This internship has been one of the best experiences of my life
July 5, 2013 10:47 am Leave your thoughts
Safety is an integral part of both the operations and culture at all divisions of West Fraser Mills, and Slave Lake Pulp is no exception. Slave Lake Pulp is committed to the principle that no phase of operation takes precedence over accident prevention. To see evidence of this one has to look no further than the Health and Safety Philosophy that can be found plastered all throughout the mill:
“No work we do is worth getting hurt for.
We can manage safety to create a safe and healthy environment.
We are responsible for our own and others safety.”
The mill’s emphasis on safety was apparent to me from day one at the mill. My first week was almost exclusively safety training. And one month later the emphasis on safety remains. It is a testament to the extent to which all matters regarding safety are handled at the mill. Safety truly is a core and fundamental principle upon which the mill functions.
Any industrial setting presents a multitude of potential hazards to its workers. As such, it has been a truly invaluable experience to learn about the many levels of safety implemented at the mill. I had no previous knowledge of administrative, managerial, and engineering safety controls; and I feel although being exposed to a workplace this focused on safety early in my working career may be the most beneficial aspect of my internship.
I am currently taking daily photographs of the three major construction sites at the mill to ensure accurate records are kept of the work performed. While this job may not seem overly important, this type of comprehensive record keeping is a crucial component to any project. There are always issues with details on a drawing or a design standard that can only be discovered in the field when contractors are installing and/or constructing. Their solution(s) to the newly found problems are generally adequate and solve the issue effectively but the changes are generally not properly recorded. Due to this the specific details of the alteration(s) to the drawing are lost when the construction is finished. The easiest way to avoid this scenario is to ensure frequent and thorough photographs are taken to record the construction process.
Getting away from job specifics, it is amazing to think that a month has already gone by. I have met so many great people, learnt invaluable workplace skills, and have traveled a great deal. For instance during my second weekend in Slave Lake I attended the Annual Slave Lake Pulp Golf Tournament. While the weather was less than cooperative and I got soaked from head to toe, it was a hilariously good time. Normally prizes are given out for conventional types of shots that vary hole to hole (closest to the tee, longest drive, etc.) So I obviously didn’t expect to see prizes for least strokes with a pool noodle, and longest putt with a hockey stick. And while I didn’t win either of those categories I did manage to shank a drive into the bush about ten meters from the tee and walk away with the prize for the shortest drive ha-ha.
Whether it be a company golf tournament, a barbeque at a coworker’s house, learning a new type of computer software, or traveling to Calgary and Banff; I have been anything but bored. So far this internship has been one of the best experiences of my life. And I am just looking forward to tomorrow.
Keep an eye out for my next blog!
Cheers,
Mark Pipher