What Every HSE Tool Needs to Take Off. Key Focuses for Continuous Control and Improvement

Why HSE Tools Fail Without Basic Training

The implementation of new health, safety, and environment (HSE) tools often faces a problem: the system functions successfully at some enterprises, while at others, it yields no results. Speakers Roman Grigoriev and Mikhail Rusakov from NLMK analyze the key reasons why even the most advanced solutions can prove ineffective.

The foundation of successful implementation is the readiness of the system itself and the personnel. If employees, including contractors, lack basic professional competencies, implementing complex tools becomes meaningless. The speakers emphasize the importance of training and support from line managers, who must understand the essence of the processes rather than just formally reporting on performance indicators.

Optimizing the Permit-to-Work System

The transition from paper to electronic permits-to-work is not just a format change, but an opportunity to reconsider the very essence of the work being performed. During an analysis at the enterprise, it was revealed that a significant portion of permits-to-work were issued formally for repetitive, non-unique tasks that do not require such a level of control.

The solution was to transfer such tasks into standardized formats (routing sheets, standard operating procedures) followed by practical personnel training. Reducing the number of formal permits-to-work allowed focusing on real risks and hazards when performing complex technological operations.

Pre-Shift Meetings as a Microlearning Tool

Pre-shift meetings are often perceived formally, yet they represent a powerful tool for daily microlearning of personnel. The speaker demonstrates by example how supervision and quality assessment of meetings using checklists helped identify weak points and train foremen in the correct presentation of information.

To increase the effectiveness of the meetings, all meeting locations were equipped with screens to broadcast short two-minute videos. Each video is dedicated to a specific topic (for example, working with power tools or lifting mechanisms) and focuses on deadly hazards, including the analysis of real accidents. This format allows delivering critical information in an easily digestible form.

Transformation of Tiered Control

An analysis of the tiered control system showed that inspections at different levels (from foreman to director) often duplicate each other, focusing on easily identifiable violations, such as housekeeping. This leads to systemic risks being left without proper attention.

To solve this problem, the focus of top management inspections was shifted to the top 5-7 systemic risks capable of leading to severe injuries. Special checklists were developed, which significantly increased the detection rate of critical non-conformities. In addition, line walkarounds based on lessons learned were introduced, aimed at verifying the effectiveness of previously developed accident prevention measures.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• What basic conditions are necessary for the successful implementation of HSE tools?
• How to optimize the permit-to-work system and get rid of formalism?
• How to turn pre-shift meetings into an effective microlearning tool?
• How to use video content to raise risk awareness?
• How to restructure tiered control to identify systemic problems rather than minor violations?
• How to ensure the cyclical nature of control and verify the effectiveness of lessons learned?