#Safety culture
Development of a proactive safety culture in production: mindful leadership, motivation programs, contractor engagement, and addressing the human factor. Transitioning from reactive oversight to integrated risk management practices.
A Real Case of Implementing "Curatorship" and Combating System Stagnation
The article presents a practical case study of implementing the 'Curatorship' project, developed to prevent the stagnation of the production safety system and manager burnout. Using real examples, the author shows how appointing experts from the Safety Directorate as mentors helps develop managers' leadership qualities. The material reveals key mentoring mechanics that made it possible to reduce workplace injuries by 27% and increase safety culture indicators by 30%.
Cross-Inspections: An Effective Tool for a "Fresh Perspective"
The article discusses cross-inspections in the field of occupational health and safety and industrial safety—a methodology in which inspections are conducted by specialists from other departments. Such an approach helps overcome the 'eye-blurring effect,' as external experts objectively identify violations that are routine for the regular team. Implementing this system allows for the timely elimination of hidden risks, the sharing of best practices, and the reduction of injuries at the enterpris...
Hazard Blindness: An Invisible Threat and Ways to Combat It
In the work of occupational health and safety and industrial safety specialists, routine can cause “eye fatigue” — a dulling of attention due to which dangerous deviations begin to be perceived as the norm. The article analyzes the risks of this effect on the effectiveness of the occupational health and safety management system and workplace inspections. The material describes systemic prevention methods that make it possible, through rotation, objective control tools, and employee training, to...
Workplace Safety Without Financial Penalties
Traditional financial penalties for violations of occupational health and safety rules often lead to the formation of a culture of silence and the concealment of risky situations. This article examines alternative approaches and specific tools for implementing a safety system without fines and reprimands. The author explains how transitioning from punishments to a culture of trust, transparency, and employee engagement helps eliminate systemic causes of violations and prevent injuries.
Exercise for Practicing the Identification of Accident Causes: Immediate, Underlying, and Root
The publication presents a practical exercise for determining the immediate, underlying, and root causes of an accident using a case study as an example. Based on a story about a female employee being injured on stairs, it is proposed to analyze the combination of factors that led to the incident. At the end of the material, the author provides their own version of the analysis for checking and comparing the results obtained.
The Image of an HSE Specialist: Between Strictness and Care
The article reveals the essence of the profession of an occupational health and safety specialist as a bridge between safety standards and the team, where authority is built on trust, competence, and care, rather than bureaucracy. The author explains what qualities such an expert possesses, capable of changing attitudes toward safety and building a dialogue with employees at any level. The material helps to understand how to grow professionally without turning into a "paper dragon" and how to pr...
Safety School – Key Elements in Reducing Injury Rates
Creation of an internal practice-oriented "Safety School" to train employees on production risks. The training includes a theoretical part on the 10 golden safety rules and practical exercises on specialized training stands (electrical safety, LOTO, forklift blind spots, PPE, ergonomics, working with chemicals).
Immediate, Underlying, and Root Causes of an Accident?
The article explains the three-level classification of workplace accident causes — immediate, basic, and root — and explains why incident investigations should not be limited to recording obvious facts. The author shows how identifying deep systemic violations in occupational health and safety management helps eliminate the root causes of incidents instead of a formal search for culprits. Understanding the difference between these levels allows implementing sustainable corrective actions, improv...
Why Use a Structured Approach in Accident Investigation?
The effectiveness of workplace accident investigations directly depends on a methodology that allows moving from superficial analysis to true root causes. The article examines a structured approach that eliminates subjectivity and replaces finding fault with the systematic improvement of the occupational health and safety system. You will learn how applying established methods helps identify systemic flaws, implement effective preventive measures, and strengthen safety culture.
Cognitive Biases in Risk Assessment: How an AI Assistant Helps See Hazards Objectively
Traditional risk assessment methods in enterprises often fail to prevent injuries due to cognitive biases and template thinking of specialists. An experiment showed that an AI assistant trained on injury statistics and investigation materials is capable of objectively analyzing occupational health and safety instructions and proposing specific actions instead of formal phrases. The use of such technologies helps compensate for the peculiarities of human thinking by providing accurate data to foc...
The "5 Whys" Method: A Simple Tool for Finding the Root Causes of Incidents
The "5 Whys" technique, developed by Sakichi Toyoda, allows during workplace incidents to move away from superficial factors and determine the true cause of a failure in a system or process. By sequentially asking the question "Why?", it is possible to reach the root of the problem, not to look for culprits, but to prevent a recurrence of the situation. The article demonstrates the algorithm for applying this tool using a practical example and explains its role in forming a systematic approach t...
Safety Ambassadors Internship at the Kola Site
Participants of the "Safety Ambassadors" project from the "Prevention and Mentorship" track completed an internship in the transport safety department of the Kola site. During territory rounds, incoming vehicle inspection, and participation in Occupational Health and Safety Day, the ambassadors studied practical aspects of the work of the Industrial Safety Department's units. The article tells how this experience helps ambassadors implement best practices and develop internal company interaction...