Safe liftning in Bäckhammar

During a maintenance shutdown at Nordic Paper’s production plants a lot of tasks needs to be carried out simultaneously. Multiple tasks are performed in the same areas at the plant and cranes are used to reach all areas.

Mikael Jönsson is workshop manager in charge of mechanical maintenance at Nordic Paper in Bäckhammar and is the person who coordinates all lifting work. He tells us that planning for the lifts to be done during the maintenance shutdown in the third quarter starts during the spring in consultation with contractors and external experts in working at height. During the actual maintenance shutdown a review of upcoming lifts takes place daily. “Communication and coordination are key. It’s also incredibly important to evaluate past shutdowns where errors or problems were fixed and improvements were made.

We have focused a lot on safety this year. There are many of us on site and one thing we have done is to set up clear signage at blocked off areas including contact person details and when the work will be carried out. This really facilitates coordination and ensures everyone understands what’s happening,” says Mikael Jönsson.

Normally during maintenance shutdowns at Bäckhammar four cranes are used and there are up to 20 lifts per day during the shutdown. “This shutdown went extremely well. One important factor was that, over the past year, we managed to provide further training to employees in the critical processes. We all want the same thing and there is fantastic teamwork. This inspires confidence in our work,” says Mikael Jönsson. To plan lifts during future maintenance shutdowns, Nordic Paper has developed a 3D crane map involving scanning the mill so that all those involved can gain an understanding of any risky elements in upcoming lifts.