HSE Management System Transformation in Contractor Organizations

HSE management in contractor organizations traditionally remains one of the most complex areas for industrial enterprises. Standard methods of control and fines often lead to contractors hiding incidents for fear of sanctions. In this webinar, Valentina Naumova analyzes the process of transforming the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) management system when working with contractor organizations, focusing on changing the culture and building partnerships.

Contractor Psychology: Why Barriers Arise

An analysis of the causes of unsafe behavior shows that violations often occur not out of malicious intent. Contractor employees are afraid to speak up about problems, preferring to "keep their heads down" so as not to create difficulties for the customer and their own management. The speaker emphasizes that without understanding this psychology, it is impossible to build an effective system. Transformation begins with recognizing that a contractor's problem on the production site is a shared problem requiring a joint solution.

Case Study: Working at Heights and Infrastructural Traps

The presentation details an illustrative case of performing work near open openings. Despite the existence of regulations, violations were repeated regularly. A joint analysis showed that the contractor often finds themselves in the role of a "hostage": the workplace is handed over without the necessary infrastructure, and deadlines are tight.

• What was done: Joint sessions were organized to find root causes with the participation of production, the HSE department, and the contractor.
• Why it is important: This made it possible to move away from mutual accusations and identify a real lack of technical solutions.
• How it works in practice: Various-sized mobile gangways and anchor lines were selected and implemented, which physically eliminated the possibility of falling and resolved the conflict of interest.

New Format of Line Walkdowns

Round tables are giving way to communication directly at the workplaces. The speaker shows by example how joint line walkdowns change the attitude towards safety. The key difference of the new approach is the presence of strict communication rules during the walkdown. This allows not only recording violations but also receiving feedback from workers, identifying organizational flaws on the part of the customer, and building trust.

Safety Economics at the Tender Stage

Special attention is paid to the financial aspects of ensuring safety. Often, contractors are forced to save on PPE due to dumping in tenders. The solution is a detailed elaboration of the terms of reference before the start of work. If short-term work requires expensive gas analyzers or complex scaffolding, the customer can take on their provision, thereby guaranteeing compliance with high safety standards without bankrupting the partner.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to overcome contractors' fear of reporting unsafe conditions?
• Why does the standard distribution of roles between production and the HSE department often fail when admitting a contractor?
• How to properly organize a joint line walkdown so that it brings real benefits and does not turn into a formality?
• What mechanisms make it possible to compensate for contractor fines with investments in their own safety?
• How to distribute responsibility for providing expensive safety equipment even at the tender stage?