CABB
Fire protection provided by Protect is an important part of safe and agile production
CABB Oy's daily routine includes product changes, process development and investments in new equipment and technologies. These changes are often made in an ongoing factory environment, which also places high demands on fire safety in fire works.
CABB Oy, based in the Kokkola high-tech industrial area, is part of the medium-sized German chemical group and its fine chemicals freight business unit. The company manufactures crop protection products for major international players developing and marketing crop protection products. In Kokkola, the company directly employs about 200 people.
-Fabrication means that we make products using processes developed by the customer and usually also from raw materials supplied by the customer. We rent manufacturing services, but in addition to manufacturing, the service package includes a lot more, from process development to production and cost optimisation and analytics services," says Ari Venninen, the company's CEO.
CABB has been contracting fire protection from Protect for several years because Protect is able to provide a flexible service for peak loads such as product replacement. In addition to changes in the production facilities, the factory also occasionally carries out demanding roof fire work.
Sami Heikkinen, Plant Service Manager, says that in the case of CABB, the level of requirements for fire protection is higher than usual.
-We work with flammable liquids and powders, as well as modifications to existing plants. While taking safety factors into account, fire safety must also play its part in enabling us to operate with agility and ensure uninterrupted production.
Gas measurements an important part of foresight
The start-up phase of any new project involves foresight, such as risk assessment.
- One of the most important tasks is the gas measurement of flammable chemicals. This ensures that no flammable gases are present on site. Protect representatives are trained to use our meters, and measurements are also taken during fire work," Heikkinen continues.
Protect's preventive measures also include the removal of fire loads and spark protection, as well as bringing the necessary fire-fighting equipment to the scene. During the fire works, the premises will be guarded at all times, including during food and coffee breaks. Once the work is completed, Protect will provide after-sales safety.
-In addition to professionalism,Protect brings credibility to their work, as they have trained fire and rescue professionals to provide fire watch services. The fire wardens have the courage to intervene if they notice any fire safety issues," says maintenance engineer Jussi Valkama.
According to him, Protect has also been able to be flexible depending on the nature of the work.
-All in all, the project will be carried out with one fire guard. However, sometimes 3-4 men are needed for a project, in addition to which fire patrols are carried out during shutdowns. There has been little staff turnover, which means that Protect employees know our plants well," says Valkama.