Safety First March 2014

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Solutions Guide

March 2014

Measuring safety Australian company is first to offer benchmarking service on safety performance

INSIDE: Mining Safety l OH&S l Body Protection l Height Safety l Waste Handling l Materials Handling l Production Line

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>>> a special supplement produced by cirrus media

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A-SAFE Polymer Safety Barriers Why is A-Safe so different?

Traffic Segregation / Wall and Machinery Protection

A-Safe barriers consist of specially formulated, MEMAPLEX, polymer-based material and components. Steel simply dents or crumples when a vehicle hits it.

A-Safe barriers have inherent strength and structural memory allowing them to buckle on collision, dissipating impact forces and then springing back to the original state.

There is the added bonus of sustaining little floor damage when impacted, greatly reducing the need for damage repairs, both to the barrier and to vehicles, offering minimal cost in maintenance charges, well below that of steel. The motor industry started fitting plastic bumpers to their vehicles years ago. A-Safe decided to use the same principle for their products, withoutstanding results.

Safety first

Sliding Safety Gate

On impact Barrier bends as vehicle hits it.

Traffic and Pedestrian Segregation

After impact

Although they are Barrier returns to original shape, thanks flexible, A-Safe Barriers to built-in memory. are extremely strong.

They effectively protect your workforce, machinery, buildings and vehicles. All products are designed to meet the most stringent Health & Safety guidelines and are load tested to British Standards, which exceed Australian Standards by a factor of three.

Traffic Plus Barrier

Column Protection

Car Park Barrier

Double Rail Traffic Barrier

Pedestrian Segregation

Colouring your views A-Safe Barriers feature a yellow and black colour scheme as standard, which enables both pedestrians and drivers to see at a glance where they should be and where they shouldn’t be. These colours are solid and highly resistant to scratching too, so no repainting is required. Some barrier options such as the A-Safe Armco range are available in grey.

Pedestrian Segregation

ATLAS Airport Protection

Hinged Safety Gate

Loading Dock Guidance

Door Protection

Cutting your costs Not only does A-Safe N improve safety standards, it can also provide significant cost savings. Over a 3 year period, 100 metres of A-Safe Barrier can save over $50,000 in repairs and maintenance costs, compared to conventional steel barriers.

Rack End Protection

Our website: www.materialshandling.com.au Phone us: 1300 65 00 35 Fax us: 1800 68 68 96 Email us: sales@materialshandling.com.au

Australia Wide Service SF1403MH

Protecting People

Property

Profits

And the environment

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CONTENTS

SafetyFirst.

Publisher Martin Sinclair E-mail: martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au Editor Kevin Gomez Tel: (02) 8484 0976 E-mail: kevin.gomez@cirrusmedia.com.au Victoria sales Project Manager Michael Northcott Mobile: 0448 077 247 E-mail: michael.northcott@cirrusmedia.com.au New South Wales sales Anthony Head Tel: (02) 8011 3184 Fax: (02) 8484 0915 E-mail: anthony.head@cirrusmedia.com.au Queensland sales Sharon R. Amos Tel: (07) 3261 8857 Fax: (07) 3261 8347 E-mail: sharon.amos@cirrusmedia.com.au Production Co-ordinator Mary Copland Tel: (02) 8484 0737 Fax: (02) 8484 0722 E-mail: mary.copland@cirrusmedia.com.au Graphic Design Dave Ashley Tel: (02) 8484 0710 E-mail: david.ashley@cirrusmedia.com.au Circulation/Customer service Tel: 1300 360 126 E-mail: customer.service@cirrusmedia.com.au

contents Mining Safety

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• Breathing apparatus supplied to Ravensworth Mine • Benchmark for organisational safety performance • Fleet module manages driver fatigue

OH&S

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• Eye wash enables rapid response to limit damage • Saliva tests save workers from accidents • QUT crash test means we are no longer dummies

Body Protection

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• Lightweight boots for first responders • Control weld fumes and heat • Safety training is high on the agenda • Be careful working around powerlines

Waste & Hazardous Environments

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• Pipeline safety a prime focus for challenges of the Australian environment

Materials Handling

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• Water wall fights fires • Contain spills and leaks • Reverse alert collision avoidance system Cirrus Media Tower 2, Level 3, 475 Victoria Avenue Chatswood NSW 2067, Australia Locked Bag 4700 Chatswood Delivery Centre, NSW 2067, Australia Tel: (02) 8484 0888 Fax: (02) 8484 0633 ABN 80 132 719 861 www.cirrusmedia.com.au © Copyright Cirrus Media, 2014 Printed by Offset Alpine Printing All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Utmost care is taken to ensure the accuracy of editorial matter. Product specifications and claims are those of the manufacturers.

