STW OCT 2018

THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY

ISSUE 1 - OCT/DEC 2018

People protection Blackwoods outlines the importance of a head-to-toe source for safety

Respiratory protection

Workforce management

Refuge chambers

Tyre management

SYSTEM INTELLIGENCE MineARC Systems are committed to building the safe mines of the future. Discover how you can create a smarter and safer mine site. Embracing innovation, MineARC are investing in the development of enhanced technology to provide integrated safety solutions, collectively known as MineARC’s System Intelligence. The comprehensive suite of products will provide the ultimate protection through any emergency.

Enhanced productivity and ease-of-use

Improved safety and emergency response procedures

Increased cost savings through reactive technology and data transfer

Integration with MineARC products and other networks on site

Smarter technology for safer, more productive sites

Comment A guiding voice for mining’s top priority AUSTRALIA HAS A NEW SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR EVERYTHING SAFETY IN THE MINING INDUSTRY.

BEN CREAGH

W

elcome to the first edition of Safe To Work, a publication launched to complement the historic Australian Mining platform.

Safety is the one constant in mining that remains paramount throughout the cyclic nature of the industry.

Safe To Work, a quarterly print publication accompanied by a digital presence, will lead and inform the Australian mining industry of the most important safety developments and innovations.

Our team is committed to providing the industry with the latest news and features about the achievements, equipment, technologies and products that have impacted the safety pursuits of mining and METS (mining equipment, technology and services) companies.

As the industry evolves, so do safety initiatives and processes. Mining and METS companies take a relentless approach to stay in line with these changes.

It is their responsibility to

VANESSA ZHOU Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: vanessa.zhou@primecreative.com.au PUBLISHER CHRISTINE CLANCY EDITOR BEN CREAGH Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: ben.creagh@primecreative.com.au JOURNALISTS EWEN HOSIE Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: ewen.hosie@primecreative.com.au

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER NATASHA SHEKAR Tel: (02) 9439 7227 Email: natasha.shekar@primecreative.com.au SALES MANAGER JONATHAN DUCKETT Tel: (02) 9439 7227 Mob: 0498 091 027 Email: jonathan.duckett@primecreative.com.au

improve safety performance to look after their workforce, key stakeholders and the communities in which they operate.

The approach to safety has become increasingly innovative in recent years.

It is also a collaborative effort for all involved in the industry, from the executives in the office to the workers in the pits.

Technology is influencing mining more than it ever has before, and safety is an important focus area of this revolution.

The first edition of Safe To Work reflects what safety now means to the mining industry.

It looks at the advances in personal protection equipment (PPE) and what is being developed by manufacturers in this area for mine workers.

We explore the benefits of a joint approach to safety between a mine operator and its mining services partner, including how they have introduced new innovations to maintain a high level of safety performance.

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS James Finlay, Blake Storey SUBSCRIPTION RATES Australia (surface mail) $140.00 (incl GST) New Zealand A$148.00 Overseas A$156.00 For subscriptions enquiries please call GORDON WATSON 03 9690 8766

ART DIRECTOR Michelle Weston

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 3 OCT-DEC 2018

The issue also reviews the potential to improve safety through concepts like automation, the Internet of Things and sensors.

Ben Creagh Editor

FRONT COVER Blackwoods is a leading manufacturer and supplier of personal protection equipment (PPE) in the mining industry.

COVER IMAGE: PPE in mining.

PRIME CREATIVE MEDIA 11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne, VIC 3205 Australia www.primecreative.com.au © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2016 All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the ­publisher.

