Zero Harm: How the Vision Zero Concept Helps Improve Industrial Safety

Workplace accidents and occupational diseases are not predestined by fate and are not inevitable. They always have causes that can be eliminated through an effective prevention culture.

Vision Zero, or "Zero Harm," is a qualitatively new approach to organizing prevention that combines three areas — safety, occupational health, and employee well-being at all levels of production. It includes seven "golden rules" for improving safety culture and occupational health:

1. Become a leader — show commitment.
2. Identify threats — control risks.
3. Define goals — develop programs.
4. Create a safety and health system — achieve a high level of organization.
5. Ensure safety and health at workplaces when working with machines and equipment.
6. Improve qualifications — develop professional skills.
7. Invest in personnel — motivate through participation.

In 2018, Zarubezhneft Group joined Vision Zero; as a subsidiary, JSC RMNTK Nefteotdacha also adopted the concept.

Given the hazardous and challenging working conditions, the priority of JSC RMNTK Nefteotdacha is to ensure the safety of every employee. Through the phased, comprehensive implementation of the Vision Zero concept, the company achieved "zero" injuries by the end of 2021.

Figure 1 shows an analysis of the lost time injury frequency rate. Despite the increase in hours worked, the number of incidents at the enterprise is decreasing.

Fig. 1

In this post, I will talk about the specific steps of implementing this system, which have helped improve the safety culture and reduce the level of industrial injuries.

Step 1. Informing.

To inform personnel about the goals of the concept, training sessions were organized for senior and middle management with the involvement of an external provider. The training was titled "My Route - Developing Personal Responsibility." Leaders at all levels took personal commitments regarding safety culture. For example, our CEO made a personal commitment to start every meeting with a five-minute safety briefing, where one of the participants must share a story from their personal work or life experience related to a safety violation or a workplace accident. The goal of this activity is to learn lessons and prevent similar occurrences.

Step 2. Developing goals and an action program.

JSC RMNTK Nefteotdacha annually approves goals and an action program for the implementation of Vision Zero by order. In February 2022, the company held a Strategic Session on "HSE Goals and Action Plan for 2022. Implementation of the Vision Zero Concept" involving the heads of all structural divisions. In the practical part of the event, participants were divided into four teams, which, in accordance with the "golden rules" of the concept, were to propose goals and activities for HSE for 2022. The teams submitted more than 30 activities for consideration.

Step 3. Program implementation.

The action program for the implementation of the Vision Zero concept is developed in accordance with the "golden rules" mentioned above. Here are some successful industrial safety practices implemented in the company according to the rules:

Rule No. 1. Leadership Safety Audit.

Rule No. 2. Occupational risk assessment with the development of maps for critical and high risks.

Rule No. 3. Setting SMART goals.

Rule No. 4. Stop-card system. 12 Life-Saving Rules. "Stop! Think! Do!". Organizing workplaces according to the 5S system.

Rule No. 5. Digital monitoring system for personnel at the field; I spoke about this system during an HSE DAYS webinar.

Rule No. 6. Safety Culture School.

Rule No. 7. Intervention policy for hazardous situations — the right to suspend (stop) work.

Step 4. Improvement.

JSC RMNTK Nefteotdacha annually conducts a management system audit in accordance with the requirements of international standards ISO 14001:2015 "Environmental Management System" and ISO 45001:2018 "Occupational Health and Safety Management System." In 2022, the company passed the "5Z CULTURE" certification audit by the International ORP Foundation for the Prevention of Occupational Risks and confirmed its commitment to safety, environmental, and social responsibility.

I look forward to your comments. Share your best practices 😊