Kazakhmys Corporation LLC has launched a series of “Safety Stand-Down” meetings—a new format of engagement between management and employees aimed at achieving zero injuries. The first open-dialogue sessions have already taken place at the Nurkazgan mine, the Balkhash Copper Smelting Plant, facilities of Balkhash Tau-Ken Ondirisi (slag dump and construction and installation division), and in the Kazakhmys Exploration units.

The essence and purpose of Safety Stand-Down meetings lie in a deliberate pause in the production process initiated by management. During these sessions, work is temporarily suspended so that every employee can step away from operational tasks and focus on what matters most—protecting life and health.

Experience shows that most serious incidents occur not due to a lack of instructions, but because of haste, routine, and silence at moments when work should have been stopped.

A short but meaningful pause helps break the “chain of inaction,” where a series of minor errors and ignored risks can lead to tragedy. It also enables employees to hear one another: effective dialogue increases engagement, directly contributes to reducing workplace incidents, and shifts priorities—reinforcing that no production target or performance indicator is worth a human life.

As part of these meetings, employees are reminded of their right and obligation to stop any unsafe work. The Corporation’s management officially confirms that employees will not face penalties for justified work stoppages; on the contrary, such actions are recognized as a sign of professional responsibility.

“Carrying out work under a threat to life and health is unacceptable. Production plans can only be fulfilled with strict adherence to safety requirements,” emphasized Ruslan Oskinali, Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhmys Corporation LLC.

Safety Stand-Down meetings are part of Kazakhmys Group’s new Industrial Safety Transformation Strategy for 2026–2028. The year 2026 has been declared the Year of Safety, during which management focus is shifting from responding to incidents to preventive work addressing their root causes.

In the near future, the practice of Safety Stand-Down meetings will be rolled out across all production sites of Kazakhmys Group. These sessions will be held on a regular basis, becoming an integral part of the risk management system and fostering a culture in which every employee bears personal responsibility not only for their own safety, but also for the lives of their colleagues.