Karena J. O’Bryan – 2022 Steel Intern Scholar
This past summer, I had the pleasure of completing my internship at Commercial Metals Company in Seguin, Texas, USA. This particular CMC facility engages in the whole process from recycling metal which it then processes into the final product, specifically long steel products such as rebar, round, and flat bar.
Coming into this internship, all I knew about metal was what I had learned in a class at Murray State University. I was intrigued by the different processes like hot- and cold-rolling, and by how machines can produce such a variety of pieces in all sizes with real precision. Another thing that amazed me were the sizes of different machines, some can take up an entire building. I had always been interested in how things are made. At the same time, I knew that working around heavy equipment and machines like these was very dangerous, and that safety is a very big issue in this type of industry.
As a safety intern at CMC, I was able to see for myself, the heavy equipment, huge machines, and that there is not much room for error when it comes to keeping employees safe. CMC takes employee safety very seriously, which is one of the aspects that I really like about the company. I had the privilege to learn from a competent safety team that welcomed me and included me in their day-to-day operation of the facility. I was able to assist with various duties such as heat monitoring, water testing, confined space monitor calibrations, assembling and issuing hard-hats and lock-out tags to employees. I also assisted with a project on the Rail King to help to reduce the amount of heat that the operator is exposed to while operating in hot environments. Texas has plenty of hot days and monitoring and dealing with heat exposure is extremely important.
My biggest project was an ergonomics project, one of my specific interests. I observed a crane operator during operations and analyzed his movements with Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) which confirmed that there was room for improvement. I created a PowerPoint with my findings and gave suggestions for improvements in a presentation to the rolling mill department. One of my suggestions was tested and worked well enough to be considered for future implementation with further testing.
I was included in many company meetings, trainings and on some trips to meetings and other CMC facilities to get a good picture of how the company works, educates and trains their employees. I also assisted with the new-hire processes, like touring the facility, and preparing personal protective equipment (PPE) to issue to the new employees. I was even included on their 4th of July float to represent the company.
I had a great experience that I feel very fortunate about. Thanks to AIST for opening a door for allowing me to gain some experience in the metal industry. Thanks to CMC for providing me with this wonderful internship opportunity and for making me feel at home because of your employees that truly care. I feel that I have also grown as a person during this valuable experience.