Risk Management for Highly Vulnerable Groups and Lone Workers

Risk Management: From Theory to Practice

In modern industry, personnel safety is not just about compliance with regulations, but a fundamental company value. This is especially true for round-the-clock manufacturing facilities with thousands of employees. In her presentation, Maria Shirkova, Head of the HSE Department for the united production facilities of the Askona Group, explains how a risk-oriented approach helps identify and protect the most vulnerable categories of workers.

Using her company as an example, the speaker demonstrates that the safety management system is built on three pillars: a risk-oriented approach, the development of a safety culture, and detailed risk assessment at all stages — from equipment procurement to the work of specific personnel groups.

Focus on Vulnerable Groups: The Lone Worker Problem

Special attention in the report is given to assessing risks for specific categories: young professionals, pregnant women, and, which is especially critical for night shifts, lone workers. A lone worker is someone who works alone for a certain period of time, without contact with a manager or colleagues.

The speaker examines in detail the case of battery room employees who are left alone during the night shift. Despite high qualifications and occupational risk management, an unpredictable factor remains — a sudden deterioration in health. In such a situation, it is critically important to provide timely assistance, as every minute counts.

Technical Solution: Control and Rapid Response

The first obvious solution — hiring additional personnel — proved economically unviable (costs would be around 4 million rubles per year). Therefore, the company turned to technical innovations. The presentation details the process of selecting and implementing a monitoring system.

To solve this problem, the SafeZone platform from MTS was chosen. The implementation took place in a project format with the participation of IT specialists, the chief engineer's service, and the security service. How it works in practice:

• Smartphones instead of wearables: Employees are issued Android-based smartphones with special software. This solves the problem of frequent charging of wireless devices during 24-hour shifts and ensures convenient communication.
• Positioning via BLE beacons: Beacons are installed over a production area of about 50,000 sq. m, allowing accurate determination of the worker's location. The layouts are uploaded to a cloud platform.
• Condition monitoring: The system monitors immobility, detects falls, and also allows the employee to independently send an SOS signal.
• Response algorithm: The signal goes to the security post. If there is no response from the employee, a medical worker and a security officer are immediately dispatched to the location.

Real Result: A Life Saved

The effectiveness of the system was proven in practice. The speaker cites a real case: an employee suffered a cardiovascular crisis. Thanks to the SOS signal sent and the rapid response of medics and security, assistance was provided within the "golden minutes". The employee was saved and was able to return to work. Without this system, the outcome could have been fatal.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to identify and assess risks for lone workers at a large manufacturing facility?
• Why technical solutions can be more profitable than hiring additional personnel?
• How does the real-time employee positioning and condition monitoring system work?
• What response algorithms ensure assistance is provided in critical minutes?
• How does HSE digitalization help prevent accidents related to sudden illnesses?