Health and Safety

The health and safety of our personnel whilst at work is paramount, and thus Rusneftegaz maintains comprehensive and detailed policies to ensure the risks of occupational accidents, disasters and incidents is minimized to the maximum possible extent. We aspire to be leaders and innovators within this field, and assess our performance on the basis of results achieved instead of other subjective metrics. These matters are particularly acute at potentially hazardous operational sites, where the risk of danger is significantly increased. With our company operating numerous such locations, it is vital that we guarantee safe working conditions for all our employees, regardless of circumstances. Therefore, it is fundamentally necessary for us to maintain the highest production standards possible, which entails not merely deploying advanced operational technologies, but also implementing all health and safety protocols efficiently and effectively. We remain in complete control of the fulfillment of our projects, and are consequently liable for the actions undertaken by our employees. As a consequence, we are rigorous in the development of systems to manage and govern the aforementioned perils, with continual and meticulous evaluation of these accordingly. Hence, we fully conform to all relevant local and international laws, regulations and compliance codes applicable, in addition to the particulars stipulated in ISO 45001, which aims to reduce instances of injuries in the workplace. Not only should such practices reduce the threat to our staff, but also to the resident population living near the site and other third-parties who may be affected by an incident.

​As a corporation, we demand all of those affiliated with us to engage with and actively participate in our thorough health and safety policies. This does not solely include all our personnel, who will be comprehensively briefed with regard to any amendments to these practices, but also the contractors whom our organization hires. Although this is principally to comply with the law and avoid any subsequent repercussions, it is in the best interest of each individual to adhere to these terms. Hence, Rusneftegaz ensures all our employees are fully trained in alignment with the current rules and procedures, which forms a part of our broader professional development strategy. We aspire for all members of our staff to be on a continuous trajectory of growth and improvement, and afford all willing and able participants a complete package of courses and corresponding qualifications within this area of study. This provision is regularly audited and improved in accordance with the latest requirements and needs, with all changes receiving final approval from the relevant health and safety authorities. During each review, officers analyze our existing production risks and our existing measures to prevent emergency situations, with the intention of reducing the accident rate correspondingly. Following this endorsement, all interested parties, both internal and external, will be notified with regard to the revisions. In previous surveys, this has consisted of improving working conditions to lessen of chance of emergencies, fires and other hazards on our properties.

In the interest of transparency, our occupational injury rates are openly communicated to all our personal and contractors. We have the means to provide compensation in the instance of a severe injury under the particulars of our corporate insurance coverage, although in most cases this is unnecessary. To comply with the terms of this indemnification, we conduct regular inspections of the latter to ascertain full compliance with our policies, and ensure each individual has received a comprehensive briefing before commencing their work. If a serious episode were to occur, Rusneftegaz will instigate the necessary plans to respond in a fit and proper manner in accordance with all local legislation. Foremost, this entails formulating a strategy in an orderly fashion and informing all stakeholders, including statutory bodies if appropriate, as to the facts of what has occurred. Once this has been executed and the concern resolved, the matter will be registered on our internal monitoring system and investigated further accordingly. As a company, we acknowledge that any type of incident is an illustration of the flaws that are inherent in our security systems and processes. Therefore, we take measures to scrutinize the causes of an accident or a near-miss event, in conjunction with the surrounding circumstances, and undertake remedial action if needed. This may include alerting our staff as to the possibility of hazards, or reevaluating our operations to avert similar instances from occurring again in a comparable reoccurrence. For instance, after previous calamities we have planned and instigated new measure in due haste, ultimately designed to prevent identical crises. These findings are also reported to the relevant managerial committees, whom bear ultimate responsibility for all our internal guidelines. This is because in the future, an analogous episode may result in worse damage, more severe injuries or even fatalities in the worst-case scenarios.

​To facilitate maximum efficiency, all these procedures are placed under constant review in their entirety, with such scrutiny forming part of the wider audits into our activities. For example, in recent times we have wholly upgraded our first aid supplies, with a range of new equipment being purchased for our on-site medical post and paramedic stations. We have also completed large-scale renovations to our examination rooms, in conjunction with a broader improvement to our doctors and physicians' offices. Ensuring these facilitates remain state-of-the-art and aligned with modern standards is vital for safe and secure production, although Rusneftegaz makes great efforts to boost employee performance by promoting all aspects of healthy lifestyle. Thus, we maintain similar schemes to bolster fitness and improve wellbeing, with our company making a full social provision for all our personnel and their families. Throughout the year, we hold a number of events to mark national holidays and other special occasions, including various excursions, trips and tours. Whilst this could entail camping or visits to cultural sites, we may also opt to host sports competitions between our employees. In recent times, we have held athletic contests and football tournaments for adults and children alike, all of which have been greatly successful. This is an element of our wider agenda to promote personal responsibility for individual health outside the workplace, such as additional training to advocate awareness of severe medical issues, namely cardiovascular disease. Likewise, every year we offer all our staff vaccinations against both seasonal viruses and infections localized to the regions in which we operate, chiefly influenza and tick-borne pathogens.

​Fundamentally, we have constructed a highly efficient system of timely detection and prevention of occupational diseases, comprising an extensive training program and vigilant enforcement of rules and regulations. This is because our commitment to social protection is one of our fundamental corporate values, and is implemented chiefly through a variety of economic and sanitary measures. We provide comprehensive checkups for all our personnel, including mandatory pre-employment and annual screening, utilizing the most progressive diagnostic equipment available. In certain locations, Rusneftegaz has apparatus that can automatically screen for contagion, such as toxic chemicals, at the beginning and culmination of each shift without the need for supervision. It should be noted, however, that our organization is rigorous in maintaining high standards of hygiene on all our property, with these protocols within the scope of our broader remedial and preventative policies. As such, we collaborate with other entities to offer highly-subsidized medical insurance to all members of our workforce, ultimately guaranteeing a higher standard of care in excess of the state-funded program. Whilst we are committed to supporting social welfare and comparable government schemes through taxation, our enhanced contribution affords additional assistance and services, such as advanced examinations, at your earliest convenience. We continuously monitor the caliber of this arrangement for its quality in the best interests of our employees, and may take action to improve our health plan accordingly. Staff also have the option to select a more flexible insurance plan from us that caters to their current needs and requirements, albeit at a greater personal expense.