5Z Culture - a tool for assessing and implementing the Vision Zero concept

From Vision Zero to measurable results: implementing 5Z Culture

The Vision Zero concept (zero accidents) has become an important benchmark for many industrial companies, but assessing the effectiveness of its implementation often causes difficulties. Traditional indicators, such as the accident frequency rate, do not provide a complete picture of the Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) management system's performance. In this context, Nikolay Ievlev, Head of the HSE Department at Rusvietpetro (a joint venture of Zarubezhneft and Petrovietnam), analyzes the practical experience of applying the international 5Z Culture methodology — a tool that allows for a comprehensive assessment and visualization of the implementation of Vision Zero principles.

What is 5Z Culture and how it works

The speaker shows, using his company as an example, how the 5Z methodology integrates the seven golden rules of Vision Zero and expands them, focusing on five key areas (axes):

• Zero accidents: risk assessment, incident investigation, road safety, and leadership.
• Zero diseases: health monitoring, psychosocial risks, ergonomics, and workplace health promotion.
• Zero waste: environmental policy, emissions management, energy and water conservation (minimizing environmental impact).
• Zero inequality: equal working conditions, promoting fairness, and conflict prevention.
• Zero unawareness: staff information, talent development, and career growth.

This approach provides a transparent benchmark based on leading indicators, allowing management to see the real effectiveness of processes and identify areas for improvement.

Audit stages and practical improvements

The presentation details the process of passing the 5Z Culture audit, which includes self-assessment on a specialized platform, data analysis by international experts, and an external audit. Based on the results of the baseline assessment, the company achieved a passing score but identified a gap in the "Zero diseases" block. This became the starting point for specific changes.

Based on the auditors' recommendations, the company implemented a number of practical projects:

• On-site medical examinations: a mobile medical complex based on KAMAZ trucks was introduced, allowing shift workers to undergo a full medical examination (including X-ray, ultrasound, and endoscopy) directly at the field in a couple of hours.
• Telemedicine: equipment was purchased for online consultations between the doctor at the field and specialists from the central district hospital, which is critically important in Arctic conditions.
• Automation of pre-trip inspections: the time for drivers to pass the inspection was reduced from 5 to 1.5 minutes.
• PPE modernization: based on feedback from workers, workwear models were improved, especially for welders and production operators.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to move from declaring Vision Zero principles to their measurable assessment?
• What are the stages of an international audit under the 5Z Culture system?
• How to organize a full medical examination for shift workers right at the field?
• Which company departments should be involved in the safety culture assessment process?
• How to use self-assessment results to justify investments in worker health and safety?