A few years ago, my brother got a job at a mine as an underground miner in a production section. It was his first experience working in a mine, where there are many hazards: methane gas, dust, cave-ins, electric shock, danger zones of operating (moving) equipment and machinery, unsafe actions of colleagues, and much more. At that time, I had been working at this mine as the Deputy Chief Engineer for HSE for over 2 years, and my overall experience in occupational health and industrial safety was over 7 years. By then, I had already launched training courses at the mine a year prior — covering risk assessment and prevention methods. Considering the responsibility for my brother and his risk-prone character, he was assigned several such courses during his first year of work. After a few years of stubborn resistance, the result was achieved: my brother assesses risks in the mine, wears a seatbelt in the car, holds the handrail when going up and down stairs, and does not walk past other violations.
We talk a lot about workplace safety, and perhaps because of this, in everyday life, the people who work at our enterprises often think about the safety of their families and those around them. It becomes a lifestyle.
I would like to share an example that happened to my brother, a former underground miner who is well aware of the hazards in the mine and in life.
A week ago, he was driving his car along the Kemerovo-Novokuznetsk highway and noticed a KAMAZ truck moving strangely in front of him. The truck kept drifting into the oncoming lane, slowing down, and then speeding up again. Knowing the entire theory of risk assessment and showing responsibility, my brother used his horn and headlights to warn other drivers of the danger, and eventually managed to stop the KAMAZ. He was right — the driver turned out to be drunk and could barely speak. My brother turned off the truck's engine, took the keys, and called 112. He waited for over two hours for the traffic police to arrive, enduring aggression and profanity from the drunk driver. His lack of indifference and quick decision-making led to a successful resolution, whereas inaction could have resulted in irreparable consequences.