From Chaos to Calm: How to Organize a Manager's Work in HSE

From Chaos to System: How to Organize a Manager's Work in HSE

A manager's daily routine often turns into chaos due to an abundance of unplanned tasks. Depending on the management level, the share of non-standard work can reach 80%. Under these conditions, ensuring safety requires a systematic approach that will not be perceived as an additional burden, but will become a natural part of the production process. Irina Kosukhina, Senior Internal HSE Trainer at Lebedinsky GOK (Metalloinvest), shares practical experience in implementing a standard for a manager's work in HSE, which helps structure this activity.

Manager's Work Standard: Focus on Line Walkdowns

The standard does not introduce new responsibilities, but describes how to effectively perform daily tasks to improve the safety culture. The presentation details one of the key practices of the standard — the line walkdown. Unlike traditional inspections, the goal of a modern line walkdown is not to find violators, but to identify opportunities for improvement and help employees.

The speaker analyzes how the focus of the walkdown changes during the transition from a reactive to a systemic safety culture. At the systemic level, the worker ceases to be an object of control and becomes an equal participant in the safety process. The main question a walkdown should start with is: "How can I help?"

Rules for an Effective Line Walkdown

For a line walkdown to bring real benefits and not turn into a formality, a number of rules must be observed:

• Regularity and duration: Frequency depends on the manager's level (from weekly for top management to every shift for line managers). The optimal duration is from 1 to 4 hours.
• Preparation: Before going to the site, it is important to study information from previous walkdowns, shift handover logs, and choose 2-3 priority focus areas.
• Communication: Communication should be built on the 80/20 principle: the employee speaks 80% of the time, the manager 20%. It is important to ask open-ended questions and avoid formal "yes/no" answers.
• Personal example: The manager must demonstrate commitment to safety rules by properly using PPE and complying with all requirements on site.

The Art of Feedback

A key element of a line walkdown is high-quality feedback. The speaker uses an example to show how to properly build a dialogue with employees. Feedback should be specific, balanced (combining praise and criticism), constructive, and timely. It is important to discuss specific actions and situations, rather than getting personal.

There are two types of feedback: supportive (to reinforce safe behavior) and corrective (to change unsafe actions). The manager's goal is to be a mentor, not a judge, helping the employee understand the risks and change their attitude towards safety.

Results of Practice Implementation

The implementation of the manager's work standard and line walkdown practices allowed Metalloinvest to move from a reactive to a systemic stage of safety culture. Personnel engagement increased, risk management improved, and work execution became safer. The safety process has become a common task involving all company employees.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to properly prepare for a line walkdown and choose a focus area?
• How much time a manager should devote to line walkdowns depending on their position?
• How to build an effective dialogue with an employee and provide constructive feedback?
• How to act when violations are identified to change the employee's behavior, rather than just punishing them?
• What tools help record and monitor the elimination of identified risks and non-conformities?