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• Tool and component storage in a small space • Protective cover for exposed power plug pins

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Printed four times a year, Safety First is inserted in the March, June, August and October issues of Manufacturers’ Monthly, Food Magazine, Australian Mining and PACE with a distribution of 15,000.

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Behind the cover Manager’s Occupational Health and Safety

Solutions Guide

March 2014

Measuring safety Australian company is first to offer benchmarking service on safety performance

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Mining Safety l OH&S l Body Protection l Height Safety l Waste Handling l Materials Handling Production Line >>> A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT PRODUCED BY CIRRUS MEDIA

Global Safety Index www.globalsafetyindex.com AUSTRALIAN company, Global Safety Index (GSI) is the first business in the world to offer companies and organisations a global benchmarking service on their safety performance. Looking at lead and lag indicators as well as Safety Culture and Safety Leadership, GSI allows organisations to benchmark their safety performance against industry performance and other leading organisations globally. GSI is a place for organisations looking to understand their safety cultural strengths and weaknesses and profile for focused cultural improvement. The company also works with its members to build the measurement of Safety Culture into their Risk Management Audits, helping them move along the curve of compliance to a stronger emphasis on culture and leadership.

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MINING SAFETY

GSI is world’s first benchmark for organisational safety performance

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USTRALIAN company, Global Safety Index (GSI) is the first business in the world to offer companies and organisations a global benchmarking service on their safety performance.

Looking at lead and lag indicators as well as Safety Culture and Safety Leadership, GSI allows organisations to benchmark their safety performance against industry performance and other leading organisations globally.

“We came up with the idea for Global Safety Index when we realised that globally there was no readily accessible safety benchmark that enabled organisations to determine how they are currently performing internally and then compare this externally to high performance organisations,” said Ben Wilson, Managing Director of GSI. Founded in 2013, GSI is a place for organisations looking to understand their safety cultural strengths and weaknesses and profile for focused cultural improvement.

The company also works with its members to build the measurement of Safety Culture into their Risk Management Audits, helping them move along the curve of compliance to a stronger emphasis on culture and leadership.

“Profiling employees’ safety leadership capability allows businesses to plan and prioritise resource allocation and deliver a targeted skills and capability improvement approach to areas most needed,” explained Mr Wilson.

With the first global tool that assesses and measures Safety Leadership, whilst contrasting this against an organisation’s safety culture and current safety output performance, the Global Safety Index membership and support is rapidly expanding with leading Australian and

global organisations such as Siemens, Woolworths, Coles Logistics, and Westpac as early adopters.

The company recently released its report “2013 Key Industry Insights & Outlook For 2014” in which more than 4,700 participants from four different industries utilising Global Safety Index were surveyed.

All participants were located in Australia and came from the manufacturing, logistics, business services and utilities sectors.

Fleet module helps manage driver fatigue GPS vehicle tracking provider, Securatrak has developed a simple new add-on for its Go6 tracking device to help companies manage driver fatigue among their fleets.

The two-button Journey Management Module has been designed to work with its Checkmate 5.6 reporting software, making it possible for fleet managers to determine driving and break times.

Securatrak’s R&D team worked with a client in the resources sector, whose fleet operates in inherently risky and remote conditions, to develop the Journey Management Module. The dash-mounted device, which is also compatible with the Go4 In-Vehicle Monitoring System (IVMS) device, is simple for drivers to operate.

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A 2-hour timer audibly and visually alerts the driver when it is time to take a break.

There are two buttons – “active” and “on break” - operating on a 2-hour timer which audibly and visually alerts the driver when it is

time to pull over for a cuppa or to stretch their legs.

The driver hits the “active” button at the start and end of their journey, which registers with the Checkmate software via the Iridium satellite network, and presses the “on break” button for the duration of his or her rest period. The in-built timer begins its count down when the ignition starts and issues a distinctive alert if the driver fails to stop and engage the “on break” button.

Fleet managers and OHS officers can use the Checkmate software to set exception rules around scheduled rest times to ensure drivers are taking their full break.

Securatrak, 1300 653 395 securatrak.com.au

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MINING SAFETY

Essential breathing apparatus supplied to Ravensworth Mine FIRE protection specialist Wormald recently provided a range of life safety products and systems at the Ravensworth Underground Mine in NSW. The Ravensworth Underground Mine, which is managed by Glencore Xstrata, is located in the Hunter Valley Coalfields of NSW. Ravensworth Underground Mine employs approximately 280 staff and was developed for long wall extraction of coal.

