Jukka Aaltonen's long career in housekeeping maintenance in Olkiluoto: "The annual outage is the high point of the year!"
In 1992, Jukka Aaltonen jumped straight in the deep end in his first annual outage, when his career as a professional in the nuclear industry started as the Head of housekeeping maintenance work in the reactor building.
When Jukka Aaltonen starts his retirement this spring, he has been working in Olkiluoto for 30 years.
Work in housekeeping maintenance is very much about constantly introducing new development ideas together with Radiation Protection.
- During my career, I had the opportunity to impact the development of the work and the equipment, and participate in long-term development efforts. Housekeeping maintenance works seamlessly in cooperation with Radiation Protection, Jukka Aaltonen says.
For Jukka Aaltonen, the annual outage has always been the high point of the year that needs to be well prepared for.
- There are work activities that are known beforehand, and the required personnel resources are allocated for them, but then there is also work that comes up as a surprise, due to e.g., foreign material. These different situations require a swift response and this means interruptions in pre-planned work. An important role is played by the availability of equipment that allows a quick and safe response.
- All in all, the annual outage is the high point of the year. It may feel before the outage starts that there hasn't been enough time for all the preparations, but once the summer employees arrive – with their happy and excited attitudes and a good sense of humour – the atmosphere changes to positive and things start to happen. Every year the spirit rises with the approach of the annual outages and spring!
Having worked primarily in the controlled area during his career, Jukka Aaltonen's duties have included both routine housekeeping work and working in various projects. The work is carried out in seamless and close cooperation between three teams: the Radiation Protection personnel carry out the initial preparations and the installation crews the actual installation activities, while housekeeping maintenance and cleaning is needed both during and after these. Maintaining general neatness and order at the plant as well as participation in repair works are essential parts of housekeeping maintenance tasks.Aaltonen's long career has included all kinds of situations, many of which can be seen as great examples of ingenuity and experience in problem solving. Jukka Aaltonen has a lot of memories from Olkiluoto and he has always been aware of the significance of his own work. He feels that both appreciation for the work and the requirements pertaining to it are on a high level.
- The main reason for why I have enjoyed my career in Olkiluoto is the high appreciation given to our work and the positive, encouraging response to further developing the work. Ideas for improvements are listened to and this allows us to improve our methods. I have had the opportunity to develop my own work according to the principle of continuous improvement. Every new idea for improvement that we have is always pushed forward, Jukka Aaltonen explains.
Jukka Aaltonen's plans for retirement start with a period of downshifting and getting used to a new pace of life. He is looking forward to May and the return of migrating birds as much as he used to wait for the annual outage to start. This spring, however, he will spend his time observing birds instead of annual outage work.
(Text and image: Natalie Kylliäinen)