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.
Konstantin Ermolaev, Head of the Safety Culture Promotion Department at Nornickel, continues a series of video notes dedicated to effective communication in occupational health and safety. As part of this series, the author shares practical observations on building communication with colleagues and the audience. This issue is dedicated to how to attract and retain the audience's attention.
The article describes the experience of occupational health and safety specialists at Kola MMC, who changed their role from controlling overseers to partnership cooperation with technological personnel. The author tells how the transition from formal inspections to open dialogue and support helps identify hidden production risks and develop a safety culture. The material shows why employee trust and their feedback become a key resource for the company.
Regular emergency drills at facilities often become a mere formality due to scenarios detached from reality and a lack of post-drill error analysis. The article examines key factors that reduce the effectiveness of the training process and explains how the personal involvement of managers in the preparation and analysis of drills helps identify bottlenecks. Management engagement increases staff accountability and allows for the formation of a comprehensive safety culture to prevent real emergenc...
Most workplace accidents can be avoided by complying with safety rules created to prevent hazards. The article explains the fundamental principles of worker protection — from risk assessment and equipment lockout to the use of PPE and a conscious attitude toward danger. The material shows how compliance with these rules helps eliminate chance occurrences and preserve life and health while performing work.
The article explains why a punitive "find and punish" approach when investigating an industrial incident is dangerous, and how failures due to the "human factor" hide systemic flaws. The author shows how switching to a "search for causes" helps discover weak links in occupational health and safety and work organization. Using the "5 Whys" method as an example, it examines a way to find the root cause of an accident and eliminate a real threat in production.
The article is dedicated to dynamic risk assessment (DRA) — an operational paperless assessment performed before starting and during work to identify and prevent hazard factors. The material examines the algorithm for conducting the assessment based on the traffic light principle, as well as common employee mistakes when analyzing threats. The publication contains recommendations for the effective implementation of DRA at the site for transitioning to conscious safe behavior and protecting worke...
The article examines the problem of physical inactivity and emotional stress among employees, which creates additional expenses for businesses. The author shares the experience of creating a workplace gymnastics project with short exercise routines performed right at the workplace without high costs or special training. The material will show how to overcome organizational and psychological barriers, convince management, and engage colleagues in taking care of their health by personal example.
The article reveals the concept of safety culture as a shared system of values and behavioral models in a company, where preserving the life and health of workers is the priority. The material examines the key elements of this system, problematic issues, and tools for its implementation, as well as ways of engaging employees. The author explains how the transition from formal instructions to a working system helps reduce injuries and increase productivity.
The article is devoted to a methodology for the quantitative assessment of the level of occupational safety culture in a company using the method of "blind surveying" of employees and classifying system maturity across five levels. The study examines key elements and principles of shaping a safety culture, as well as the procedure for identifying problem areas and directions for system improvement. The practical application of the developed measures allows human errors to be offset by the collec...
The article is devoted to the practice of applying the Kaizen concept and rationalization ideas at Russian hazardous production facilities. The author explains why Federal Law No. 116-FZ and invention patents do not grant the right to unauthorizedly alter equipment design contrary to established requirements. The material helps to understand the legal restrictions of lean production and to prevent dangerous errors under the guise of continuous improvement.
The article discusses the importance of using seat belts based on traffic accident statistics and real transport incidents. The material describes the experience of JSC SUEK-Kuzbass in implementing an online monitoring system with video analytics that records violations 24/7. The publication explains how automated control helps systematically eradicate violations and protect the lives and health of employees.
The article discusses a standalone smoke alarm—a compact device that reacts to smoke in the early stage of a fire and emits a loud acoustic signal. The device operates 24/7 on a standard battery and makes it possible to wake up in time or leave the room before evacuation routes are cut off by fire. The material describes the rules for placement and maintenance of the device, as well as analyzes popular myths and common mistakes when using it.