In this issue Features 14

Keeping Roy Hill safe

34 On guard with ESS

58 Eyewear impact protection

The conveyor specialist tweaks one its key safety devices

Helping mine workers understand the levels

36 Saving lives with masks

Kal Tire tyre management collaboration protects Roy Hill

Chances of survival greatly increase with proper protection

18 Lower LTIs and fatalities

Dropsafe prevents incidents in the workplace

38 Komatsu instils a safety culture

20 Respiratory help

3M identifies the right respiratory equipment to wear

22 Blackwoods safety offer fits like a glove

Capabilities flow from putting a person’s safety at centre stage

Repair facility employees are awarded for creating workplace efficiencies

41 Human capital trends

The latest trends reveal higher investment on people

44 Upgraded simulator range for training

Simulator upskills employees’ capabilities at lower cost

46 FIFO workers stay healthy

It doesn’t need to be a choice between being FIFO and being fit

23 23 TED reduces the risks

47 Educating mine workers on skin cancer

Making sure workers return home safe each night

26 Emergency shower removes impurities

Skin Patrol protects workers against the sun

28 Taking PLCs from fail-safe to

The miner details the productivity and safety benefits

I fm safety manager talks through the latest programmable logic controller

30 A method for improving drilling safety

Boart Longyear demonstrates how its database system works

32 Modernising refuge chambers

MineARC stretches the capacity of the IoT in its refuge chambers

A system that ensures compliance to procedures

62 The perception of mining

Support for Australia’s mining industry is at higher levels

64 Pump safety standards

The new rules reduce carelessness and negligence

66 Pilbara businesses benefit

The partnership designed to engage local businesses

67 Safety and functionality

A shared passion in safety delivers productivity gains

Chief UAV pilot demonstrates the use of drones across WA sites

49 Rio Tinto’s AutoHaul

60 Mastermyne and safety

48 Alcoa leads with drones

The journey of Enware’s tank shower/ eyewash station development

mine safe

60

51 Tech enhances conveyor auditing processes

An assessment of conveyor systems in real time

68 68 Sandvik promises safety

The upgrades of Sandvik’s new LH517 loader include comfort

52 Hear the warnings

69 Technology for underground

Improving safety through warning system technology

Caterpillar and Newmont develop automation capabilities

56 Five steps to improve safety and profits

Schneider Electric combines safety and profitability

REGULARS

6 NEWS

10 PRODUCTS

SAFETOWORK 4 OCT-DEC 2018

70 EVENTS

News WA gold mine workers safe after fire A fire took place at Doray Minerals’ Deflector gold-copper mine around 50km south of Yalgoo in Western Australia in August. The fire started from a remotely controlled loader underground.

The company reported that all workers were safe and uninjured.

At the time of the incident, 11 underground workers went to their closest emergency refuge chamber in line with the company’s standard safety procedure. They were later escorted out of the mine by the site’s emergency response team.

During the company’s investigation into the extent of the fire, Doray halted all underground operations at the mine.

Doray Minerals managing director Leigh Junk said, “As unwelcome as (the) incident was, the safe and orderly resolution demonstrates the high quality of Deflector’s emergency response capabilities and Doray’s entrenched safety culture.”

After a safety inspection had been thoroughly conducted to confirm that a re-entry was safe, the mine resumed operations two days after

the incident.

Junk said, “Our first priority will always be the safety of our people.

The decision to resume mining was only taken because the workplace has been confirmed safe.”

He said the two-day interruption to underground mining would not affect Deflector’s production guidance.

This is because the mine continued to process stockpiled ore during the period.

“This is a very pleasing recovery following Wednesday’s fire incident,” Junk said.

Aboriginal Health Council commits funds to mental health training The Australian Aboriginal national flag.

Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) has allocated $1 million of funding to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal communities.

Communities that are set to receive mental health training by the end of 2019 include the mining regions of the Pilbara, Kalgoorlie and Kimberley.

In 2016, the death by suicide rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians was more than three-and-

a-half times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians.

It is a major cause of early death among Aboriginal people.

At Rio Tinto, more than 12 per cent of its workforce in the Pilbara are Indigenous.

BHP also employs 654 Aboriginal and Torres Islanders in the Pilbara, which represents 72 per cent of its 907 national Indigenous workforce.

Mental Health Minister Roger Cook said, “As the first program of its kind in

SAFETOWORK 6 OCT-DEC 2018

Western Australia, I am proud to be part of a state government that supports initiatives to help Aboriginal individuals, families and community organisations improve their health and wellbeing.

“I look forward to seeing this program continue to progress as we work toward increasing the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people across Western Australia.”

Education will be brought by Aboriginal Medical Services, Aboriginal workers and community members in the Central Desert region. They are currently being trained by the AHCWA. The training helps to identify contributing factors that impact on family wellbeing and strategies to overcome social and emotional challenges.

