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ISSA launched VISION ZERO for Eurasia in Russia

From 9th to 13th April 2018 the Russian Federation has held their 4th All-Russian Occupational Safety and Health Week in Sochi. The opening ceremony was characterized by the launch of VISION ZERO. During five days the impressive number of more than 11,000 people visited the event.

Author: Dipl.-Ing. Kai Rabald, Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chemische Industrie (BGRCI), Langenhagen

Sochi lately became famous for Winter Olympics in 2014, place of political meetings and venue of the Football World Championship. As well, the South Russian city, located between black sea and snow-covered mountains of Caucasus, has developed to one of the most popular tourist destinations of Russia and host of many events of all kinds. The 4th All-Russian Occupational Safety and Health Week from 9th to 13th April 2018 once again took place at the Main Media Centre, next to the Olympic Park of Sochi (Figure 1).

Fig. 1. The launch of VISION ZERO in Eurasia at the opening Ceremony. // Bild 1. Während der Eröffnungsfeier: VISION ZERO nun auch im eurasischen Raum. Photo/Foto: BG RCI

The congress was accompanied by an exhibition comprising of many international suppliers as well as of Russian companies of all kinds, demonstrating their progress in OSH. A glass TV cabin for interviews with professionals and visitors opened the view for passer-bys. A separated VISION ZERO area with several stands and an information desk demonstrated the huge impact of prevention at the event.

Russia’s Minister for Labour and Social Protection, Maxim Anatoljewitsch Topilin, opened the congress and honoured the co-operation with the International Social Security Association (ISSA). According to his presentation, international input is required and will become an important factor for progress.

In the keynote of ISSA’s Secretary General Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, he reported about the successful launch of VISION ZERO at the World Congress in Singapore as well as for Europe in Düsseldorf/Germany last year and how successfully the strategy finds its way into the global OSH community (Figure 2). In this connection, the launch for Eurasia was one more important step on the way to zero. With flying VISION ZERO flags Russia warmly welcomed the movement.

Fig. 2. Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, Secretary General of ISSA, explained that the main idea of VISION ZERO is to support companies in implementing a culture of prevention. // Bild 2. Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, Generalsekretär der ISSA, erläutert die wesentlichen Inhalte und Ziele von VISION ZERO, nämlich Unternehmen grundlegend in der Gestaltung von Arbeitsschutzmaßnahmen zu unterstützen. Photo/Foto: BG RCI

Several technical sessions approached VISION ZERO. So the Ministry of Labour of the Russian Federation and the All-Union Research institution of Labour (FSBI) organised in co-operation with ISSA the session “7 Golden rules of VISION ZERO” strategy. There Kai Rabald of the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Raw Materials and Chemical Industry (BG RCI), Langenhagen/Germany, presented, how his organisation successfully implemented VISION ZERO. Hans-Horst Konkolewsky elucidated the need of VISION ZERO as a catalyst in prevention. Especially he bewailed the huge number of work-related diseases worldwide. He advertised e. g. the programme “Become a VISION ZERO Trainer”, that offers training materials to run VISION ZERO training sessions in companies.

Another Session touched specifically the mining industry and put the question on the agenda, “How to progress to zero accidents?” Dieter Mantwill of RAG Aktiengesellschaft, Essen/Germany, and Cristian Moraga of Mutual de Seguridad, Chile, were representing ISSA Mining. They clearly explained why VISION ZERO is the necessary step and how their institutions are taking advantage of implementing the 7 Golden Rules.

The Russian audience was well engaged and wanted to know, why managers do not enter the mine to manifest real leadership and if he really believes that VISION ZERO can become reality. Dieter Mantwill explained the 7 Golden Rules by reference to the Football World Championship: To win the cup, you need to be good in all categories:

  1. starting with good leadership and a clear hierarchy;
  2. analyse the adversary to counteract the hazards;
  3. setting targets to advance deficiencies;
  4. implement a good organisation of processes;
  5. ensure a good equipment;
  6. do good physical and strategical training; and
  7. involve the employee team as well as the people around the team in all aspects.

ISSA representatives also supported a session of the “Social Insurance Fund of the All-Russian Federation”, discussing the role of employment injury insurance.

In all, the 4th All-Russian Occupational Safety and Health Week in Sochi was a well-organised event with high-quality casted representatives of governmental, social and industrial organisations, dominated by the sectors of raw materials and mining. Once again the global VISION ZERO strategy of ISSA put its stamp on the prevention-related issues and was launched in an important mining region.

Author: Dipl.-Ing. Kai Rabald, Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chemische Industrie (BGRCI), Langenhagen