Email Jim at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com

Then there was the time I was on a tour in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky and a storm on the surface knocked the power out. We had lights one minute and no lights the next. Back on the farm, we would have said it was darker than the inside of a cow. There were two guides with our group and they had us immediately sit down where we were. One guide stayed with us and the other went down the trail to where they knew there was a "safety box." She came back in about twenty minutes with two Coleman lanterns, both of which needed new mantels (which the guides carried in their pockets along with safety matches).

I have been in paper mills where the lights suddenly went out. It is not as dark as the inside of a cow but definitely more dangerous than being in Mammoth Cave with knowledgeable guides.

By definition, everything has stopped moving but that does not mean things are not very hot nor does it mean there are magically no pits to fall in. You need a powerful flashlight.

This powerful flashlight needs to be very bright and always fully charged. You need to keep it next to your other PPE (safety gear) and pick it up at the same time you don your hard hat.

Don't walk into a building full of industrial machinery (paper machine or something else) without your trusty flashlight in hand or on your belt.

The darkest paper machine building in which I have ever been was in northern Ohio in late January, at night, when the boilers failed and the turbines stopped. The illumination was the street lights outside. Not good.

When you buy your flashlight, don't go cheap. The best place to buy it is in an outdoor store such as Bass Pro Shops or REI. You want one that can pick out a black bear at 500 meters. Don't depend on your phone flashlight.

Imagine feeling a paper machine in the dark. That is not something you want to do.

Be safe and we will talk next week.

For a deeper dive, go here.

Study Guide: Industrial Safety and Personal Preparedness in Sudden Darkness

This study guide explores the critical importance of personal lighting equipment and preparedness in industrial and natural environments, based on the observations and experiences shared by Jim Thompson in the text "Safety--Can't Feel It."

Short-Answer Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in two to three sentences based on the provided text.

1. What caused the sudden loss of light during the author's tour of Mammoth Cave? A storm on the surface caused a power outage that affected the cave's lighting system. This resulted in a transition from full light to total darkness, which the author described as being "darker than the inside of a cow."
2. What immediate actions did the guides take when the power failed in the cave? The two guides instructed the group to sit down immediately exactly where they were. One guide remained with the group for safety while the second guide traveled further down the trail to retrieve supplies from a "safety box."
3. What specific equipment and maintenance items did the cave guides use to restore light? The guides utilized Coleman lanterns retrieved from a safety box, which required the installation of new mantles. These mantles, along with safety matches, were carried in the guides' pockets to ensure they were ready for use.
4. Why does the author consider a power outage in a paper mill more dangerous than one in Mammoth Cave? In Mammoth Cave, the group was supervised by knowledgeable guides who knew the terrain and safety protocols. In contrast, a paper mill contains residual heat and physical hazards like pits that remain dangerous even when machinery has stopped moving.
5. According to the text, what are the two primary physical hazards in a paper mill when the power goes out? Even when movement stops, industrial environments contain surfaces that remain "very hot" due to recent operation. Additionally, the darkness hides "pits" that workers could fall into if they lack adequate illumination.
6. What is the author's recommendation regarding the integration of a flashlight into one's safety routine? A powerful flashlight should be treated as an essential piece of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) rather than an afterthought. It should be kept with other safety gear and picked up at the same time a worker puts on their hard hat.
7. How should a professional carry their flashlight when entering an industrial building? One should never enter a building containing industrial machinery, such as a paper machine, without a flashlight already in their possession. The text suggests keeping the "trusty flashlight" either in hand or secured to a belt.
8. What specific event led to the author's experience in the "darkest paper machine building" he had ever visited? In northern Ohio during late January, a total failure occurred at night when the boilers failed and the turbines stopped. This left the building with virtually no light, save for the inadequate glow from street lights outside.
9. What performance standard does the author suggest when selecting a flashlight? When purchasing a flashlight, one should not "go cheap" or rely on a smartphone light. The author recommends a high-quality light, such as those found at outdoor specialty stores, capable of identifying a black bear at a distance of 500 meters.
10. What is the central warning the author gives regarding navigating a paper machine in the dark? The author warns that one should never attempt to "feel" a paper machine in the dark to navigate. The potential for injury in such a complex and hazardous environment makes personal lighting a necessity.

