE specialist:
- betrays trust, when information about violations and "workarounds" obtained in an informal setting is used for punishment, it will permanently destroy trust not only in them but in the entire HSE department;
- treats the internship formally, as a "tick-box" exercise, spending time on the sidelines without interacting with the team, the effect will be the opposite — workers will see just another "indifferent official."
A high-quality internship purposefully creates:
Conclusion
An internship in production is not a waste of time but an investment in safety culture. It erases boundaries, builds bridges, and transforms the HSE specialist from an overseer into a trusted advisor and partner to both the production team and the individual employee.
Try it. Spend a week in the shop. Just work. And you will be surprised how much you didn't know about what seemed "obvious."