For the protection of all

When fire trucks rushed to our plant in Memmingen, Germany, it was serious business, but all part of a plan.

It was an emergency drill with a scenario of an accident involving a forklift truck that had dropped a 1,000-liter (260-gallon) container full of chemicals, injuring a production worker. The driver and another employee had passed out from the fumes and two firemen in heavy protective gear hurried to their rescue.

Ashland employees and the local fire brigade started the drill at 7 p.m. with a short evacuation of all employees. Twenty firefighters and two paramedics took part in the practice session, which included technical aspects such as collecting, testing and identifying the leaked substance, as well as use of an infrared camera in a search-and-rescue for injured people.

Firefighters arrive at our plant in Memmingen, Germany, for the drill.

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At left, foreman Michael Orosi confers with firefighter Josef Haidinnger.  
Rescuers, at right, wore protective suits.

Stephan Lauer, managing director at Ashland’s ISP Biochema Schwaben GmbH, was pleased with the results.

“One of the most important values at Ashland is safety of our employees, but also of the community," he said. "The successful exercise underlines our commitment to health and safety measures, and we are eager to keep the highest standards and improve even further.”