Automation, international standards, and digitalization are redefining the concept of safety in paper mill plants. Andritz’s perspective through the detailed analysis of Ursula Hochegger, principal expert for product/functional safety.
In recent years, plant safety has become one of the most relevant topics for the paper industry. The increase in machine speeds, advanced automation, and growing process complexity are making the protection of operators and risk management throughout the entire plant lifecycle increasingly critical. In this scenario, market expectations are also changing rapidly. Today, paper mills are asking for solutions that not only ensure high production performance, but also integrate advanced safety principles from the design phase onward.
In this regard, it is natural to ask how requirements in the field of machine and process safety are evolving. “It is clear that today there are still different market requirements and perceptions in some regions of the world,” says Ursula Hochegger, principal expert for product/functional safety at Andritz. “When our customers have production facilities in different geographic areas, the desire for standardization in the field of process and machine safety clearly emerges. This is strongly influenced also by occupational health and safety behaviors. Moreover, it is not only customers and authorities discussing acceptable safety levels: insurance companies are also increasingly imposing requirements to reduce risks. There have been cases where customers introduced improvements specifically in relation to insurance premiums. Another significant element is the recent establishment of the new subcommittee SC7 within ISO/TC 6 Paper, board and pulps. The goal is to define uniform international requirements in writing for this sector, particularly regarding machine and process safety in the paper, board, and pulp industry.”
This regulatory and cultural evolution is directly reflected in machine and plant design, where safety is no longer considered an additional feature but a structural requirement.
Designing safety from the engineering stage
A key aspect concerns the design principles adopted by technology manufacturers to reduce operational risks. In modern paper mills, characterized by continuous and high-speed processes, machine design becomes decisive for protecting operators and equipment.
“We always focus first on an inherently safe solution, then on technical measures, and finally on operator instructions. Already during the engineering phase we apply the ALARP principle (‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable’). This means, for example, avoiding as much as possible hazardous interaction points between operators and moving machine parts. We design piping and vessels for the maximum pressure that may occur. We optimize layout and accessibility to allow operations and maintenance from safe positions, also paying attention to rescuing people from confined spaces. In addition, we try to move maintenance activities outside risk zones, reducing exposure to pinch points, rotating rollers, and high-speed moving belts.”
Naturally, not all operations can be completely separated from human intervention. In some phases, such as material loading, cleaning, or inspection activities, interaction between operator and machine remains unavoidable.
“In areas where operators must interact with the machine during operation—for example during loading, cleaning, or inspection—Andritz uses functional safety solutions instead of relying exclusively on mechanical barriers. We also apply these solutions in process areas such as steam and condensate systems or boilers. All these technical solutions are documented during the engineering phase and contribute to protecting employees. In addition, cybersecurity aspects must also be considered in order to protect plants from unplanned production downtime. The best solution can only be developed in collaboration with the customer, since only the customer can ensure its continuous maintenance.”
Automation and monitoring to reduce risks
If design represents the first level of safety, automation and continuous monitoring now provide an additional tool to reduce operators’ exposure to hazards. In modern paper mills, many manual activities have been progressively replaced by automatic systems precisely to limit risk situations.
“Automation directly addresses these risks by reducing human exposure. Many of the serious accidents in paper mills historically occur during manual operations such as sheet threading, cleaning, or handling of rolls. Automation completely eliminates the presence of operators in these scenarios. Safety functions are also used to further reduce risks. These include process safety technologies—for example for boiler protection—and machine safety technologies, where dangerous movements are blocked by safety doors or only allowed in jog mode at reduced speed when entering hazardous areas.”
Alongside accident prevention, these technologies also contribute to improving overall plant reliability and maintenance management.
“In addition, early detection of faulty components not only helps reduce damage to equipment—which could also cause personal injury—but also facilitates spare parts procurement and reduces downtime.”
The role of services and lifecycle management
Plant safety does not depend solely on the initial machine design. Maintenance, upgrades, and retrofit activities also play a fundamental role in maintaining high safety standards over time.
“Routine maintenance is essential, as inadequate maintenance of machines and systems can lead to extended downtime and operational interruptions. When operators consider plant modifications due to changes in the product portfolio, it is crucial to determine whether these modifications constitute significant changes leading to new products. Consequently, an initial assessment of the current state is required, and planned modifications must be carefully analyzed.”
Every intervention on the plant must therefore be accompanied by a careful risk analysis and a structured change management process.
“Every proposed modification must be evaluated to determine whether it introduces new hazards or increases an existing risk. Based on this analysis, solutions must be developed in collaboration with suppliers. Regardless of the nature of the change, all modifications must be documented throughout the entire plant lifecycle. The change management process must specifically consider safety implications and improvements to the implemented solutions.”
Safety also requires continuous improvement, especially when serious incidents in other plants highlight new potential risks.
“In addition, continuous improvements are recommended to promote employee safety. This is particularly important when serious incidents occur in similar plants or organizations: in such cases it is necessary to assess whether similar situations could occur and, if necessary, implement appropriate corrective measures.”
Digitalization and proactive safety
A further leap forward in safety management comes from digitalization. The integration of sensors, advanced diagnostic systems, and operational data analysis makes it possible to identify problems before they turn into critical situations.
“Digitalization enables the transition from a reactive to a proactive safety management approach, reducing human exposure to hazards and identifying critical risks before they can escalate.”
Among the most promising applications are those related to robotics and the automation of particularly hazardous operations.
“One of the main opportunities concerns robotics and automation. For example, within our Andritz Smart Solutions offering, robotic systems can perform tasks that would otherwise require operators to work in hazardous areas, such as cleaning smelt spouts in recovery boilers. By removing people from high-risk environments, automated and digitalized solutions eliminate hazards directly rather than merely limiting their effects.”
At the same time, continuous equipment monitoring enables early detection of anomalies and timely intervention.
“Another important opportunity comes from advanced diagnostics and condition monitoring. Our condition monitoring solutions continuously assess equipment status and identify developing issues before they can cause damage or unsafe situations.”
A concrete example is boiler safety monitoring, where water leaks can represent a significant risk.
“A concrete example is the Water Leakage Advisor for recovery boilers. Water leaks represent a serious safety risk, and by combining advanced measurements with operational data analysis, this solution can detect early warning signs and alert operators proactively, enabling corrective actions long before a critical situation occurs.”
The same approach is applied to other equipment along the production line.
“In addition, our EKG portfolio monitors a wide range of equipment in wood and fiber processing lines. By integrating advanced diagnostics—such as vibration analysis, vision systems, and process measurements—with operational data analysis, these solutions enable early detection of abnormal behavior and emerging failures. This not only improves asset reliability but also prevents accidents related to sudden equipment failures. Overall,” concludes Ursula Hochegger, “advanced diagnostics and operational data analysis enable safer operations by preventing incidents, reducing exposure to hazardous tasks, and supporting proactive, data-driven decision-making in safety management.”