CASE STUDY

OJI PULP & PAPER – KINLEITH MILL

SAFETY-CONSCIOUS COMPANY SETS THE BENCHMARK

Oji LTD Pulp, Paper and Packaging has been operating in New Zealand for over 50 years and is a significant contributor to the nation’s economy. Oji LTD Pulp, Paper and Packaging business operates a number of mills in New Zealand, the largest of which is Kinleith Mill, in the township of Tokoroa.

Kinleith Mill encompasses 60 hectares, consumes approx. 2.1 million tonnes of wood annually and produces approx. 900,000 tonnes of product per year. The site boasts its own co-generation plant operated by Genesis Energy, which burns wood waste and generates power used mainly on-site.

Oji Pulp & Paper Kinleith is serious about safety – the safety of their more than 500 staff and contractors, and the wider community in which they operate.

A few years ago, Oji Pulp & Paper Kinleith made the decision to integrate their emergency services, and tendered the opportunity for one contractor to manage all emergency first-response services to site – fire and hazardous substance emergencies, medical emergencies and rescue situations, and site security.

EMS AT KINLEITH MILL

EMS provides a 24/7 industrial emergency management and emergency response service to Kinleith Mill. Our EMS Kinleith team includes an operational crew of 20 (5 per shift including Shift Manager) plus administrative staff for reception duties, site inductions and liaison/communications during incidents.

Our team stay at the very top of their game through daily preparation and drills and on-going training for new standards that may have been introduced.

Testament to our staff’s skill level is the fact that in over 10 years of containing industrial emergencies at Kinleith Mill, we have had no major injuries to staff and not one day off due to injury.

Our responsibility at Kinleith covers the planning and execution of services for risk reduction, emergency readiness, rapid emergency response and recovery.

THESE SERVICES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

Immediate Fire Attack – EMS is acknowledged as a registered Industrial Fire Brigade (through the Fire Services Act 1975). With our own Fire Engines, cylinder refill station and equipment mechanics, we can be entirely self reliant at Kinleith in terms of response and recovery.
Hazardous Substances Containment and Clean-up
Rescue – High angle rope rescue, confined spaces rescue etc.
Site Security – Granting access to site, comprehensive patrols, vehicle inspections, escorting trespassers off site, etc. EMS is a registered Security Company.
Medical Emergencies – EMS have a fully-equipped Ambulance on-site and are the first responders in the case of serious injuries, heart attacks etc.
Risk Management Services
Staff & Contractor Training
Training to CPNZ and NZQA standards. Courses include
- First Aid,
- Warden’s training,
- Fire Extinguisher training,
- Breathing Apparatus training
- and more.
Inductions – Site Inductions for all visitors and contractors, and Hot Work Inductions.
Hot Work Compliance – Hot Work inductions, job site inspections, issuing of permits and post-permit audits.
Issuing BWOFs – We have a registered IQP on staff.
Emergency Standard Operating Procedures
Creation, management and routine testing (including full site evacuations every 6 months)
Emergency Equipment Maintenance & Testing
Fire Investigations – Post-incident investigations and reporting
Working in with other inspectors and regulatory bodies
Reception & Administration Services

SUCCESS IN SAFETY

EMS successfully restructured, rationalised and integrated Kinleith’s emergency first-response services.

EMS have delivered significant cost savings to Kinleith Mill, including the direct savings in integrating and out-sourcing emergency services, and the savings in actual and potential losses and production continuity through risk reduction, rapid and effective emergency response and recovery.

One example of loss minimisation is a significant fire at Kinleith that originated from and centred on stocks of recycled paper. The EMS emergency response crew focused strategically on the protection of the surrounding infrastructure, rather than the salvage of the burning stock, and thus effectively averted the destruction of key assets that are the lifeblood of the mill.

Hot Work related fires and incidences have decreased by 95% due to our ‘beyond best practise’ systems of induction and Hot Work permit processes.

Our industry best practises have also delivered savings on Insurance.

We have significantly extended the training level of Kinleith Mill staff in relation to emergency response, including and especially competencies with Breathing Apparatus.

We have also assisted in an overall increase of staff and contractor awareness to the propensity for risks specific to the site.

Deeper and more pervasive education around risks and emergency response is also proven to improve attitudes and productivity and to motivate individuals to greater ownership of their role.

We’d like to help you with your emergency management and emergency response. Contact us today and let’s discuss how EMS can help you save costs and reduce losses.