Cook said, “Delivering programs like this locally is important because it is those who are on the ground that understand the issues facing their communities best, and can provide input into how to best address those particular issues.”

Pilbara Minerals receives loan for safer trucking Pilbara Minerals has received a $19.5 million loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) to upgrade the 70km Pippingarra Road that stretches from its Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project in Western Australia.

NAIF chief executive Laurie Walker pointed out the safety benefits delivered by the road upgrade, saying, “The project avoids traversing three significant railway crossings and provides a safer alternative to the current trucking by keeping heavy vehicles off a large part of the Great Northern Highway.

“It also increases haulage payloads allowing larger road train configurations to be used, and will mitigate extreme weather risks by providing an alternative route north to Port Hedland.”

The road will not only increase Pilbara Minerals’ productivity and efficiency, but will also be available to all users. The public benefit is calculated at nearly $27 million over 17 years of the Pilgangoora mine life.

Walker said, “Public benefit is a mandatory criterion for all NAIF-funded projects. Many private individuals and businesses, including pastoral stations, indigenous communities, quarries, local residents, tourists and other mining companies will enjoy the benefits of improved access to remote locations in this part of the Pilbara region.”

NPJV, an Indigenous joint venture, was sub-contracted to do preliminary roadworks. Other construction and ongoing maintenance works will also be offered to local indigenous people and businesses.

“Pilbara Minerals has forged strong working relationships with the traditional owners of the region,” said Walker. “This is vital as all projects that receive NAIF funding must have a strong indigenous engagement strategy.”

EZI-ON, EZI-OFF EZI-GUARD Moving parts and pinch points pose a serious danger to people who work around machinery. While most machinery guards eliminate incidents around moving parts, it is often heavy and cumbersome enough to become a manual handling hazard.

The patented ESS EZI-GUARD system comprises of a range of versatile, easy to install brackets, lightweight panels and standard structural tubing which forms an ‘off the shelf’ system that can be adapted to almost any application.

The EZI-GUARD System has been developed to exceed the guard design requirements of AS4024.3610:2015.

The patented ESS EZI-GUARD is; - Quick and easy to retrofit - Easy to remove for maintenance - Modular ‘off the shelf’ design - Corrosion Resistant - Strong but lightweight panels - Easily handled - Available in a variety of materials - Available in barricade form - Colored Safety Yellow or black as standard

The Pilgangoora site.

Proudly Manufactured in Australia

News Yancoal mine suspension lifted by NSW regulator Yancoal has received regulatory approval to restart production at the Austar mine in New South Wales after it was suspended from conducting all longwall activities during July.

Employees that were previously reassigned to Yancoal’s other underground operations have returned to Austar.

The Chinese-backed company received two prohibition notices from the NSW Resources Regulator this year following a series of coal burst incidents in February, March and May.

In February, 50t of coal exploded from a longwall, leading to the hand injury and hospital treatment of one mine worker.

No mine workers were injured in the other incidents, despite a 60t material explosion from a longwall face in May. The NSW Resources Regulator urged the company to undertake a detailed geotechnical assessment until the regulator was assured mine workers were protected from further incidents.

Until then, the regulator would suspend all longwall activities at Austar.

In July, Yancoal submitted an appeal

for an external merits review to resume its Austar operation to the Industrial Relations Commission.

Yancoal Australia chief executive Reinhold Schmidt said at the time, “Until all legal avenues have been exhausted and we can re-enter the mine to move the longwall, we are unable to continue proposed longwall activity.”

In 2017, Yancoal produced 2Mt of coal at the Austar mine, including 1.9Mt of saleable output. The Austar mine is wholly owned by Yancoal and employs 205 people.

The Austar mine has been declared safe for work to resume.

Workplace injury to reduce with advancing automation Robots and automation will make work safer and reduce workplace injury in Australia over the next 20 years, a joint study by Safe Work Australia and CSIRO’s data innovation group Data61 has revealed.

Physical workplace injury is predicted to fall by 11 per cent by 2030, as robotics such as artificial intelligence (AI) and drones replace dull, dirty and dangerous tasks.

Research analyst at Data61 and coauthor of the report Joanna Horton explained that along with the advance

of digital technologies, the Australian workplace has also undergone significant structural and demographic changes, including a significant shift towards contract, temporary and freelance work in the general employment field.