At the Ravensworth mine, Wormald has supplied over 250 Scott Safety Contour 100 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) with 6.8 litre carbon fibre cylinders. The Contour 100 SCBA is a lightweight, high performance set that is suitable for use in the mining industry.

The breathing apparatus has a shoulder-mounted pressure gauge, a high pressure cylinder connector and a Vision 3 facemask. The SCBAs are stored in moveable storage pods which Storage pods ready for deployment at Ravensworth Mine. are located at work sites within the mine and are accessible to work groups in the event of an emergency. Each pod holds up to any one time means the process is quick and easy.

21 compressed air sets.

Tony Galvin from Ravensworth Mine said, “Safety is of vital Wormald also supplied forty auto-cascade fast fill stations at importance at underground mining sites and we need to ensure the site. The stations contain banks of compressed air cylinders that adequate life safety equipment is easily accessible for our that operate in an automatic cascade system, based on the miners. The breathing apparatus and systems supplied ensure pressure in the cylinders. that, in the event of an emergency, our miners have access to These stations enable users to easily refill their breathing enough air to escape.”

Wormald, 133 166 apparatus during an escape, without having to remove the SF0 3 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ SPE 1 2 0 1 4 - 0 2 - 0 7 T0 8 : 1 7 : 0 2 + 1 1 : 0 0 www.wormald.com.au cylinder. Enabling four users to connect to the stations at

YOU WON’T PAY EXTRA FOR EXTRAS AT SPECSAVERS.

Our AS/NZS1337.6:2012 certified prescription safety glasses come complete with frames, lenses, lens cloth, case & certification. Other companies might consider these optional extras and charge additionally.

So if you’re looking for AS/NZS1337.6:2012 certified prescription safety glasses without the hidden extras (from just $199 for one pair), you simply can’t look past Specsavers.

ANS/NZS1337.6:2012 Personal Eye Protection

All products in the Specsavers Safety Eyewear range are fully certified and covered by the AS/NZS 1337.6:2012 Standards Licence No: SMKH25349 Issued: 30 May 2012.

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OH&S

Eye wash enables rapid response to limit eye damage

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ECAUSE chemicals in the eye can cause serious damage within 1 to 5 seconds, it is important to provide emergency projection even in remote locations where plumbed emergency eyewashes may not be available.

Tobin Eyewash systems provide the first response required even in areas such as mineral processing, engineering, construction, bushfire fighting and dust suppression and extraction operations involving potentially aggressive substances.

The system includes Tobin saline eyewash bottles available in quick access hanging systems designed for the workplace.

Features of the Tobin Eyewash include: • The bottle hangs by its cap and is opened by breaking this off • Each bottle contains 1 litre of sterile saline solution 0.9% and provides approximately three minutes of flow • Eye support ring which facilitates prolonged washing and washing during transportation to a doctor • The bottle is simple to open and easy to use with no moving parts which can malfunction

The Tobin Eyewash system enables fast application and delivers a volume large enough for most eye accidents.

• The bottle is designed to stop people saving unused liquid or refilling the bottle with other liquid • The fact that the bottle is disposable is an important safety feature, because sterile liquid must not be saved in an open bottle. The Tobin eyewash bottle cannot be refilled • The round bottom is a safety design feature and prevents bottles being

able to stand alone. this helps remove the temptation to take bottles from the stand and place them close to bottles with other contents. When the bottom air vent is activated, it lets air into the bottle and insures the eye is washed by a soft continuous flow.

Enware Australia, 02 9525 9511 www.enware.com.au

Saliva tests save workers from accidents THOUSANDS of Australians will be spared from injury by the work of a research consortium that is charged with alleviating fatigue and boosting productivity. The Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity is an alliance of technology companies, academics, regulators and employers who are joining forces to develop new devices and systems that help protect workers and drivers from fatigue.

The centre, established with a $14.48 million contribution over seven years from the Australian Government, is the first of its kind internationally to tackle the growing problem of sleep disruption with practical multidisciplinary projects driven by those who will develop and utilise the technology.

“Never before have we seen such a dynamic approach to solving the issue of fatigue and its damaging effect on workplaces and our roads,” says Anthony Williams, chief executive of the CRC. “With our 24-hour society, more Australians are working shifts or getting less shut-eye, and suffering serious sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea. The impact on alertness has a worrying knock oneffect for workplace productivity and injury statistics,” he adds.

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Almost 10,000 serious workplace injuries and more than 25,000 serious road crash injuries are caused by poor alertness each year. The cost to the Australian economy is substantial—over $5 billion a year in lost productivity and healthcare costs, and over $31 billion a year in the loss of healthy life. We’re planning on turning that around with a range of personalised, state-of-the art tools that will improve alertness, boost performance and make our country safer,” Williams says.

