Small Voices, Big Gaps 📅 Date: 18th April
Small Voices, Big Gaps
The morning began with thin attendance. Sometimes, that’s the reality. It’s easy to call people out for it—but harder (and more effective) to understand why they’re not showing up. I’ll keep observing this trend to dig deeper into the root cause.
After the morning prayer, Mr. Edoh shared a few words about Easter—a quiet, reflective moment that brought a soft spiritual touch to the day. A reminder that no matter how intense plant life gets, we are humans first.
Safety Talk: The Power of Three
Today’s safety message was simple but significant: 3-point contact while climbing stairs or ladders—two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, always in contact.
What surprised me was how few people actually knew this. A safety rule that’s basic in most plants is unheard of here. So, I took a few minutes to explain it with examples, asked others to try demonstrating it, and encouraged questions.
“Accidents don’t always come from machines failing.
Sometimes, it’s what we didn’t know that hurts us most.”
We agreed to spread this awareness across all departments and start making it a habit, not just a rule.
Plant Rounds: Checking What’s Moving and What’s Not
After the meeting, I began my routine round:
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Mechanical Workshop – not much activity, but a few teams working on minor repairs
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Stores – Stock updates pending, noted some mismatches to be checked
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Main Gate Security – Raised the issue of night shift alertness again
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Kiln #2 – The brick-lining work is nearing completion. Encouraging progress
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CCR (Central Control Room) – The real battlefield today
Line #1 Troubleshooting: A Jamming Problem
Most of today’s attention was on restarting Line #1, which was shut down yesterday.
The culprit: cyclone jamming. The feed pipe got jammed due to material fusion, caused by unusually high temperatures—likely a process imbalance or poor control.
These events are more than just mechanical issues. They expose how weak our safety interlocks are. In many cases, the interlocks are either:
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Missing entirely, or
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Incorrectly configured, offering no protection during faults
We’ve begun a systematic correction campaign—checking, verifying, and adjusting interlocks line-by-line.
This will take time, but it’s non-negotiable.
Interlocks are like nerves in a human body—if they don’t react when there’s danger, the damage is deep and sometimes permanent.
Weather & Mood: Hot and Sticky
The weather was a typical tropical April day—hot, humid, draining. You could feel the heaviness in every breath, and it slowed people down. Even in the CCR, where fans buzz all day, the team looked wiped out.
I made a mental note: We need to relook at our heat control and hydration practices, especially for field workers.
Reflection: Gaps are in Basics
Today was not about breakdowns or targets.
It was about basic safety, communication, and systems that should already be in place but aren’t.
From 3-point contact to interlocks, it’s clear:
We’re trying to run a marathon without learning how to walk properly.
But I also saw some willingness to learn, to listen, to follow through—and that’s a start.
The voice of one person speaking about Easter, or asking about climbing rules, or suggesting small fixes—it may seem minor, but these voices are the seeds of culture.
Key Points – 18th April
Low attendance in the morning meeting
Post-prayer, Mr. Edoh spoke about Easter
Raised and explained the concept of 3-point contact for safety
Plant visit: Workshop → Stores → Security → Kiln #2 (brick-lining) → CCR
Focused on restarting Line #1, down due to cyclone jamming
Safety interlocks found missing or wrongly configured
Hot and humid weather added to the day’s challenge
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