Safety Culture Development Trends in the Post-Crisis Period: Research Results and Action Guide

Evolution of Safety Culture: From Stereotypes to Real Numbers

In the context of global changes and the aftermath of the pandemic, industrial safety issues have taken on a new significance. Experts from DuPont Sustainable Solutions (DSS) conducted a large-scale study covering over 500 companies in Europe and the CIS countries to understand how the crisis affected safety culture and which tools proved to be the most effective. The presentation details the results of this research, debunking many established myths about the gap between European and domestic approaches.

The Impact of the Pandemic: Unexpected Conclusions and New Challenges

Contrary to expectations, the pandemic did not become an unequivocally negative factor for industrial safety. The speaker analyzes the phenomenon of the first half of 2020, when the mobilization of teams in the face of a common threat led to an improvement in injury statistics in a number of companies. However, accumulated fatigue and reduced investments in the second half of the year exposed systemic problems. Practice has shown that the resilience of the safety system directly depends on the involvement of the entire line organization, and not just a narrow circle of specialists.

Digitalization as a Tool for Survival and Development

The crisis became a catalyst for the implementation of digital solutions. The transition of training, communications, and even line walkdowns to an online format made it possible to maintain control over production processes while management worked remotely. The speaker demonstrates by example how effective interaction between IT departments, HSE services, and production workers helps adapt standard procedures to new realities. At the same time, the importance of piloting innovations is emphasized: blindly copying others' experience without taking into account the specifics of the enterprise often leads to inefficient investments.

Integration of Safety and Production Systems

The development of a safety culture is impossible in isolation from the company's overall business system. Research confirms that industry leaders view safety as an integral part of operational efficiency. Implementing a risk-oriented approach requires not only an understanding of theory but also the development of specific competencies among managers at all levels. Systemic employee motivation becomes an important aspect: recognition of achievements in the field of safety must be predictable and regular, rather than a one-time event.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How has the pandemic changed approaches to industrial risk management?
• Why do domestic companies outperform European ones in incident investigation?
• How to properly pilot digital tools in HSE?
• What is the difference between knowing safety rules and having a real behavioral culture?
• How to justify safety investments to top management?