HSE Interaction Practices with Contractors

From Reactive Control to Proactive Management

Involving a large number of contractors — up to 20,000 people simultaneously during the construction phase of new power units — requires a review of classic approaches to HSE. The reactive model, based solely on monitoring working conditions and responding to incidents, exhausts its effectiveness, especially when a day of downtime due to violations brings multimillion-dollar losses. In her presentation, Liliya Kutergina examines in detail the transition of the Novovoronezh NPP to a proactive system of interaction with contractors, where the key principle is a single standard: seconded personnel must comply with the same safety requirements as the plant's employees.

Unified Standards and Joint Procedures

To synchronize requirements, the plant implemented a rapid safety assessment system. It includes 24 indicators with a total weight of 100 points, which allows for an objective assessment of where the contractor is heading and what resources they lack.

An important element of the system is the joint walkdowns by top executives — the plant director and the general contractor. These are not just formal visits, but a tool for identifying problem areas and replicating positive practices. Decisions made at the highest level are formalized by orders and cascaded down for execution through horizontal links, ensuring a unified understanding of tasks by all process participants.

Conscious Safety and Interactive Training

The presence of formal certificates for a contractor does not guarantee safe behavior on site. To eliminate risks, the speaker demonstrates the implementation of "Conscious Safety" training for line personnel. HSE department specialists act as internal auditors and trainers.

Training has been shifted from dry lectures to interactive formats. For example, through a tower-building game, crews realize in practice how the lack of risk assessment leads to the collapse of the structure. This approach teaches line managers not just to formally demand the wearing of PPE, but to conduct concise and effective targeted briefings with an emphasis on specific workplace hazards.

Turnkey Risk Management and Digitalization

The risk assessment process is integrated into all stages of interaction — from tender documentation to the completion of work. For work permits, a rapid hazard identification method has been developed using visual cards for specific workplaces. Practical skills are reinforced through a demonstration permit procedure, which tests the crew's actual ability to identify and minimize risks.

Digital platforms are used for prompt response to deviations during work. They allow recording the fact of a violation or a hazardous condition, after which the system transmits a signal to the hazard register and calculates the risk level for making management decisions.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to implement unified safety standards for your own personnel and contractor employees?
• How does the 100-point rapid HSE assessment system for contractors work?
• What interactive training formats help a line manager conduct an effective targeted briefing?
• How to organize a demonstration permit procedure to test real risk assessment skills?
• How to use digital platforms to record deviations and calculate risks in real time?