Employee safety begins with every individual being prepared to act in an emergency. It is for this reason that Zaporizhstal provides employees with systematic training in first-aid skills, which can prove critical in emergency situations both in the workplace and beyond.
A series of first-aid training sessions scheduled for 2026 was completed in July. Certified specialists from the Ukrainian Red Cross Society taught Zaporizhstal employees life-saving skills.
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Within the programme, 32 employees from Metinvest Group’s Zaporizhzhia-based enterprises completed the training between May and July, including 20 employees from Zaporizhstal.
Participants in the July training session were employees taking a basic first-aid course for the first time. Under the guidance of experienced instructors, they combined theoretical training with hands-on practice, learning how to respond in a range of emergency situations: to provide assistance in the event of the most common injuries, control life-threatening bleeding, use tourniquets, evacuate the injured, and coordinate with the company’s medical service and emergency responders.
Upon completing the course, participants received certificates. They will also take part in refresher training every six months to maintain and further develop their skills.
One of the participants in the training was Yuliia MIEKH, an instrumentation and automation fitter of Automation Office Shop, who was taking part in this kind of training for the first time.
"I really enjoyed the training sessions. I’d particularly like to praise the trainers. They explained everything clearly, demonstrated each procedure, supported us during the practical exercises and, whenever necessary, went over the material again. This was my first experience of this kind of training, and I now feel much more confident. I know that, in an emergency, I’ll be able to help my family or my colleagues. In today’s world, this knowledge is genuinely essential,” Yuliia says.
According to Yuliia LEVCHENKO, Chief Specialist in the Occupational Health and Safety Department, the need for such training has repeatedly been demonstrated in practice:
"For us, the first-aid training is not a one-off initiative but part of a systematic effort to foster a culture of safety across the enterprise. We want as many employees as possible to possess the basic skills that may prove vital in a critical situation."
Yuliia Levchenko emphasises: This is not the only format through which employees can acquire basic first-aid knowledge and skills. Every week, practical emergency response trainings are conducted across the plant’s operational subdivisions with the involvement of medical specialists from the Vitacentre Clinic, where participants rehearse response procedures for a range of unexpected situations. Employees approach these training sessions responsibly and are showing an even greater interest in them, because today such knowledge is far from unnecessary.
"On more than one occasion, Zaporizhstal employees who learned basic first aid skills during our training sessions have already put them into practice in everyday life. Sadly, that is the reality we live in today. However, the medics who stabilised the injured employees noted the swift response of their colleagues and the measured actions that helped safeguard the health of those who had been injured. That is why we will continue to expand the number of employees who possess first-aid skills,” Yuliia notes.
