Week of 23 April 2018: The seriousness of safety

The seriousness of our safety talks here were brought home within forty-eight hours of the publishing of my column last week (16 April 2018: Safety in the Air). A worker in a facility related to our industry lost his life, apparently due to, as I described last week, a gravity related failure.

I know nothing of the circumstances and wouldn't offer a comment on them even if I knew everything. But from what I have read, three girls no longer have a daddy.

Some of the casualness we experience in dangerous situations, I think, comes from this area--the equipment is so large, the ways of handling it so easy (joysticks, push buttons and so forth) that we forget just how dangerous it is. When people had to strain and groan with chainfalls and come-alongs, they had real, tangible and tactile evidence of the size of the loads they were handling.

With today's lifting equipment, we tend to lose sight of the dangerous items around us all the time.

A socket wrench dropped from the top of a press section may not kill you if it hits you in the head, but it will certainly affect your quality of life for at least the next few hours.

Jim Thompson is back again...with a new book on a taboo subject: the personalities in the pulp & paper industry. Jim has written in the past on many subjects based on his four plus decades in the worldwide pulp and paper industry. This new book is packed full of information valuable to the senior member of the industry as well as the recent entrant. A must for every pulp and paper library.

We work around large equipment all the time. Just last week, someone on our staff was on a mill site that has just broken ground--the earth movers were running about twenty miles an hour as we walked across the site. It was clearly our job to look out for them--the drivers likely did not even see us. Yet, from a distance such an operation looks harmless and benign.

An old timer told me once, "You can't outlast the steel of these paper machines, young man." This was as I entered my 72nd continuous hour on the job during a spring outage. Yes, at one time we thought such marathons were macho. Our bosses should have been fired for allowing us to pull such stunts.

This little vignette illustrates how the younger people in the industry may sometimes think--accidents happen to someone else. As senior members of the industry--if you are a senior member of the industry-- it is your job to discern and dispel such attitudes wherever you may find them.

Here at Paperitalo Publications, it is our goal that all little boys and girls have the privilege of seeing their parents attending their graduation ceremonies from high school, college, the military academies, or wherever life may lead them.

I always liked the old neon sign on the front of the paper mill in Tama, Iowa: "Safety First--Think of your Families." I hope it is still there.

It saddens me that three little girls are going to grow up without their daddy around. Let's make this our last industry fatality. OK?

* We are looking for a Production Shift Team Leader to maintain high standards, plus ensure safety policies and regulations for a company located close to Chicago's Midway Airport. If you are experienced team leader who has a four-year degree in an engineering/technical field (paper science degree preferred, and experience in recycled linerboard or corrugating medium paper mills is a plus), we are looking for someone like you! If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Jim Thompson at: jthompson@taii.com Ph. 678-206-6010 Cell: 404-822-3412.

* A family owned and operated corrugated packaging solutions company in Illinois is looking for an experienced Maintenance Technician to maintain production and quality by ensuring operation of machinery and mechanical equipment. Relocation and other perks are available to the right candidate who is committed to working third shift. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Jim Thompson at: jthompson@taii.com Ph. 678-206-6010 Cell: 404-822-3412.

* Are you an experienced Maintenance Mechanic and would like to work for a family owned and operated corrugated packaging solutions company that invests in the best equipment and technology? If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Jim Thompson at: jthompson@taii.com Ph. 678-206-6010 Cell: 404-822-3412.

* A leading company in the corrugated solutions packaging business is looking for a experienced Electrician. The right candidate will possess the following skills: electrical; hydraulic; automatic drives (basic component machines 122 to 440 bolts). If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Jim Thompson at: jthompson@taii.com Ph. 678-206-6010 Cell: 404-822-3412.

* An expanding company is looking for a Corporate Industrial Electro-Mechanical Engineer near Allentown, PA. Relocation is available. Do you have a storied list of unique electrical and mechanical engineering skills you're ready to take to the next level? Do you envision yourself in a corporate-level leadership role that your experience finally merits? And do you relish any opportunity to troubleshoot and solve real-time problems, all while designing and installing new services and systems that will not only ensure safety, but also turn a potentially hazardous work environment into a continuously thriving one? If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Jim Thompson at: jthompson@taii.com Ph. 678-206-6010 Cell: 404-822-3412.

* An expanding company is looking for hands-on Electro Mechanical Maintenance Techs in Conyers, Georgia. Preference will be given to candidates with higher education and additional certificates or training. You must be able to work any shift. Pay is negotiable with excellent perks and benefits. Relocation assistance is available to the right candidate. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Jim Thompson at: jthompson@taii.com Ph. 678-206-6010 Cell: 404-822-3412.

* We are a large automation company that has a line of consistency transmitters, sample valves and sheet break detectors that are marketed through a rep. network. We are seeking someone with a strong background in consistency control to facilitate start-ups, provide troubleshooting and technical advice. The individual should have experience in all major types of consistency measurement technologies (blade, rotary, microwave and optical). Knowledge of sheet break detection technology is desirable as well. Willingness to travel to paper production facilities across the US is a must. Travel & Living Expenses to be reimbursed along with an agreed upon daily per diem rate. For more information, please contact Jim Thompson at: jthompson@taii.com Ph. 678-206-6010 Cell: 404-822-3412.

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