This will pose new challenges in managing risks and supporting sick or injured workers, as fewer workers are covered by workers’ compensation.

If these workers are not covered by the appropriate insurance, long-term implications on Australia’s public

SAFETOWORK 8 OCT-DEC 2018

health and social security systems may be expected.

However, the extent of its impact is yet to be monitored in light of the recent increase in permanent mining roles observed by the job portal SEEK. Other major trends that are triggered by new technologies and ways of working include rising screen time, sedentary behaviour and chronic illness, and rising workplace stress and mental health issues due to new and intensifying uses of digital technologies in the workplace.

Hexagon Mining acquires Guardvant to boost fatigue solutions Hexagon Mining has acquired Guardvant, an Arizona-based safety technology provider for the mining industry.

With offices in Perth and Queensland, Hexagon equips more than 30,000 mining vehicles worldwide with its collision avoidance system.

It is integrated with Hexagon’s solution for fleet management, personal protection, vehicle intervention and fatigue monitoring and tracking radar.

Guardvant, meanwhile, equips almost 5000 mining vehicles and monitors more than 20 million road hours to date.

It provides mining vehicles with a range of safety technology such as

.

OpGuard, which features an infrared camera that continuously monitors the operator for eyelid closure, facial and head movements and other unsafe behaviour such as cell phone use.

According to Hexagon’s Mining division president Josh Weiss, demand for safety solutions is growing faster than any other area of mining technology.

Guardvant’s advanced expertise in detecting operator fatigue and distraction responds to that demand and helps solidify Hexagon’s leading role in mine safety solutions.

“Guardvant is a recognised force in fatigue monitoring technology and was the first to market as an original

equipment manufacturing (OEM) independent in that field,” Weiss said.

“The acquisition solidifies Hexagon’s position as the leader in mine safety and enhances our integrated life-ofmine portfolio.”

Hexagon has around 18,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of around €3.5 billion ($5.5 billion).

Guardvant chief executive Sergio Blacutt said, “Hexagon shares our commitment to safety and is in the unique position of delivering lifeof-mine solutions across a broad technology portfolio.

“We are looking forward to being part of a team that is changing the game for the mining industry.”

Send them home safely at shift’s end

Safe • All-Terrain • Remote Controlled • Hydraulic • Efficient SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 9 OCT-DEC 2018

Safety gear MAXISAFE EXTRA HIGH IMPACT FACE SHIELD Face shields must be compliant with AS and NZS 1337 safety standards. This faceshield and brow guard from MaxiSafe is designed to prevent damage from high impacts, fluid splashes, dust and other particles.

It features ratchet-adjustable headgear, a replaceable polycarbonate visor and chin guard, and quick-locking clips for easy removal and replacement of visors. maxisafe.com.au

AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS 4WD FIRST AID KIT Part of a series of first aid kits offered by the Australian Red Cross, the Australian Red Cross 4WD First Aid Kit includes supplies to treat sprains, heavy bleeding and even snake bites.

It is an excellent option for inclusion in light off-road vehicles.

It is compact and includes fold-out compartments for easy organisation.

Included are antiseptic solutions, Rapaid spray, Burnaid gel, sodium chloride, several varieties of bandages, tapes and dressings, eye pads, gauze, scissors, forceps, disposable gloves, tissues, pins, a foil blanket, sterile wound dressings, a notebook and pen, an ice pack, and a bag for amputated parts. redcross.org.au

BLUNDSTONE 980 MINING BOOTS Designed in collaboration with underground miners, the Blundstone 980 is an award-winning waterproof mining boot designed for both comfort and safety.

The boots offer abrasions resistance, high tear strength, and full metatarsal protection via the moulded XRD guard. Added comfort is also provided by a polyurethane midsole and rubber outsole designed for increased slip resistance.

They can be quickly put on and removed using a boa lacing system that makes the boots easily adjustable for a personalised fit.

The boots are heat resistant up to 300 Celsius, penetration resistant (nonmetallic) and electric shock resistant. Certifications include AS/NZS 2210.3.2009 Classification 1-ID 2815 and ASTM F2413-11. blundstone.com.au

SAFETOWORK 10 OCT-DEC 2018

ANSELL HYFLEX 11-931 WORK GLOVES Designed for applications with lighter exposure to oil, the HyFlex 11-931 is cut resistant, oil repellent and lightweight.

