A star is shining brightly in the western sky!  That star is David Carroll, our APM Fossil West Service Manager.  Dave constantly thinks about problems and risks that our employees in the field encounter and then he goes to work to find a solution for that problem and risk.  He came up with a great idea to create a packing scraper guard.  Basically, a packing scraper is used to reestablish taper edges on steam packing and for straightening and sharpening packing teeth.  When new or repaired, the teeth of the packing is razor sharp. Some of our employees have had substantial injuries over the years due to contact with the packing.  You can see in the picture that the guard has completely removed the hazard by blocking the possibility that the hand could slip and make contact with the packing, thus preventing an inevitable accident. The guard was tested on several sites throughout the South and West regions with very good user review. Dave began this process almost a year ago, and this innovative packing tooth scraper guard was approved to be added to steam major kits starting this fall.  Along with the cut resistant gloves, the tool will add a layer of protection for employees performing this task.  Jake Locklear, APM + APCom President CEO congratulated Dave saying, “Your resilience and determination from the initial ideal through development, testing, and industrialization will save someone’s hand – a hand that will hold their wife’s, a hand that will throw a ball with their child, a hand that will build power plants for all of us to benefit. This is commitment to our craftsmen.”

Thanks Dave!  We can’t wait to see what other solutions and innovation you have in store for the future.