CRC for Alertness, Safety and Productivity, 02 6213 7177 www.crc.gov.au

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OH&S

QUT’s innovative crash test means we are no longer dummies

CRASHING into a road safety barrier can be a killer which is why a QUT engineer has developed an innovative crash test to assess the impact of a collision making it easier to develop new, improved and safer designs.

Rory Gover, from QUT’s Science and Engineering Faculty, has designed a testing rig that assesses the performance on impact of roadside barriers.

“Run-off road crashes are a major cause of death and injury on Australian roads and the potential for harm significantly increases along roadwork zones,” Dr Gover said.

“Road safety barriers are commonly used to safely control and redirect vehicles and have been effective in reducing the crash casualty severity on high speed roads by 90 per cent. But when a crash does Rory Gover with his test rig that assesses the performance on impact of roadside barriers. occur the outcome can be fatal.”

Queensland University of Technology, 07 3138 8822 Dr Gover said crash testing road safety barriers was costly and SF 0 3 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ SAF 1 2 0 1 4 - 0 2 - 0 6 T1 5 : 0 2 : 2 4 + 1 1 : 0 www.qut.edu.au time-consuming and the introduction of tighter safety standards, had made testing requirements tougher.

“The crash performance and impact behaviour of road safety barriers has traditionally been assessed experimentally in fullscale vehicle crash tests,” Dr Gover said. “These tests require a vehicle to impact a large number of barriers and tend to be considerably expensive and resource intensive.

“For this reason the tests are unsuitable for the assessment of a barrier in its early stages of development or for minor design changes.”

But with Dr Gover’s rig, which uses advanced sensors that record to a computer, it is possible to accurately test the performance of road safety barriers in a much more costeffective way.

“The sensors measure movement, velocity and acceleration with the information being related to a computer which allows accurate computational modelling to be undertaken,” he said.

“This allows conceptual and mathematical models to be used in conjunction with advanced modelling techniques to better understand the behaviours of road safety barriers Safepad has introduced a new range of edge protection during impact. products. Safepad Edges are designed to cover “This information can then be used to design and develop protruding or hazardous edges with a soft yet durable road barriers that are safer on impact. Using this system we EVA foam strip. Each Safepad edge product is highly are now able to assess new barrier designs and any minor visible, and is supplied in various profiles applicable to most edges, including cornices, flanges, ducting, design improvements before we undertake a full-scale vehicle braces, stairways and beams. Contact Safepad for cost crash test.” effective solutions to worksite impact hazards.

Now Dr Gover has completed his PhD, the rig is being used for other impact testing at QUT. “While I used it to specifically www.safepad.com.au assess an impact on water-fill road safety barriers, the same sales@safepad.com.au equipment and technology is being used to test the impact on composite building structures but there are plenty of other uses (+61) 8 9474 6886 for it as well,” he said.

EDGES NEW

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BODY PROTECTION

Lightweight boots for first responders

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The Enforcer boot range provides security during volatile situations.

TEEL Blue has created boots designed specifically to meet the requirements of those working in policing, emergency services, correctional services and security. Suitable for first responders the boots are lightweight, tough with high slip resistance, suiting various high risk environments with the ease of walking and running.

With three styles in the Response Range – Leader, Enforcer and Commander – this new boot range is suitable for running, climbing and provide comfort and security during volatile situations.

Features include: • Flexible Agion Anti-microbial lining and stitched with nylon thread

• Non-corrosive lacing • Directly moulded polyurethane midsole • Anti-static Nitrile outsole that is oil and acid resistant and safe on very hot surfaces • Pathogen and water resistant full-grain waxy leather All Steel Blue boots have the patented Trisole Comfort Technology, a full length Poron Innnersole that absorbs more shock, cushions the feet from day-to-day fatigue and protecting against stressrelated injuries to the ankles, knees, hips and spine.

Steel Blue, 08 9209 3322 www.steelblue.com.au

Be extremely careful when working around powerlines BUSINESSES and workers need to be very careful when working with electricity and powerlines after recent analysis from WorkCover showed there had been two electrocutions and 14 electric shocks in a recent 12 month period.

WorkCover NSW General Manager of Work Health and Safety Division John Watson said examples from August 2012 to August 2013 have included electric shocks, through to deaths.

“In one instance a worker was installing air-conditioning at a petrol station when the wiring he was working with was still energised and he received an electric shock. Tragically, he passed away in hospital,” Watson said.

“In another case, a plasterer was installing a ceiling fan when he accidently cut through energised wiring receiving an electric shock which caused him to fall about 2.4 metres off his ladder also causing bruising.”