Answer Key

1. Answer: A surface storm knocked out the power. This caused the cave to go from being lit to being "darker than the inside of a cow" instantly.
2. Answer: The guides had the group sit down immediately to prevent movement in the dark. One guide stayed with the visitors while the other went to a safety box to get lanterns.
3. Answer: They used Coleman lanterns that required new mantles. The guides were prepared by carrying those mantles and safety matches in their pockets.
4. Answer: While the cave is dark, the mill has industrial hazards like heat and pits. Furthermore, the cave tour has professional guides to manage the situation, whereas the mill environment is inherently more treacherous.
5. Answer: The primary hazards are residual heat from the machinery and open pits. These dangers persist even after the machinery has stopped moving.
6. Answer: The flashlight should be bright, fully charged, and kept with one's PPE. It should be picked up at the same time as the hard hat to ensure it is always available.
7. Answer: A worker should have the flashlight in hand or on their belt before entering the building. It is presented as a mandatory tool for anyone walking into a space filled with industrial machinery.
8. Answer: The darkness was caused by a combined failure of boilers and turbines at night in mid-winter. The only available light came from external street lights, which provided insufficient illumination for the interior.
9. Answer: The light must be powerful enough to pick out a black bear at 500 meters. The author specifically advises against using phone flashlights and suggests buying professional gear from stores like Bass Pro Shops or REI.
10. Answer: Navigating by touch ("feeling" the machine) is described as something no one should want to do. The complexity and hazards of the machinery make it too dangerous to navigate without sight.

Essay Questions

1. The Role of Preparedness in Industrial Environments: Discuss how the author uses the anecdote of the Mammoth Cave guides to illustrate the concept of professional preparedness. How do the "safety box" and the items carried in the guides' pockets serve as a model for industrial safety?
2. Beyond the Hard Hat: Analyze the author's argument for including a high-powered flashlight in the standard definition of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Why does he believe traditional gear is insufficient in a power failure scenario?
3. Environmental Contrast: Compare and contrast the dangers of a "natural" dark environment (Mammoth Cave) with a "man-made" dark environment (a paper mill). How do the specific hazards of each dictate the necessary response?
4. The Limitations of Consumer Technology: The author explicitly warns against depending on a phone flashlight in an industrial setting. Explain the technical and practical reasons why professional-grade equipment is required for safety in large-scale facilities.
5. The Sensory Experience of Safety: Explore the meaning behind the title "Safety--Can't Feel It." How does the author's warning against "feeling a paper machine in the dark" reinforce the idea that visibility is the primary prerequisite for safety?

Glossary of Key Terms

Term Definition

Boiler A vessel or system used to create steam, the failure of which can contribute to a total power loss in a paper mill.

Coleman Lantern A brand of portable lamp used by the cave guides that typically burns fuel and uses mantles to produce bright light.

Hard Hat A standard piece of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used to protect the head; the author suggests pairing flashlight retrieval with the act of donning this hat.

Mantles Small, replaceable gauze-like bags used in lanterns that glow brightly when heated by a flame; cave guides carried these in their pockets.

Paper Machine Large industrial machinery used in paper mills; the author warns that these are dangerous to navigate by touch during a power outage.

PPE Short for Personal Protective Equipment; refers to the safety gear (like hard hats and flashlights) required for protection in industrial settings.

Safety Box A designated storage container in Mammoth Cave used to hold emergency supplies like lanterns for use during power outages.

Safety Matches Matches designed to ignite only when struck against a specially prepared surface; carried by guides to light emergency lanterns.

Turbine A machine for producing continuous power; in the text, the stopping of turbines contributed to total darkness in a northern Ohio mill.

________

Other interesting stories: