Note: This is a repeat of the Nip Impressions Column for this week. I think we all have safety on the mind these days. I wrote this before the Nippon Dynawave accident.

Sunday, 24 May 2026, I watched the sporting event of the year that I thoroughly enjoy--the Indianapolis 500. I was recalling the two times I have gotten to go in person--1970 and 2003. 1970 particularly sticks with me--I had my first co-op job, had a little money in my pocket and I went with a fellow student. We had infield seats in the grass that had cost us $10 each. In those days, the infield protection from the track was literally a farm fence. After all, out of control cars always fly outwards don't they? So, we sat right up next to the fence.

In the 1960s, there had been five fatalities at the Indy 500. In the 70s--3, 80s--1, 90s--2, and none since 2000. In the 1960s the average speed of the winning car was 146.7 MPH. The 1990s--155.6 MPH. The 2020s--173.1 MPH. This is an increase of almost 18% since the 1960s. In this year's running, on the backstretch, cars often reached 230 MPH.

I have been a passenger in a racing Corvette at about 140 MPH. It was about ten years ago and, at my age then, the speed was outrunning my reflexes. No wonder race car drivers are usually young. By the way, a shoutout to Sweden, your driver won this year by about 0.023 seconds. The competition is fierce.

The greatest auto race in the world has succeeded in seriously improving its performance and dramatically improving its safety record.

Why can't we do the same? In PaperMoney, we have a department, "Risks: Fires, Fatalities and Catastrophes." We started this chronicle of such events in 2017. There has been no discernible improvement in the nine years since then. Pulp and Paper Mills go around giving each other safety awards, yet the overall data says there has been little, if any, positive movement.

Why is this? Executives tell me they emphasize safety, but the record, in general, belies this statement.

I have a great interest in safety, even though I have had my share of safety incidents (invite me to share a safety talk with your mill and I will enumerate my experiences, starting with a strike in the head with a hoe, age 7, while my neighbor friend and I were digging an oil well in my backyard).

For a deeper dive, go here.

Jim Thompson is CEO of Paperitalo Publications.