“Working on or near electrical installations can be dangerous, and that’s why workers and businesses need to take precautions and always use a licensed electrician for all electrical installation work.

“Although all situations are different, what’s important is that there are basic ways to improve electrical safety. It’s so important that workers test before they touch. It sounds simple but it can be overlooked.

“Make sure you de-energise before you start work by identifying and isolating the source of electricity, and locking and tagging the switch,” he said.

“In conditions that involve exposing electrical equipment to moisture, heat, vibration, mechanical damage, corrosive chemicals and dust, ensure that that the electrical equipment is regularly tested and tagged and that the equipment is used

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It is important to de-energise before starting work by identifying and isolating the source of electricity.

in association with an RCD (Residual Current Device/Safety Switch).

Watson said special consideration must also be taken when working near overhead and underground powerlines.

“You don’t need to come in contact with the powerline to result in electric shock or arc flash burns. It is important that workers, equipment, material and plant remain at safe distances from overhead and underground electric lines,” Watson said.

While court action is generally only used in the most significant safety breaches, Watson said WorkCover can and does prosecute businesses that fail to adequately protect their workers.

WorkCover, 13 10 50 www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

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BODY PROTECTION

Control weld fumes and heat FABRICATORS for heavy industries can cost efficiently upgrade workplace environments to maintain employee comfort and safety.

Rather than add insulation air condition systems, a re-engineering of air flow systems can ensure optimum conditions throughout – even if it is a 24-hour operation that includes a lot of welding and hard facing processes.

A well planned new fan driven system regulates air flow within a premises, regardless of whether it operates in one or more sections.

With hot welding activity and plasma cutting being a mainstay of many fabrication businesses, managers are keen to remain ahead of any potential heat-related problems and are turning to solutions provide the best ventilation.

Processes are often heat intensive, yet managers are obligated by various WorkCover Authorities around Australia to provide a comfortable and safe work environment.

Fanquip utilises the power of air movement with a system of strategically located fans, therefore, minimising energy consumption.

Often, a fan system for this type of need is supplied and fitted predominantly onto the roof of premises with associated safety walkways and rails to allow inspection and safe servicing.

In one installation, to control the potential for heat build-up in the manufacturing plant, Fanquip engineers installed three 1200mm-diameter vertical discharge fans to safely expel the non-toxic heat. Not only were these three items fitted at specific positions, they also were supplied with

A re-engineering of air flow systems can ensure optimum conditions through the premises. a corrugated iron integral base to match the client’s existing roof profile.

Apart from corrugated iron, Fanquip’s roof fans have various base profile options: Trimdek, Super Six, Spandek, Double Rim and Span 4, and Longspan. Allocating of specific mounting points on a roof footprint, the internal environment and fan specialist is able to achieve an optimised air flow to create a constant breeze effect in the workplace.

Fanquip, 1300 224 308 www.fanquip.com.au

Safety training is high on the agenda PILZ is a supplier of safe automation and safety services. In addition to its MachineSAFE training course, Pilz now offers the internationally recognised Certified Machinery Safety Expert (CMSE) course.

Introduced to Australia in 2013, the four-day course is a collaboration between Pilz and TÜV NORD and has set new standards for certified training in the field of machinery safety.

50 attendees attended the course in Australia last year with 80 per cent passing the examination and gaining the certification. One of those participants was Ben Johnson, Senior Mechatronics Engineer at Cochlear Australia, who recommends this course to anyone who works with industrial machinery in any capacity.

“I completed the Certified Machine Safety Expert Course (CMSE) in 2013 and found the course to be a comprehensive training suite in all facets of machine safety. It was clear from the outset that all of the trainers had immense experience in the field through the clarity and depth to which they could explain

PILZ now offers the internationally recognised Certified Machinery Safety Expert (CMSE) course.

each of the topics and even quote lines from the standard without any reference!

“One of the best aspects of the training was the many practical examples which were given in addition to the discussions within the group relating the content to

our current work. Unlike many other courses I have completed I am actually using what I have learnt in my day to day work,” said Johnson.

During the course, Pilz trains delegates to the level of qualified machinery safety experts, who will then be in a position to apply their knowledge not just domestically but internationally.

Divided into five modules with lectures, discussions and workshops, the course covers the key fundamentals of this field.

This year, Pilz has updated its MachineSAFE courses and these now include more international content as well as being structured so that the Advanced course now picks up from where Introduction course finishes.

Four new CMSE courses will be held across Australasia in 2014 with the first courses taking place in March in Brisbane and Auckland. Courses in Melbourne and Sydney will follow in May. MachineSAFE Introduction and Advanced courses are held throughout the year.

MachineSAFE, 1300 723 334 www.machinesafe.com.au March 2014 | Safety First |

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DON’T MISS OUT! THE 11TH ANNUAL ENDEAVOURS RECOGNISE THE ESSENTIAL ROLE MANUFACTURING PLAYS IN AUSTRALIA’S ECONOMY AND IS THE ONLY NATIONAL AWARDS PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

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WASTE HANDLING

Pipeline safety a prime focus for challenges of the Australian environment

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S ONE of the most urbanised and coastal-dwelling nations on Earth, Australia is increasingly sensitive to spills of chemicals, waste and other potentially harmful materials accidentally spilled in workplaces.

With around 90 per cent of our population dwelling in urban centres – well ahead of the US, UK and China, for example, and way above the global average of 52 percent – Australia’s cities are particularly prone to the issues created by hazardous and polluting spills entering the environment through drains and watercourses leading to the sea, or seeping into the ground and contaminate the soil or groundwater.

The problem is also a major one also in our rural and outback areas, with industries ranging from agriculture to mining being heavily dependent on often scant and precious supplies of water where harmful spills are also a major source of concern to both State Environmental Protection organisations and to national bodies such as Safe Work Australia.

In response to such problems, Safe Work Australia has introduced a Code of Practice for Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the workplace.

The Code says companies must develop good handling procedures for workplaces to minimise the chance of such spills, and also have a spill management protocol in place to make sure spills are cleaned up.

It stipulates that those conducting businesses or undertakings must manage risks associated with the use, handling, generating or storing of hazardous chemicals in a workplace, including identifying foreseeable hazards and eliminating the risk so far as practicable.

One method of stopping and sealing pipelines that is attracting increasing interest and application in Australasia for maintenance and environmental protection applications involves inflatable pipe stoppers that can be rapidly deployed, easily transported and widely applied in urban, remote, temporary and permanent industrial situations.

“Pipelines are a major component of

The stopper can be remotely inflated to prevent any pollutants flowing directly into the stream.

such a risk management strategy and, while many companies are becoming aware of the issues involved, others have yet to understand them fully,” says James Maslin, National Sales Manager for Air Springs Supply, which distributes a broad range of Pronal inflatable stoppers suitable for all types of pipelines including concrete, cast iron, steel, stainless steel and PVC. “The issues involved in pipeline maintenance and safety are particularly acute during the maintenance season, over Christmas-New Year, when companies may be handling increased quantities and types of hazardous materials associated with cleaning, vehicle maintenance and plant upkeep, for example.”

The common factor with maintenance, testing and emergency situations is that they need stoppers that can be rapidly and securely deployed to provide primary or secondary safety and environmental security as required by both by Safe Work Australia and State Environmental Protection Agencies.

“Sometimes such stoppers are permanently located in pipelines for instant remote inflation with compressed air or other gas where there is a risk of toxic runoff at different stages of production, or where spillages occur,” says Maslin.

“In other instances they are used to

seal off sections of pipe where leaks are occurring, serving the dual role of enabling pressurisation of that section so leaks can be detected, then protecting the men in the pipeline from any product flows while they work to fix the problem.”

One of the early adopters of this technology was Visy Beverage at Smithfield, Sydney, a company committed to strong environmental management which installed a permanent Pronal OFR anti-pollution stopper as a precaution against industrial waste seeping into a stormwater drain passing through its production site.

“What appealed to them was the plug’s their simplicity – they are easy to install and the deflated stopper is designed to allow normal non-polluted effluents or water to pass through the pipe when the stopper is uninflated. It helped too that they were a fraction of the price of the gate valve they we were looking at as an alternative,” said Maslin.

The custom-fabricated plug was especially shaped to provide the security of protection specified by them. With an overall length of 1.64m and an effective sealing length of 1300mm, the plug is positioned within the pipe on a central steel axis located by permanent frame.

Air Springs Supply, 02 9807 4077 www.airsprings.com.au March 2014 | Safety First |

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MATERIALS HANDLING

Contain spills and leaks

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HE Commonwealth replaced the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) in January 2012. At the same time a number of legislative instruments that support the new Act were also introduced including the WHS Regualtions and the WHS Approved Codes of Practice.

The WHS Act and Legislative Instruments have now been harmonised across most Australian states and territories.

These laws and regulations reflect the growing understanding that workplace spills are both an environment protection and a workplace health and safety issue.

Section 357 of the WHS regulations, entitled “Spills and Damage” requires a spill containment system in each part of the workplace where there is a risk of spill or leak.

