Observation and Intervention Program as a Tool in Developing Safety Culture

Observation and Intervention Program as the Foundation of Safety Culture

Developing a safety culture in the workplace is impossible without the active involvement of every employee. Evgeny Kovalev, Head of the HSE Department at Sakhalin Energy, shares practical experience in implementing an observation and intervention program that has become an integral part of the company's daily operations over the past 8 years. The speaker explains how to transform behavioral audits from a formal procedure into an effective tool for preventing incidents.

From Policy to Daily Practice

The foundation of the program is laid at the level of the HSE management system. The company's policy establishes not only the right but also the obligation of every employee to intervene in hazardous situations. This creates a legitimate basis for personnel actions.

• Clear role distribution: The HSE department is responsible for training, data collection, and analysis, while managers are responsible for active participation and engaging their subordinates. This eliminates shifting of responsibility.
• Training as a tool to overcome barriers: The training program aims to eliminate cultural stereotypes that hinder intervention (for example, the fear of reprimanding a senior colleague). Employees are taught the direct link between safe work and their personal well-being.
• Use of observation cards: A special tool allows recording both hazardous situations and safe actions, encouraging correct behavior.

Planned Walkdowns and Habit Formation

The presentation details the process of planned walkdowns. At each facility, teams consisting of a leader and participants (representatives from different departments) are formed. This is not an inspection to find the guilty, but a platform for interaction and informal communication.

• Demonstrating leadership: The manager shows their commitment to safety by personal example.
• Habit formation: Regular walkdowns create a need for continuous safe work among employees, which eventually becomes an internal norm.
• Feedback and communication: Walkdown results are always discussed at briefings and meetings, increasing team awareness.

Motivation and Process Digitalization

The speaker uses examples to show the importance of recognizing achievements. The most significant observations are rewarded, and information about the heroes is published in internal digests and on the corporate portal. The best of the best are invited to an award ceremony by the executive committee.

To increase efficiency, the program is being digitalized. An electronic tool based on SharePoint has been implemented, allowing data to be quickly entered into the database, which reduces the likelihood of errors and speeds up analysis. Plans include the use of mobile applications on intrinsically safe devices and self-diagnostics based on accumulated data.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to overcome cultural barriers and teach employees not to be afraid to point out issues to colleagues and managers?
• How to organize the process of planned walkdowns so they do not turn into a formal inspection?
• What criteria to use for selecting the best observations and how to properly reward employees?
• How to automate the collection and analysis of observation data using accessible IT solutions?