Domtar stood out in 2024 for significant advances in occupational safety, with several units reaching significant milestones. The Menominee plant in Michigan surpassed 2.25 million hours without a recordable incident, a milestone that began more than 11 years ago. Safety manager Jason Triest highlighted the active participation of employees in formulating safety policies, strengthening the plant’s preventive culture.
The chip unit in Amory, Mississippi, celebrated 13 years without any recordable safety incidents, contributing approximately 25% of the wood chips used by the Hawesville, Kentucky plant. At Project Horseshoe, also in Hawesville, the more than 180 contractors and employees completed a total of 137,000 hours worked without recordable accidents, reflecting the success of the strict safety measures implemented throughout the project.
Other highlights include the Hialeah tissue plant in Florida, which reached one million hours without recordable accidents, and the Sanford site, also in Florida, which reached 500,000 safe hours. During a recognition event, the Sanford plant made donations of US$5,000 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer and Seminole County Friends of Abused Children, reinforcing its commitment to social responsibility.
The maintenance team at the Plymouth mill’s wood yard recorded an important milestone in September 2024, completing 12 years without any recordable accidents. Similarly, the Ariva subsidiary achieved 13 consecutive months without incident, covering its six facilities in Canada.
Excellence in safety has also earned Domtar important awards and recognition. The engineered wood products facilities in Larouche and Saint-Prime, Quebec, were included in the APA – The Engineered Wood Association Incident-Free Honor Society, as well as winning the Three-Year Safety Award for their excellent performance between 2020 and 2022. Pulp & Paper Canada honored four Domtar units, with the Windsor mill standing out as the safest in category A for the second year running. In category C, the Saint-Félicien pulp mill took first place, followed by the Alma and Dolbeau paper mills.
In the field of innovation, the Mistassini sawmill received an award at the Grands Prix de la CNESST for developing a chain synchronizer, which significantly reduces operational risks by avoiding the need for manual intervention on highly complex equipment. In Tennessee, the Brownsville converting center implemented a new glue application system, virtually eliminating the need for human contact with equipment at 350°F, considerably reducing the risk of burns.
Domtar remains committed to safety as a top priority, continually investing in prevention, operational improvements and innovations that guarantee an increasingly safe working environment for all its employees.