It goes on to say that, “The person must ensure that the spill containment system does not create a hazard by bringing together different hazardous

chemicals that are not compatible.”

This section on the Regulation also states that, “The person must ensure that the spill containment system provides for the cleanup and disposal of a hazardous chemical that spills or leaks, and any resulting effluent.” A maximum penalty of $30,000 applies to a breach of this section.

Spill containment pallets from Spill Station are a cost effective and flexible method of ensuring that spills and leaks are contained. The modular design of these units ensures that spill catchment areas are segregated to prevent incompatible chemical from coming into contact. They are suitable for containers of up to 1000 litres.

Spill Station spill kits enable the clean up of spills that occur. A variety of models are available to address a spills of any

The modular design ensures that spill catchment areas are segregated.

type or size. A complete spill kit training package is available at no additional cost when purchasing a Spill Station spill kit.

Spill Station Australia 1300 66 42 66 www.spillstation.com.au

Reverse alert collision avoidance system said to be a world first REVERSE Alert claims to be the that is fitted on the brake pedal. world’s first aftermarket automatic Subsequently, when the solenoid braking system that can be applied is activated, this “pulls” the to any vehicle and which does brake pedal – stopping the vehicle not conflict with Australian automatically.

Design Rules.

To allow the driver to park the The Reverse Alert collision vehicle or engage in tight reversing avoidance system has been in manoeuvres, the system also has development for more than 2.5 a park mode. In this mode, the years, trialled on more than 60 sensor range is reduced to 40cm. In vehicles across Australia and has addition, the system has a button recently been trialled in the civil that overrides the braking system construction/mining industry.

When the solenoid is activated it pulls the brake pedal. when held.

The system begins with ultrasonic When the override button is sensors that are fitted to the rear of the vehicle. When released, the automatic braking system is again engaged. This reversing, if these sensors detect an object a signal is sent to a mode is activated when the driver needs to reverse closer solenoid located at the front of the vehicle. than 40cm.

When reversing, if these sensors detect an object a signal Reverse Alert can be retro-fitted to anything with a brake is sent to a solenoid located at the front of the vehicle. The pedal, thus reducing the risks associated with reversing vehicles.

Reverse Alert Australia solenoid is attached to a flexible cable that runs through the www.reversealertaustralia.com.au firewall and is attached to a universal brake pedal clamp

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SF0314_013.pdf

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MATERIALS HANDLING

Water wall fights fires FIRE can be terrifying in its speed and ferocity. Aussie Pumps’ Water Wall adds a new dimension to fire fighting and personal protection.

The Water Wall creates a 300m2, 12–15m high wall of water jets from one hose. The effect of such a concentrated impact can be used to stop fire spreading or isolate a dangerous situation.

“The applications for this new technology are endless,” said Aussie Product Manager, Brad Farrugia, “We’ve seen it used in applications from creating firebreaks to chemical control.”

The Aussie Smart Hose is designed to be used in containment situations. It can prevent fires spreading by creating a firebreak, and can protect adjacent, sensitive, environments from heat damage.

It can also be used in an isolating capacity in applications like fuel and hazmat refilling work or decontamination. The necessity of keeping personnel out of harm’s way in these situations is critical.

“One Water Wall can deliver a water safety barrier into a high risk situation,” explained Farrugia. “This protects operators and allows human resources to be deployed more efficiently,” he claimed.

Water Wall can also be used to deliver extinguishing and wetting agents, disinfectant and other chemicals. Jetting vapours and liquids can help absorb hazardous heavy gases. Chemicals can be introduced to the watermist to

The Water Wall can prevent fires spreading by creating a firebreak.

neutralise a dangerous environment.

The Water Wall consists of 20m of 75mm Duraflex hose with 25 high-grade steel, interchangeable, nozzles. Weight is 16kg and it is flexible enough for rough terrain, including steps and rugged bushland. Sections can be locked together for extended coverage.

Counter pressure generated by the nozzles prevents twisting so the hose is self-stabilizing. The water can be jetted horizontally or vertically and jets can be sealed off using dummy plugs. The water capacity is up to 1550 lpm depending on the pressure available and the nozzles

used. Storz couplings are optional.

“Water Wall has had a lot of attention from fire fighters already,” said Farrugia, “and we expect the mining and oil and gas sector, chemical and other industries to be interested,” he said.

Water Wall is suited for use with high pressure/high flow pumps such as Aussie Fire Chief or Mr T fire fighters. The Fire Chief has a maximum flow of 450 lpm and head of up to 75m (107psi). Aussie Mr T has maximum flow of 450 lpm and max head of 90m (128psi).

