CUSTOMER CASE ALCOA

Alcoa Norway ANS is part of the Alcoa Corporation (AA: NYSE), one of the world’s leading aluminium producers and currently operates smelting plants in Lista and Mosjøen in Norway. The two plants have a combined annual output of 286,000 tonnes of aluminium and supply quality products - mainly to European rolling mills and foundries.

The challenge

Alcoa’s operations at its smelting plant in Mosjøen create a tough environment that places strict demands on personal safety equipment to provide the best possible protection and comfort.

“We began working with Tranemo in 2015 when we learned that the protective clothing used in our electrolysis department was not resistant to molten salts and metal. This meant there was a risk of users suffering burns if molten metal stuck to their work clothing.”

- John Egil Marken, Safety Manager, Alcoa Mosjøen

Risk analysis for smelting plant

• Splashes of molten aluminium
• Flame and heat
• Heat stress
• Traffic accidents (limited risk)

Working with molten aluminium requires protective garments that are certified to EN ISO 11612 D3. If molten metal sticks to garments it can cause burns. To minimize the risk of injury, the standard sets certain design requirements such as covered pockets and concealed metal accessories. Reflective details and areas of high visibility fabric also ensure that users are clearly visible in industrial environments - for instance where lift trucks and gantry cranes pose a hazard.  

The solution

“After assessing Alcoa’s protection needs, we concluded that what was needed was protective clothing that met the requirements of EN ISO 11612 D3 and offered the highest level of protection against splashes of molten aluminium. In consultation with Alcoa, Tranemo developed a special collection that met their needs for full protection combined with practical features such as pocket solutions and increased visibility.”

- Pål Branderud, Managing Director, Tranemo Norge.

A special feature of this collection is that Tranemo managed to develop a unique wool-based flame retardant garment that combines a good level of comfort with the highest level of protection against molten aluminium. The garments in the collection are also reinforced in high stress areas and provide increased visibility to improve safety from traffic accidents in industrial environments.

The result

The solution-led partnership and effective dialogue between Alcoa and Tranemo were the key to good results. Another key factor was regular follow-up meetings that provided Tranemo with feedback about garment fit, user comfort and the results of wearer tests, so that further improvements or refinements could be made.

“We found Tranemo to be a professional partner who understood our particular needs and developed a good protection solution that our employees are satisfied with.”

- John Egil Marken, Safety Manager, Alcoa Mosjøen