In order to achieve injury-free work, it is necessary to constantly improve production processes, systematically check the knowledge of employees and improve them. Currently, in Zaporizhia, work is underway to increase safety during repair work on oxygen equipment.

– All rules are based on experience – sometimes our own, and sometimes on the mistakes of others. Unfortunately, we already have examples when neglecting labor protection requirements leads to fatal consequences. And this encourages us to pay more attention to the safe performance of certain works at “Zaporizhstal”, – notes Andriy KUZMUK, Head of the Department of Line Control of Labor Safety. – We are currently working on reducing risks during repair work in gas-hazardous areas, as well as on oxygen equipment.

First of all, this is an analysis. Specialists of the Labor Safety Directorate, together with representatives of the oxygen compressor shop, conducted a risk assessment in case of deviations from the production process. In addition, unscheduled targeted inspections were carried out to ensure the safe performance of works on oxygen equipment, as well as the availability of serviceable personal gas analysers among workers and their operating skills. They reviewed the existing repair and technological documentation on the organization of work on equipment that produces and transmits oxygen.

Also, an unscheduled check of knowledge on occupational safety issues is carried out among the process and repair personnel of the oxygen compressor shop involved in works on such equipment.

The next step is to eliminate deficiencies. Today, a new regulation has been developed, which establishes general requirements for the safe organization and conduct of repair works on the main oxygen equipment and main oxygen pipelines of “Zaporizhstal”. Also, oxygen compressor shop specialists are developing process charts, which will become a kind of guide to the rules for high-quality and safe performance of repair works.

– Oxygen is extremely important for humans and at the same time very dangerous. Therefore, we must do everything in our power to reduce the risks to the health of employees and keep them safe, – added Andriy Kuzmuk.