For more than 30 years Bell Bay Aluminium cell turnaround controller Iain Nixon has been ready for a worst case scenario workplace emergency.

He’s trained for it. He’s helped train others for it. And thankfully nothing major has ever happened.

There’s been the occasional minor incident – not unexpected in the physical, demanding, complex world of metal production.

In January 2011 a small fire broke out in the carbon area of the plant. The smelter’s emergency response team, which Iain was a member of, responded quickly and the fire was extinguished soon after. No one was injured as a result of the fire.

While he won’t be competing in this weekend’s Tasmanian Minerals Emergency Response Competition because he’s rostered to work, no-one knows more about the importance of staying upskilled and ready for action in the workplace.

In late 2015 Iain was recognised by BBA for more than 30 years of diligent service to the company and tomorrow night the Tasmanian Minerals Emergency Response Committee will recognise Iain for 30 years of service at the 2016 Emergency Response Competition Awards Presentation Dinner.

“It’s amazing to be recognised like this, but no matter what way you look at it it’s a team effort,” Iain said.

“This can be very hard work but you get amazing training and new skills that you can take through every aspect of your life.

“The guys who train us are the same ones who train professional fire fighters and paramedics and the like – it’s good high-quality training and we get to know these guys so they know what we’re capable of doing and we know what they’re capable of doing.”

As a cell turnaround controller Iain maintains reduction cells, also known as pots. 

This is where the molten aluminium is extracted, siphoned out of the cell and transported to a holding furnace to be cast into various products such as ingots, block or T-bar which are then exported to customers who make various products.

As the cells near the end of their life cell turnaround controllers have to assess them and shut them down, cut them apart and renew all their components in readiness for operation again.

Iain has also been a volunteer firefighter with Hillwood fire brigade for 33 years and in his mind the responsibility he has to his friends, colleagues and family are no different at home or at work.

“I especially enjoy keeping up to speed with the latest technology – which has certainly changed,” he  said.

“The equipment for fire fighting is so much better these days – at Hillwood we have a new fire truck and gear – at Bell Bay we’ve recently received a new ambulance and our first aid knowledge is constantly being updated.

“Seeing BBA investing in new equipment and upskilling our employees in emergency response is a welcome reward and incentive to keep our training up to date and ensures that everyone knows how important safety is.”

ERT skills are tested each year in realistic scenarios as part of the annual Emergency Response Competition to make sure everyone involved is pushed to their limit.

Iain has competed in four of these and he said they really test individual and team skills and determine if systems are in good shape.