Jim Thompson

Email Jim at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com

If you are keeping up with the housekeeping series this month, as you read the first two columns, you were in a posture of looking down or looking at eye level. Admit it. There is plenty of items up in the air, big items, that are housekeeping hazards as well.

There is one company I will not work for again. I haven't announced this to them, but if they ever come knocking, I'll be too busy. Why? Their idea of doing a capital project is to abandon the old equipment in place.

I am not talking about an old pump mount here and there--I am talking about big stuff, some with stacks or large vertical pressure vessels.

Time out. If you have been reading me for some time, the one thing I tell you to never demolish is steam generators, coal, gas, or oil, if they are in good shape. I have said many times; energy is political and wait a few months or years and these will come back in favor.

Yet for everything else, take it out. Why do people not take these items out? It costs money and affects their return on investment, perhaps even the mill's bottom-line depreciation--which affects profitability one time.

Tell me this. Will an old chimney or old, neglected structure get better with age? Of course not. It will continue to deteriorate continuously. Some day it will fall down.

Likely it will become so decrepit that some human in charge with half a brain will take it down and take the hit to their profitability. Those who made this decision in the first place, that is abandoning in place, hope to be long retired and far away from the situation.

This last scenario is the best outcome possible.

If the old structure is used for storage or if humans start to occupy it, worse can happen.

In the Spring of 2017, here in Atlanta, piles of highly volatile plastic pipe were stored beneath a very active, not obsolete expressway bridge. After it caught on fire, it destroyed the bridge, causing a major traffic jam on I-85 for several weeks as crews worked around the clock to repair it. And this wasn't even an obsolete structure.

Imagine what can happen in your obsolete structure that is seldom visited by a responsible manager.

This is just another form of poor housekeeping.

Be safe and we will talk next week.

For a deeper dive, click here.

Study Guide Housekeeping Hazards: Looking Up

This study guide is designed to help you review and understand the key concepts presented in Jim Thompson's "NI w/o 21 Jul 2025" column, focusing on the often-overlooked hazards associated with abandoned or neglected overhead structures and equipment.

I. Core Argument:

The Problem: Housekeeping hazards aren't just at eye level or below; significant dangers exist in abandoned or neglected "big items" located above ground level.

The Practice: Many companies opt to abandon old equipment in place, especially large structures like stacks or pressure vessels, rather than demolishing them.

The Motivation: This decision is driven by cost savings and immediate impact on return on investment (ROI) and depreciation.

The Consequence: Abandoned structures inevitably deteriorate, posing increasing risks and potential for significant negative outcomes, often left for future generations to deal with.

II. Key Concepts and Examples:

"Big Items": Refers to large-scale abandoned equipment, distinct from small items like a pump mount. Examples include stacks, large vertical pressure vessels, and old chimneys.

Exception: Steam Generators: Thompson specifically advises against demolishing steam generators (coal, gas, or oil) if they are in good condition, anticipating their future resurgence in favor due to energy politics.

Deterioration: Abandoned structures do not improve with age; they continuously degrade, leading to potential collapse.

Profitability vs. Safety: The decision to abandon in place prioritizes short-term financial gains over long-term safety and operational integrity. The "hit to profitability" from demolition is a one-time event often deferred.

"Best Outcome Possible": This refers to the scenario where a responsible person eventually takes down a decrepit structure, accepting the financial hit. This is framed as "best" only because worse outcomes are possible.

Worst-Case Scenarios: Usage for Storage: If old structures are used to store materials, especially volatile ones, the risk of catastrophic events increases significantly.

Human Occupation: If humans begin to occupy neglected structures, the potential for injury or death is high.

The I-85 Incident (Atlanta, 2017): A real-world example illustrating the dangers of storing highly volatile materials (plastic pipe) under a non-obsolete structure (expressway bridge), leading to bridge destruction and major disruption. This serves as a cautionary tale for even more dangerous scenarios involving obsolete, unmonitored structures.

III. Implicit Criticisms and Themes:

Short-sighted Management: The practice of abandoning equipment in place is indicative of management that prioritizes short-term financial metrics over long-term safety, responsibility, and sound operational practices.

Passing the Buck: Those who make the decision to abandon hope to be retired when the inevitable problems arise, shifting the burden onto future management.

