Leadership in Developing a Safety Culture

Leadership as the Foundation of Safety Culture

The transformation of safety culture is impossible without the active participation of top management. The presentation details the experience of PJSC NLMK, where the implementation of the Vision Zero concept and the development of a proactive safety culture began with the personal involvement of the company's president. The speaker examines how top-level leadership shapes the values and beliefs of employees, which ultimately leads to a change in behavior in the workplace and a reduction in injury rates.

Practical Tools for Engaging Managers

For the effective development of a safety culture, it is necessary not only to declare priorities but also to demonstrate them by personal example. The company has built a leader role model where managers of all levels, starting from the president, personally participate in HSE processes. They conduct safety contacts, line walkarounds, behavioral dialogues, and participate in incident investigations. The speaker shows by example how top managers' supervision of specific risk reduction projects (e.g., work at height, LOTO system, contractor management) increases responsibility and effectiveness.

Digitalization of HSE Processes

Eliminating paperwork and transitioning to digital solutions is an important step in improving the efficiency of safety management. The implementation of mobile applications for recording unsafe acts and conditions, automation of safety contacts, and the use of electronic permits-to-work allow for prompt response to risks and data analysis. The speaker notes that providing employees with smartphones and corporate communication facilitates their involvement in the process of identifying and eliminating hazards.

Motivation and Working with Contractors

To maintain the initiative of employees and contractors, a well-designed motivation system is required. The company has a president's award for achievements in HSE, as well as incentive programs for identifying near misses. Special attention is paid to working with contractors: supervising has been introduced, strict requirements for the presence of HSE specialists have been established, and fines for violations can be replaced by targeted investments in safety (for example, the purchase of high-quality PPE).

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How does the personal example of top management affect the development of a safety culture in the company?
• What digital tools help to effectively identify and eliminate hazardous conditions in production?
• How to build a motivation system so that employees do not hide incidents, but actively report them?
• How can contractors be stimulated to invest in the safety of their workers?
• How to implement an electronic permit-to-work and abandon paper document flow?