Putting ourselves to the test to be ready when it really counts. That is the goal of the emergency drill that took place in July at the Alpago M12 plant, where colleagues participated in a simulation designed to test the effectiveness of response procedures in the event of a fire or accident.
The scenario depicted a particularly delicate situation: during a test at the Testing Center, a propane leak from a unit containing 40 kg of R290 caused a fire to break out, affecting an operator’s left arm. While attempting to move away from the affected area, the operator fell to the ground and lost consciousness, requiring immediate intervention by emergency response teams.
To make the drill as realistic as possible, controlled special effects were used, including artificial smoke with the smell of burning, visual simulations of flames, and the simulation of a burn injury on the victim’s arm. This scenario allowed participants to experience a situation very similar to one that could occur in real life.
Emergency responders intervened promptly, securing their colleague and transporting him outside the affected area. Once they reached a safe zone, they carried out all the required first-aid procedures: from assessing the injured person’s condition to treating the simulated injury, bandaging the wound, and providing thermal protection for the patient while awaiting the arrival of medical help.
At the same time, fire suppression was simulated using an appropriate fire extinguisher. As called for in the scenario, the incident was then deemed unmanageable with internal resources alone, leading to the activation of the escalation procedure and a request for the Fire Department to intervene.
In addition to serving as an important training opportunity, the drill allowed us to verify in the field the level of preparedness of the staff, the effectiveness of coordination among the various teams involved, and the proper application of company procedures.
A heartfelt thank you goes to all colleagues who took part in the initiative, contributing with dedication, professionalism, and a spirit of collaboration to the success of the activity. Moments like these confirm that safety is a shared responsibility and that it is essential to continue investing in the training and preparedness of our people to ensure ever-higher standards at all our production sites.