Poor Housekeeping: The overarching theme is that neglecting overhead hazards is simply another manifestation of poor housekeeping, just as dangerous as neglecting hazards at ground level.

Risk Management: The article implicitly argues for a proactive approach to risk management, emphasizing the need to mitigate potential dangers before they escalate.

Quiz

Instructions: Answer each question in 2-3 sentences.

1. According to Jim Thompson, what common mistake do companies make regarding old equipment and structures?
2. Why do companies choose to abandon old equipment in place, rather than demolishing it?
3. What specific type of old equipment does Thompson advise against demolishing, and why?
4. Describe the inevitable fate of an old chimney or neglected structure if left abandoned.
5. What does Thompson consider the "best outcome possible" for an abandoned, decrepit structure, and why is this a somewhat ironic description?
6. Besides eventual collapse, what two specific "worse" scenarios can occur if an old structure is abandoned in place?
7. Summarize the 2017 Atlanta I-85 incident and its relevance to Thompson's argument.
8. How does the I-85 incident strengthen Thompson's point about obsolete structures, even though the bridge itself was not obsolete?
9. What is Thompson's overarching message about the nature of "housekeeping hazards" in this column?
10. What managerial philosophy does Thompson implicitly criticize by highlighting the practice of abandoning equipment in place?

Quiz Answer Key

1. Companies commonly make the mistake of abandoning old equipment and large structures in place, rather than investing in their demolition. This includes significant items like stacks and large pressure vessels, not just minor components.
2. Companies choose to abandon old equipment to save money and avoid an immediate negative impact on their return on investment (ROI). Demolition costs affect profitability and depreciation, which some managers prefer to defer.
3. Thompson advises against demolishing steam generators (coal, gas, or oil) if they are in good condition. He believes that due to the political nature of energy, these generators will likely "come back in favor" within a few months or years.
4. An old chimney or neglected structure, if left abandoned, will continuously deteriorate with age. It will not improve and will eventually become so decrepit that it is at risk of falling down on its own.
5. The "best outcome possible" is when a responsible manager eventually decides to take down the decrepit structure, accepting the financial hit. It's ironic because this "best" outcome still involves a delayed, costly decision that could have been avoided much earlier.
6. Two "worse" scenarios if an old structure is abandoned are if it is used for storage, especially of volatile materials, or if humans start to occupy it. Both situations significantly increase the risk of accidents, injury, or catastrophic events.
7. In the 2017 Atlanta I-85 incident, piles of highly volatile plastic pipe stored under an active expressway bridge caught fire, destroying the bridge. This caused major traffic disruption for weeks while crews worked to repair it, demonstrating the severe consequences of storing hazardous materials near structures.
8. The I-85 incident strengthens Thompson's point by showing that even a non-obsolete, active structure can be severely damaged by hazards stored nearby. This implies that the risk is even greater for obsolete structures that are seldom visited by responsible managers and are already deteriorating.
9. Thompson's overarching message is that housekeeping hazards are not limited to items at eye level or on the ground. "Big items" located "up in the air," such as abandoned industrial structures, also pose significant and often overlooked dangers that are part of poor housekeeping.
10. Thompson implicitly criticizes a short-sighted managerial philosophy that prioritizes immediate financial metrics and defers responsibility. Managers who abandon equipment in place hope to be retired before the inevitable problems arise, passing the burden onto future leadership.

Essay Format Questions

• Discuss Jim Thompson's central argument regarding the often-overlooked aspect of "housekeeping hazards." How does his perspective challenge a conventional understanding of tidiness and safety within industrial environments?
• Analyze the economic motivations behind the decision to abandon old equipment in place. What are the short-term benefits and long-term costs of this approach, both financially and in terms of risk?
• Thompson presents the I-85 bridge fire as a critical example. Explain how this incident, despite involving a non-obsolete structure, serves to powerfully underscore his concerns about the dangers posed by obsolete and neglected structures.
• Evaluate Thompson's unique advice regarding steam generators. What is the rationale behind his recommendation to not demolish them, and what does this specific piece of advice reveal about his broader understanding of industrial assets and market dynamics?
• Beyond the physical dangers, what broader implications does Thompson's column suggest about managerial responsibility, planning, and intergenerational accountability within a corporate or industrial context?

________

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