Green drilling in the deep blue

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Safety, not uncertainty Even if you haven’t had an accident recently – or maybe especially if you haven’t – you’ve got to keep an eye on safety
Head of safety Gerhard Salzmann, second from right, and safety team members inspect the packing department. From left, Lorenz Zech, Christan Suppan, Daniele Drexel, Brunhilde Beck, and Christof Konzett. “T he toughest job for a safety manager is when accidents don’t happen, because it’s difficult to remain vigilant,” says safety manager Gerhard Salzmann at Hydro’s Nenzing extrusion plant. “The fewer the near-misses, the greater the need for actions and commitment when it comes to health, environment and safety,” is how Salz- mann puts it. Because it is too late to wait until something goes wrong. The Hydro company in Austria’s Vorarlberg region has led the field in many areas; productivity, efficiency, safety and profitability are attri- butes frequently applied to Hydro’s very first extrusion plant. Since June 2004 Nenzing has been orga- nizationally linked with the extrusion plant in Bellenberg in Germany, a collaboration often referred to as Austria Nenzing Bellenberg (ANB). For safety manager Gerhard Salzmann it’s a question of using creativity to identify measures designed to keep the concentration of his colleagues firmly focused on safety. The employees already know that there is a distinct connection between a high degree of safety and profitable operations. A dedicated team for work-related safety has been set up. The team, which has been given a special course of training, carries out scheduled tours of inspection in the plant. In addition, monthly safety meetings are held with the operators. A number of other actions are also implemented. Measures that are par- ticularly effective are when the employees illustrate dangerous situations with pictures they have taken themselves, or pass on safety advice directly to their colleagues. “We believe that communication between colleagues is generally more effective than that which is initiated centrally. For its safety campaigns ANB has therefore adopted the slogan ‘We focus on safety and not uncertainty,’ because at the end of the day people’s behavior can only be changed by influencing it in a positive direction,” says Salzmann. An extrusion plant is a workplace where dangers can arise. All of Hydro’s extrusion group employees were reminded of this when they heard the tragic news of the fatal accident at Birtley, in the UK: “That particular incident affected us deeply. Many of us here felt its impact much more than previously. This may mean that we have developed a greater sense of belonging with our colleagues throughout the group, but it is also because we know that safety is something we cannot take for granted. Accidents can also occur in plants that implement safety measures in a continuous manner.” Both the Nenzing and Bellenberg plants have been thoroughly drilled in safety routines, rules and standards: “We are proud to belong to the elite in Austria and Germany when it comes to safety at work,” says Salzmann. He refers to what a Norwegian colleague stated after two years at the plant: “Nenzing is far advanced because they do things so thoroughly. They leave as little as possible to chance. The company’s employees are very capable and a lot is invested in their further training. Whether it’s a case of safety, productivity or quality, success is a key feature of this organization.” Andre Fey, who is responsible for health, safety and environment in Extrusion Europe con- firms that Nenzing plays a leading role when it comes to safety: “Characteristic of the plant are its highly motivated employees who demonstrate a solid team spirit, working together closely and systematically, not least in periods of hectic activity. In addition, they are good at identifying new ways of working and they show a lot of inventiveness when it comes to safety work.” hi! > Dag Sunnanå photos > Terje S. Knudsen The company’s employees are very capable and a lot is invested in their further training. Whether it’s a case of safety, productivity or quality, success is a key feature of this organization. Gerhard Salzmann safety first hi! 5 Fire in Sunndal A fire started in the extrusion ingot casthouse in Sunndal, Norway, early on 13 April. No one was injured, but production in both casthouses was halted for four hours. The fire started in a hydraulic hose and spread to the roof. Local fire-fighting service and the plant’s own crews faced an extensive task in extinguishing the fire. A commission of inquiry was appointed immediately to determine the cause of the fire. Gas leak on Heimdal A gas leak was detected from a ventilation pipe on the Heimdal platform on 6 April. The situation was quickly clarified and normalized. The emergency preparedness organization was mobilized and a routine shutdown of production took place. There were no injuries. Fire strikes Oseberg Oil and gas exports from the Oseberg Field Center resumed shortly after a turbine breakdown and fire in late March. The Oseberg Field Center has several gas export compressors that can handle necessary gas export until the damaged turbine compressor could resume operation. An investigative group from Hydro immediately began looking into incident, which was reported to authorities in accordance with regulatory routines. There were no injuries.
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