As part of proactive training, we have developed a range of training courses aimed at both enhancing the competencies of managers and employees and changing the overall attitude toward safety.
Currently, the Metalloinvest Corporate University includes 3 senior trainers and 16 proactive training specialists who train employees in the Risk Management System (RMS) and the Safety Leadership Standard (SLS), while also improving managers' public speaking skills.
Proactive modules are also integrated into mandatory training programs, such as HSE, first aid, the VOPF program, work at heights, and others.
Consulting companies assisted us in developing the training hub. First and foremost, new trainers were taught methods for developing Safety Culture. The consultants conducted extensive training for the trainers on a risk-based approach to safety, as well as coaching skills and competencies. Afterward, all trainers reinforced their knowledge by conducting pilot training sessions with the consultants; this was necessary to correct any "incorrect" interpretations of the methodology. Once we were confident that our training specialists were capable of replicating the knowledge, we certified them during the pilot sessions. After the trainers conducted several independent sessions, the consultants returned to provide supervision.
As part of the SLS training, we discuss Safety Culture (SC) as a whole.
By SC, we mean a set of practices and procedures that demonstrate the priority level of safety issues compared to other indicators, as well as the attitudes shared by employees regarding safety that shape conscious behavior during all tasks. The SLS includes 3 main blocks with a set of these practices to engage employees in safety matters. To date, more than 4,300 managers have been trained across all three Metalloinvest enterprises. In addition to classroom training on these practices, we also reinforce the knowledge in the field. During safety walkabouts, a supervisor checks the quality by evaluating the person conducting it against a checklist and providing feedback: what went well and what needs to be done differently. The same applies to Committees; a supervisor is present at every meeting to evaluate the sessions.
Regarding the Risk Management System, a strategic plan to improve the safety system within the Metalloinvest Group was developed in 2021. The company's management decided that the best way to reach a new level of Safety Culture was through identifying and recording risks. The strategy involved the phased implementation of proactive standards, the first of which was the "Site Standard." Key production units were selected where the changes originated. In the first stage, the focus was on the workers' surroundings; to change a person's attitude toward safety, they must be placed in a safe environment. The second stage in 2022 was the implementation of the "Work Standard." Every task requiring our attention was literally examined under a microscope, allowing us to identify unsafe conditions and unsafe actions. By highlighting operational issues, we develop measures to change the situation. Through education.
Also in 2022, we established the Institute of Internal Trainers. We needed people who understood production perfectly and could effectively communicate new standards, explaining the value of the ongoing changes to both managers and frontline workers. Therefore, we primarily recruited trainers with production experience and leadership qualities. The third and most important stage was maintaining the new standards at the sites where changes had been implemented. This marked the launch of the "Leader Standard." Developing leadership among managers and specialists is aimed at engaging the workforce in safety issues and demonstrating risk identification through personal example. To help managers create a system of conscious safety around them, internal trainers teach them the theory, while risk specialists reinforce this knowledge in practice. After training, a manager is not only able to record and respond to risks independently but can also teach their subordinates how to do the same.