Georgina Salt, our Environment, Health and Safety Manager, is celebrating an amazing 40 years with the company.
Based at the Armitage site and a familiar face to very many people who work for Ideal Standard, here Georgina talks about the past four decades.
“I started as a laboratory technician at the Armitage Shanks Howson site in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. At that time the Company didn’t allow women to wear trousers as female staff only worked in the offices. This was the first rule I broke! I worked as a lab technician and in technical project management for five years across the Howson and Excelsior sites.
I originally wanted to be a deck officer in the merchant navy but having passed through the first stages failed the medical because I needed glasses. At the time you had to have perfect eyesight without the aid of glasses or contact lenses. I was offered a position in the Royal Navy but refused as at that time woman weren’t allowed to work on the ships and they would only offer me catering or stores positions on land. I was offered an engineering position in the merchant navy but having just accepted the role as a lab technician with Armitage Shanks, I turned this down.
(Above, Georgina aged 18 in the lab at Excelsior in 1980)
I started to work before my school exam results were out. I needed to pass a number of science and maths O-levels to be able to go to day release at the local college. As I was at work on the day my exam results were out, my boss took me to school and waited in the car while I got them. My job depended on the results – no pressure then! I obviously got what I needed as the rest is history.
In 1983 got married to my husband, David, who I met at work and who was one of the technical team at the time we met. For nine years I was then kiln process leader/shift leader covering weekend working across the site and over-placing and glost selection, kiln car maintenance and refire kiln firing. I had two children during this time. I remember telling my boss I was pregnant the first time and would need some time off work. He asked in all seriousness ‘How did that happen?’ I never did tell him.
(Above, Georgina having just received her Diploma for Management in 1985)
In 1992 I was successful in applying for the role of technical production manager at the Rugeley plant, covering the labs, kilns, effluent plant, spray technology, slip and glaze-making departments. I did this role for five years. During this time I also took on the role of environmental co-ordinator for the Armitage plant, probably as I managed most of the potentially polluting processes.
In 1997 I became full time Environmental Manager for Armitage Shanks. Armitage Shanks’ parent company at the time was Blue Circle. I was asked to also cover the African sites and implement ISO14001 at the cement sites in Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe. While out in Nigeria, I won second prize in a company raffle. The local government/military leader presented me with the prize of five cans of insecticide. Everyone was required to stand to attention for the Nigerian national anthem and during this time a tarantula – or at least a very big and hairy spider – walked over my feet. I couldn’t move as I was expected to stand to attention.
When Armitage Shanks was purchased by American Standard, I became full-time Environmental Manager for Ideal Standard. This role also involved energy monitoring and reporting across the European business. More recently, I became Environment, Health and Safety Manager for the UK.
Over the years there have been many improvements in working conditions and development of safe practices. When I was first kiln manager if there was a kiln stoppage anyone first entering the tunnel kiln would need to put on an asbestos suit! The procedure stated that the kiln manager would be the first person to enter and ‘he and he alone’ would enter. I never did change the wording when I took over! This was one of the first practices I stopped.
I have been asked many times why I would work for the same company. My answer is that although I have done 40 years with Armitage Shanks and then Ideal Standard, I have not worked for the same company. Over the years I have had many jobs, worked across different sites, in different processes and even different countries. I have been privileged to work for this company as I have had the opportunity to continually learn new things, experience different cultures, work with some fantastic people, meet my husband and have a wonderful family. Why wouldn’t I?