To the Editor,
The Terrace Bay Pulp mill, in the past was a productive and reasonably up to date mill.
This mill has undergone many setbacks and long-term shutdowns. But, the taxpayers’ dollar seems to ensure the rebirth of an outdated mill.
It’s a mill indeed in need of TLC. A mill like Terrace Bay Pulp, like most mills seems to pay exorbitant wages to under qualified individuals. Mill accidents are common you say? These things happen? Well, maybe these things happen when responsibility and safety are placed on the back burner.
Where does the responsibility lie for mill fatalities?
Is it the young, well paid workers, who are in charge of their department?
They should know the dangers of their jobs. What about the older mill veterans or supervisors?
Where were they?
Who watches the pressures, temperatures and determines when there is danger?
There is a risk in every industrial job. I have had close calls myself. But, it just takes one person to say ‘It should be OK, I'll weld this crack and we'll go home.’
These things happen every day, we all cut corners. We all want to go home and spend time with our families, but spending the extra five minutes on your work can mean the difference between life and death.
There are many needless deaths in the workplace, some due to the ignorance and carelessness of workers.
But, in the case of the recent fatalities at Terrace Bay Pulp, I truly believe that a superior should have been trying to prevent dangerous situations.
Jeremy Beauregard
