As explained by Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Technical Director of SUEK-Krasnoyarsk, such inspections were initiated by SUEK in cooperation with the Krasnoyarsk trade union committee back in 2015. In 2019, they became mandatory for all coal companies, as ordered by the Russian government to cut the number of occupational injuries in the industry. Over the past years, SUEK has refined mechanisms of social partnership with the coal miners' trade union and, thanks to its independent audits, introduced a set of measures to improve occupational health and safety system. "The life and health of employees is SUEK's core value. Therefore, improving working conditions and further developing collective bargaining agreements in terms of occupational safety and health are a continuous process, just like coal mining," Yevgeny Yevtushenko says. In 2020 alone, SUEK invested almost $10m to ensure comfort and safety at workplaces and on sanitary and health precautions for Krasnoyarsk coal miners and $83m were spent on all facilities.
Marina Spevakina, Chief Health and Safety Officer in Rosugleprof branch in Krasnoyarsk, confirms that SUEK's high occupational safety standards are the result of the company's consistent investment, daily scrupulous work and transparency. "Whereas scheduled inspections by government agencies rely on a risk-based approach and are not carried out annually, the Krasnoyarsk trade union committee, under our current agreement with SUEK, conducts technical audits almost every month. With that, we monitor not only the employer's compliance with labour legislation. We take part in the company's dealings with state supervision and control bodies, carry out awareness raising sessions for employees, including through the media. Besides, we are doing our best to improve the system of labour safety management, supervision and monitoring of occupational and environmental safety", Marina Spevakina says.
Moreover, SUEK's achievements in occupational safety are highly regarded by other expert organisations. Local SUEK’s units often win awards at the Regional Competition for the Best Occupational Safety Practices, held by the Labour and Employment Agency of the Krasnoyarsk region.