5 Steps to High-Risk Work Safety

High-risk work (HRW) traditionally remains an area of maximum risk at manufacturing enterprises. The historical approach, which prioritizes task execution speed over risk assessment, inevitably leads to a high injury rate. During the webinar, Vasily Nikulnikov, Head of Department at RN-Purneftegaz, analyzes a practical case of transforming HRW management, which allowed the enterprise to completely eliminate injuries during such work since 2023.

Structuring the Process: From Chaos to Planning

The foundation of the new system consists of five key management elements: work categorization, formation of standard risks, strict planning, preliminary risk assessment, and multi-level control. The speaker details the transition process from spontaneous tasks to a strict schedule. The implementation of planning KPIs made it possible to increase the share of planned work to 95%. This solution eliminated the main cause of violations — haste and the "chase for production targets," giving managers a clear understanding of resource allocation and preparation time. Each job is now divided into three risk levels, each with its own hazard assessment regulations directly at the worksite.

Automation of Work Permits and the "Two-Key" System

Complex paper bureaucracy often provokes personnel to perform work without issuing a work permit. To solve this problem, the enterprise digitized the approval process. A unified permit form was developed, combining related types of work (e.g., excavation, gas-hazardous, and hot work). The use of digital signatures for remote approval radically reduced downtime and saved significant funds by abandoning paper logs. At the same time, admission directly at the workplace is carried out using "live" signatures, and the start of work is only possible after approval via the "two-key" system — from the department head and the HSE specialist.

Video Recording as a Tool for Finding Hidden Risks

Special attention in the presentation is given to the implementation of video recorders. The speaker shows by example how they managed to overcome personnel resistance by shifting the focus from punishment to identifying hidden hazards. The development of a clear video recording algorithm and checklists led to an unexpected but important result: work supervisors learned to conduct high-quality and meaningful targeted briefings, as the preparation process became transparent and analyzable at weekly meetings.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to legally combine several types of high-risk work into a single work permit?
• How to build an electronic permit approval process without violating regulatory requirements?
• How to use video recording to improve the quality of targeted briefings rather than for fines?
• How a work planning system helps reduce injuries and increase the engagement of production personnel?