HSE Management System Audit. The Tool Works!

HSE Management System Audit as a Tool for Safety Culture Development

Given the company's rapid growth and the specifics of working at remote sites (fly-in/fly-out method, high staff turnover, time differences), ensuring occupational safety becomes not just a formality, but a critical business process. Leonid Malykh, Head of HSE at Highland Gold, shares practical experience in implementing the HSE Management System audit. The speaker explains how to ensure that managers consciously apply safety tools, understanding their benefits and impact on the company's results.

Manager Motivation: Why Engage in Safety

For the successful implementation of safety tools, managers must understand their personal interest. The presentation details an approach where occupational safety directly affects financial compensation. The LTIFR (Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate) accounts for 5% of a manager's annual bonus, and individual safety goals account for another 10%. Thus, 15% of the annual remuneration depends on the results of the HSE Management System audit. This encourages managers not just to formally comply with requirements, but to genuinely engage in the process.

HSE Management System Audit Methodology

The HSE Management System audit in the company is based on the assessment of 12 behavioral elements, each divided into five levels of safety culture development:

• Level 1: The tool exists. Availability of instructions, regulations, and orders.
• Level 2: Awareness. Employees know about the existence of the tool and undergo training.
• Level 3: Application under control. The tool is used, but primarily due to external control.
• Level 4: Conscious application. Managers and employees understand the benefits of the tool and apply it voluntarily.
• Level 5: Effectiveness. The tool brings stable results (absence of incidents, cost reduction, implementation of best practices).

The assessment is conducted bottom-up by interviewing a small number of employees (3-7 people). If non-conformities are identified, the issue is marked in yellow or red, and the assessment does not rise above this level. This ensures the objectivity and independence of the results from a specific manager.

Action Plan and Responsibility

The outcome of the audit is an action plan developed jointly with the managers of the audited departments. The speaker emphasizes the importance of formulating plan items according to the SMART principle. A key condition: no more than half of the items should be within the responsibility of the HSE department. The primary responsibility for implementing the measures lies with department heads and foremen. This builds a culture of personal responsibility for safety on site.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to link HSE Management System audit results to the manager motivation system?
• How to adapt classic questionnaires (e.g., DuPont) to the specifics of your enterprise?
• How to conduct employee interviews to get an objective picture of the safety culture level?
• How to properly create a corrective action plan based on audit results?
• How to overcome resistance and sabotage when implementing new safety tools?