“We practise with the local rescue department regularly, approximately once every couple of months. Among other things, we have learnt how to use the fire-extinguishing and rescue system, pneumatic appliances and the Finnish authorities’ telecommunications network,” says Voutilainen. In addition to the team’s own training, the rescue department has also organised first aid and emergency medical care training sessions at the sawmill. All sawmill employees have participated in the sessions. Rajavaara, who works as a log sorting operator, joined the occupational safety team at his supervisor’s suggestion. The training has increased his self-confidence regarding how to act in potential accident situations. “Fortunately, I have not needed to use my skills in a real situation. However, I feel more confident now that I know how to use the various devices.” Voutilainen and Rajavaara agree that it is best to prepare for the worst when it comes to occupational safety. “You might think that there’s no need for this skill. But what if there’s a fire? At best, occupational safety skills could save the entire sawmill”, says Rajavaara. •
It all starts with preventive safety work
Safety-improving standards
Operations at Metsä Fibre’s production sites are shaped by the company’s safety management requirements. They guide everyone to act in a preventive manner so that there are no dangerous situations or accidents. Safety objectives are followed up monthly to ensure they are realised. “We call this preventive safety work. In addition to safety observations, it includes safety walks and discussions,” says Meuronen. Supervisors organise regular safety walks and discussions at the Lappeenranta sawmill. The aim of these activities is to identify risks in the working environment and to go through safe working methods and safety observations made at other production sites. “During a safety walk we can check, for example, that the light curtains and safety gates and mats are functioning correctly. Operators have the opportunity to ask about things they are concerned about and highlight potential issues,” says Esa Utriainen , Safety Supervisor. Utriainen, who has been the health and safety representative at the Lappeenranta sawmill for four years, started as a Safety Supervisor at the beginning of 2024. The title is new and reflects the company’s willingness to invest in safety at all production sites. Further developing preventive safety work is one of Utriainen’s responsibilities.
Around 20 padlocks hang neatly on the debarking department’s safety isolation poster. The padlocks are used for safety interlocking when a specific machine or device must be disconnected. “Safety interlocking is carried out in connection with maintenance and repair work or when working in a machine’s danger zone. The purpose is to prevent unexpected startups, which could cause injury to the user,” says Aleksi Hämäläinen , Department Engineer in the dry sorting, drying department and power plant. Hämäläinen studied mechanical engineering at LAB University of Applied Sciences in Lahti, southern Finland. He developed the safety isolation procedure for the saw infeeding and debarking departments at the Lappeenranta sawmill using Metsä Group’s safety isolation standard. As a result, it is now even easier for the sawmill operators to check which devices should be isolated for each maintenance operation. “The operator only needs to check the safety isolation poster for the area they are working in and lock the safety isolation devices in that area.” Metsä Group’s safety isolation standard has been developed in accordance with the LOTO method and Finnish machine safety laws and regulations. LOTO stands for Lockout/Tagout. The purpose of the method is to control all energy sources in machines and equipment that could cause an unexpected startup. According to Hämäläinen, instructions similar to the saw infeeding and debarking safety isolation posters are planned for the other departments at the Lappeenranta sawmill.
SAFETY IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
One of Metsä Group’s safety management goals for 2024 is to strengthen safety management and its culture of caring. The aim is to increase dialogue and create an operating environment in which everyone takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their colleagues. “We have carried out preventive safety work for a long time, which has helped us reach a certain level of occupational safety. Now we want to have a greater impact on our employees’ thoughts and attitudes to create a change in their actions,” says Virva Juhola , SVP, Sawn Timber Production at Metsä Fibre. A culture of caring makes it even more natural to intervene in a colleague’s or service provider’s unsafe actions. “Each one of us has a responsibility to intervene if someone is acting in an unsafe manner. However, this may feel challenging if you are unsure, or afraid of receiving negative feedback,” says Pekka Koskela , Safety Manager at Metsä Fibre sawmills. The aim is to lower the threshold for intervening as much as possible since, as Koskela puts it, a physical injury is always more serious than an emotional injury. Zero accidents is a prerequisite for successful business operations. When there are no accidents, there are no unforeseen interruptions in production, which is a concrete benefit for the customer. At the end of the day, safety work is all about the values that the company represents. “A human life can never be replaced. The fact that we take occupational safety seriously tells our customers that we are a reliable partner in all our operations,” says Juhola.•
Everyone has a role to play when it comes to safety
A sticker on the stairs in the production area reminds you to hold on to the safety rail with one hand. Similar reminders have been placed all over the Lappeenranta sawmill. “We want to have safety at the forefront of our minds at all times. We also discuss and communicate safety topics in our intranet,” says Meuronen. In 2023, the sawmill organised a campaign to encourage every employee to make at least one safety observation per month. “It’s important that everyone participates. That’s the only way we can improve,” says Forsander. Good observations are rewarded, and successes are celebrated together. The best safety observations are also rewarded spontaneously, for example with lunch coupons. Occupational safety requires the entire personnel to commit; however, the supervisor must be a role model, Meuronen reminds us. “No unsafe act can be overlooked.”
Practising with the occupational safety team
Transport on its way to the kiln drying unit has fallen over and a person is trapped under it. Maintenance Engineer Simo Voutilainen and Operator Olavi Rajavaara quickly take lifting bags to the scene and connect them to the compressed air system. Soon, the load is lifted high enough to rescue the injured person. Fortunately, this scenario is just for training purposes. Voutilainen and Rajavaara are part of Lappeenranta sawmill’s occupational safety team. The team of 16 includes both operators and supervisors. If there is an accident, the team is responsible for guiding the rescue department to its destination and for starting early fire suppression and rescue operations.
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