Australian Pump Industries, 02 8865 3500 www.aussiepumps.com.au

Heavy duty stainless steel scissor lift with safety rail ACTISAFE is offering a stainless steel ergonomic goods lift with safety rails which can be used in the primary foods sector as well as in more industrial environments.

This unit is constructed of food grade stainless steel and provides ergonomic lifting solutions across many industry sectors including meat and meat processing, poultry, pork industry, and other areas where carcasses and other heavy masses need to be moved.

It is food grade stainless steel and is a goods lift only and not a people lift.

It is also suitable for general use in warehouses, industrial premises, third party logistics operations and general retail.

This table can be used either indoors or

The Actisafe scissor lift provides ergonomic lifting solutions across many industry sectors. outdoors and can either be installed in a pit or operated on the factory floor.

Models range in terms of stroke (0.8m to 1.8m) and platform length (950mm to 3000mm).

This means it can perform most lifting duties.

The product can also be customised to suit a user’s requirements. The stainless steel goods lift table is suitable when seeking to maintain the load at an optimum working height as well as lifting heavy material to a required level.

This table can also be used as a work bench for primary foods, to handle fragile goods, for unpacking and unpacking of goods and to stack pallets automatically or manually.

Actisafe, 1300 852 397 www.actisafe.com.au March 2014 | Safety First |

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SF0314_014.pdf

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PRODUCTION LINE

Tool storage in a small space

A

UTOMOTIVE establishments, service technicians and manufacturing companies can make use of a small area to position and store their tools and components.

Actistor Rolling Panels effectively provide more surface storage area which the walls of premises alone could not provide. Made in Australia by Actisafe, the system effectively gives the user a system of storage faces which sit parallel to one another and slide in and out as required.

These can have single face or double face configuration.

Tools which have until now been mounted to available walls of a workshop or trade depot can be contained within Actistor Rolling Panels occupying an amount of space equal to that taken up by an average industrial cabinet.

It offers the user the ability to arrange equipment in any manner seen fit and the open configuration provides tool location and availability. The product is sized according to the user’s requirement and is provided in any colour or configuration.

Made from steel, Actistor Rolling panels are bump resistant and powder coated at Actisafe’s coating plant to withstand the elements and prevent rust incursion. Its castor rollers are industrial strength with long life bearings to ensure long, continuous operation, even on a 24/7 duty cycle. More than 100 different hooks, tools and brackets are available as part of the package to ensure every type of tool can be mounted on the face panels.

A system of storage faces sit parallel to one another and slide in and out as required.

Actisafe, 1300 852 397 www.actisafe.com.au

Protective cover for exposed power plug pins PLUG Mate is an inexpensive, plastic protective cover designed to plug into the end of power lead plugs. Protecting vulnerable and exposed power plug pins, Plug Mate has the potential to save on electrical repair costs and down time lost from broken power lead pins.

Priced at $2.80 RRP each and also available in bulk, this product is the first of its kind on the Australian market.

Broken power lead pins are extremely common today as rather than being made from solid brass as they were in the 1980s, they are now made from cheaper, but significantly weaker, folded brass.

Broken power lead pins means the equipment itself can’t be used for a period of time, incurring electrician costs to repair; lost wages and sometimes worker down time. Plug Mate, which is made from modified recyclable UV stabilised polypropylene, is durable, can be run over by a heavy vehicle, is water resistant, and guaranteed to last for at least 800 usages (on average, three years of pulling on and off).

Plug Mate has application in numerous industries – basically any workplace that uses power tools or powered equipment.

Plug Mate can be used by builders, landscapers, electricians, test and tag companies, insurance company suppliers, removalists,

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Plug Mate is the first of its kind on the Australian market. hospitals, IT departments, and at events such as trade shows organisers and festivals.

Plug Mate, 1300 11 44 27 www.plugmate.com.au

PACE_AWARDS_FP_210x.pdf

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Nominations close 11 April 2014 Celebrating its 11th year, the 2014 PACE Zenith Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 12th June in Melbourne and will bring together some of the biggest names in the industry to celebrate, recognise and award companies and professionals within the Process and Control Engineering industry.

Categories • Manufacturing • Food & Beverage • Machine Builder • Mining & Minerals Processing • Oil & Gas • Power & Energy Management • Lifetime Achievement Award • Transport, Power & Infrastructure • Water & Wastewater • Young Achiever • Best Fieldbus Implementation • Project of the Year All finalists will be profiled in PACE Magazine and on the website. They will also be given two free tickets to the gala dinner where the winners will be announced.

For more information visit www.pacetoday.com.au/awards Proudly sponsored by

SF0314_000_SPI

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