Hydro works to improve fatality prevention through visible leadership and structured safety execution

Hydro Aluminium Metal (AM), a business area in Hydro, is a global leader in primary aluminium production and recycling, operating a geographically distributed production network with a strong reliance on renewable energy to power their operations.

Safety is the most important priority in Hydro, embedded in daily operations through the Aluminium Metal Business System (AMBS) – a common framework that defines how work is performed, improved, and led across the organization.

At the heart of AMBS is visible leadership. Leaders are expected to be present in operations, engage with employees, and ensure that safety standards are not only defined, but also actively applied in practice.

How leaders act and respond in everyday operations matters. Visible leadership is fundamental to creating ownership of safe behaviour.

  • Ole Underthun
  • Interim Head of Safety Management
  • Hydro Aluminium Metal

From principles to practice, fatality prevention as a system

Hydro introduced its fatality prevention programme in 2017 following a systematic review of serious incidents in the industry. Seven critical risk areas were identified as requiring particular focus: energy control, fall prevention, molten metal, mobile equipment, confined space, lifting operations, and contractor management. 

Rather than treating fatality prevention as a standalone initiative, Hydro embedded it into its operational model. The programme is built on three reinforcing elements: 

  • Clear rules and frameworks 
  • Consistent enforcement and follow‑up 
  • Structured communication and learning 

DNV’s Synergi Life software is used as the digital process framework that connects these elements and ensures a consistent approach across plants and regions. 

Walk, Observe, Communicate – supported by Synergi Life

A cornerstone of Hydro’s safety approach is Walk, Observe, Communicate (WOC). These structured safety walks bring leaders into the field to observe real work, engage in dialogue, and coach safe behaviours. 

Hydro Aluminium Metal workers
Image source: Hydro

Synergi Life supports WOCs through standardised digital checklists aligned with Hydro’s seven critical risks. The checklists are designed with open, coaching‑oriented questions that promote active conversations rather than checklist‑driven inspections. 

“We wanted to guide managers through the real risks on site while creating space for coaching and learning. Synergi Life gives us that structure,” says Ole Underthun. 

Each WOC is documented in Synergi Life, ensuring that observations, coaching moments, and follow‑up actions are captured consistently and transparently.

Continuous assessment and compliance at plant level

In parallel with WOCs, Hydro conducts fatality risk assessments at the plant level. These assessments are performed by HSE teams to verify whether standards are correctly implemented and to identify areas requiring improvement. 

Synergi Life supports this process through: 

  • Seven mandatory assessment checklists 
  • Audit and inspection management 
  • Automatic creation of actions when deviations are identified 

Actions triggered by assessments are assigned, tracked, and followed up directly in the system to ensure timely closure and restored compliance. 

“Assessment is not about documentation alone. It is about verifying that standards are truly applied in practice and that gaps are addressed,” says Ole Underthun.

Transparency through dashboards and leadership oversight

Dashboards in Synergi Life provide transparency at both plant and management level. Leaders monitor: 

Hydro Aluminium Metal facility
Image source: Hydro
  • Status of actions and implementation progress 
  • Outcomes and effectiveness of actions 
  • Visibility of WOC findings and improvement initiatives 

Each plant reports on the types of actions and initiatives implemented, highlighting local risks and controls. Plant managers have a consolidated overview of WOCs conducted at management level, strengthening accountability and alignment across the organisation. 

Scaling structure, quality, and learning globally

Hydro introduced WOCs in 2016 to improve structure, data capture, and learning in health and safety work. Since then, the programme has grown from approximately 50 WOCs to more than 1,500, supported by structured manager training and a common digital approach using Synergi Life. 

Strategic safety goals, also known as key performance indicators (KPIs), are tracked directly in Synergi Life dashboards, with a focus on: 

  • Actions implemented on time 
  • Quality and effectiveness of WOCs 

This enables Hydro to shift from measuring activity to measuring quality of execution, using both quantitative and qualitative data to identify where additional coaching or improvements are needed. 

The question is no longer whether we are proactive, but whether we are exhaustive and effective. Data helps us ask better questions, where we need to find good answers.

  • Ole Underthun
  • Interim Head of Safety Management
  • Hydro Aluminium Metal

Looking ahead: using data and AI to deepen insight

Looking ahead, Hydro is exploring how advanced analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can uncover deeper insights from safety data. This includes identifying patterns across WOCs, understanding links between observations and incidents, and supporting leaders in focusing on the right risks at the right time. 

By combining visible leadership, structured safety processes, and digital support through Synergi Life, Hydro continues to strengthen its fatality prevention efforts and drive continuous improvement across its global operations.

Hydro Aluminium Metal facility

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