UPM Kymi pulp mill in Finland is about to record its sixth year without a single UPM lost time accident (LTA, or an accident so serious it leads to an absence from work) in the spring.
That two massive expansion projects were completed during the same five-year period make the achievement even more impressive. In 2015 the production capacity of Kymi was raised by 170,000 tonnes to 700,000 tonnes and in 2017, to 870,000 tonnes.
“Our success cannot be traced to any specific action. It is rather a result of the whole organisation making a strong commitment to safety,” notes Tuomo Lindén, Safety and Security Manager at Kymi.
Committing to safety means making it a part of daily work. Safety is discussed and issues handled during production and maintenance morning meetings held three times a week.
“We handle all safety notifications, document corrective actions, create a schedule and follow up on procedures. Training and raising safety awareness are also vital. Safety starts with each of us. As we start any kind of work, we always consider the risks before springing into action,” Lindén describes.
At the end of 2018 a safety training for all employees working in maintenance or production was organised at UPM Kymi.
Text: Petra Niemi
