OREANDA-NEWS. On September 12, 2008 Metinvest Group has completed preparation stage of the project that targets to adopt the most contemporary individual protection equipment (IPE) at all its enterprises, reported the press-centre of Metinvest.

The project expects to lower the risk to life and health of workers, employees, and technicians to the minimum level. The Group is going to invest some US20m to implement the project.

The pursued goal is to provide working clothes and high-quality protectors in line with international practices, as well as bring the health and safety standards in compliance with global norms. This will also help introduce the common corporate style at all enterprises that belong to Metinvest Group. Many suggested IPs are unmatched in Ukraine yet applied widely in Europe and the USA, and have proved their effectiveness.

The design of the new IP standards takes into account special features of production cycles at each enterprise, types of works, degree of hazardous factors and protection from them, as well as practicality, durability, and aesthetic appearance.

But the lack of the legal framework for extending the IPE range impedes introduction of new protection equipment. One of the project goals includes ensuring changes of the current standards on the lawmaking level.

Along with extension of the IPE range that can be given to employees free of charge, the project provides for optimizing the quality and quantity of the IPE variety. Budget planning for individual protector procurement will be based on the IP range optimization.

The experiment, exceptional in Ukraine, was initiated by Iron Ore Division of Metinvest Group. Following the first outcomes, the project will cascade across the other divisions Holding: Coal and Coke Division, and Steel and Rolled Products Division.

"We are going to complete the IPE modernization project at all enterprises in Metinvest Group within 2.5-3 years", said Sergey Ryabov, Corporate Health, Safety, and Environment Director of Metinvest Holding. "I want to underline that our employees will see the first results of this work as soon as in 2009".