Cross-Inspections as a Tool for Training and Experience Sharing

Prerequisites: Why Internal Audit Loses Effectiveness

There is a paradox in the industrial safety system: daily work in the same conditions inevitably leads to a "blurred vision" effect. Specialists get used to the routine and stop noticing potentially dangerous violations. Andrey Shutov, Deputy Chief Engineer for HSE at PJSC Surgutneftegas, analyzes the solution to this problem through the implementation of cross-inspections — a methodology in which audits are conducted by specialists from adjacent departments.

The company was prompted to introduce the new format by the low effectiveness of traditional control. Habituation to standard procedures breeds a formal attitude towards internal inspections, and the fear of punishment leads to the concealment of systemic violations. Cross-inspections change the vector from strict supervision to a culture of personal responsibility, creating a working channel for transferring best practices between specialists.

Process Mechanics and Checklist Adaptation

The basis of the method is on-site audits by groups of two or three people, which take up to four days depending on the geography of the facilities. The presentation details the approach to standardizing control. An important condition: checklists are not universal. They are developed by management specialists and adapted for each specific department, taking into account the specifics of the site (for example, the presence of oil product storage areas or asphalt paving sections).

The assessment covers key areas: HSE documentation, the working environment, equipment condition, the use of PPE, as well as fire and electrical safety. Based on the results, a report is generated and a meeting is held where areas requiring increased attention are recorded.

The Human Factor: Collusion, Motivation, and Honest Feedback

Any control system faces resistance from the environment. The speaker shows, using his company as an example, how problems of bias and the human factor are solved. Practice has shown that during cross-inspections, cases of mutual agreements between auditors are possible ("I will write fewer violations for you, and you for me") or distortion of the strictness of assessments. To minimize these risks, mandatory and regular rotation of inspectors has been introduced.

Special attention is paid to personnel involvement. The financial motivation of auditors is tied to reducing the number of remarks and promptly eliminating identified violations at the end of the month. To get honest feedback from line employees and identify hidden shortcomings, conversations are conducted strictly in a personal format, without the presence of the immediate management of the inspected area.

What You Will Learn from This Webinar

• How to organize the logistics and planning of cross-inspections at geographically distributed facilities?
• How to adapt checklists to the specifics of various production sites?
• How to financially motivate auditors to identify real risks and promptly eliminate violations?
• What tools help eliminate collusion and underestimation of assessment strictness during mutual inspections?
• How to build a trusting dialogue with working personnel to identify hidden problems on site?