A Wide Experience

Written by: Kim Spalding
Featuring: Clive Curl

Clive Curl migrated from the United Kingdom in 1974 where he was a Chemist in the textile industry. On moving to Tasmania, Australia he applied for a job at Comalco. Now in his thirty-first year at Comalco, Clive has worked in many roles including, Development Engineer, Potline Supervisor, Reconstruction Superintendent and more recently, the Superintendent of Health and Hygiene.

Clive, when asked about his current role, said that it was a hard one to describe. He is accountable for the Medical Centre, site Hygiene, the Laboratory, Security and Emergency Services. However, Clive did say that there are not that many emergencies. Nevertheless, there is still need to practice for something you don’t want to happen! He also added that he likes the variety and technical aspects of his role. Furthermore, what he does has many benefits to others.

When asked about the changes at Comalco, Clive said there had been many. There was the shift training for staff before running the Potlines and he vividly remembered the physical effort of working in the furnaces. It was, as he put it, ‘hell!’ There has been a dramatic show of changes, and everything is more efficient now. Technology has definitely changed things and the working relationships between staff are good. They are all on an equal level as they are all working for the common good!

Clive agreed that Comalco’s safety profile has risen over the last 10 years. ‘We have conditioned ourselves,’ he said, ‘and made sure everything is right. All you need is the thinking process,’ 
he said with a smile.