The Ansell HyFlex 11-931 is as good a fit for machining as it is for the hand. The finger and palm regions feature Ripel oil-repelling coating and a cut-resistant liner ensuring hands retain good grip while remaining protected. Fortix technology reinforces the area between the thumb and forefinger, providing up to 12 times the durability of rival gloves in this area. hyflex.com.au

3M DBI-SALA FLEXIGUARD SKY ANCHOR SYSTEM FlexiGuard Sky Anchor from 3M provides a secure point of anchorage for workers in high locations. The ANSI- and OSHA-compliant Sky Anchor system stands at 7.1m from base to tip, is made of lightweight aluminium and uses a sturdy base.

It provides 360 degree mobility from the anchor point and is easy to set up and secure. In combination with related products such as the Delta vest-style harness, Hook2Hook coil tether and Ultra-Lok self-retracting lifeline, the Sky Anchor system guarantees support and safety from high falls (such as working on top of a mining haul truck for example).

3M.com

BRAKESAFE HANDBRAKE FAILSAFE SYSTEM LSM Technologies has added a variety of safety technologies to its portfolio with the recent acquisition of UK-based Vision Techniques.

Among these is its Brakesafe an automatic anti-rollaway failsafe system that can monitor system air pressure, doors, seats, vehicle ignition and other factors to prevent rollaways. The system can automatically apply the handbrake if the driver forgets while exiting a vehicle, whether the ignition is on or off.

It also works with telematics systems — data can be gathered then exported for analysis and reporting. brake-safe.com

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 11 OCT-DEC 2018

Safety gear TECPRO H1 SWING DUST SUPPRESSION SYSTEM Tecpro Australia’s H1 Swing misting system is a dust and odour suppression system that can be scaled up or down to suit various conditions.

Originally designed to wet haul roads, the H1 Swing produces a high concentration of 10 micron mist droplets which attract and abate breathable dust particles, which also makes it suitable for odour control.

Offering complete turnkey systems, the H1 Swing atomising head can be made out of a number of components including fixed location pumps, mobile pumps on trailers, sensor and monitors.

Manufactured in Italy by emission control experts EMiControls, the Swing spray head moves from side to side enabling it to cover up to 500 square metres in still conditions. It boasts AISI304 stainless steel construction and an IP55 rating to ensure it meets the rugged requirements of Australian mine sites. tecpro.com.au

ENERPAC CORDLESS PUMP AND SYNC GRIP PULLER COMBO Enerpac’s pump-and-puller combination is designed for speedy removal of bearings, bushings, gears, sleeves, wheels, fly-wheels, sprockets and other shaft-mounted items. The highly portable combination incorporates new Enerpac SG hydraulic pullers in capacities up to 45t; it is actuated by go-anywhere XC cordless pumps that offer the performance capabilities of an electric or pneumatic powered pump with the convenient portability of a hand pump. The new Sync Grip Pullers also feature synchronised movement of their locking jaws for simultaneous engagement and optimised safety, enabling one person to do the job of two people. It promotes operator safety by removing trip hazards associated with traditional powered pumps. enerpac.com

SCHNEIDER TELEMECANIQUE CONTACTLESS SAFETY SENSOR The XCSR contactless RFiD safety sensor is programmed with a high-level of coding, making it easier to protect employees in dangerous industrial areas. It is certified with a Cat4/PLe - SIL3 rating, which is the highest rated safety level that effectively seals off dangerous areas in a work zone. The contactless safety sensor also uses a ready-to-use transponder and reader that are factory-paired and sold together with a unique, high-level coding, where, once in place, its functionality can’t be altered. The sensor allows different mounting configurations, and comes with different connection types - standalone, series and single - to fit any type of industrial environment. schneider-electric.com.au

SAFETOWORK 12 OCT-DEC 2018

ERGODYNE ARSENAL 6810 WINTER CAP Ergodyne is noted for its safety-focused work gear with a focus on providing protection, improving prevention and working towards zero injuries.

Among products such as kneepads, safety gloves, kneeling pads, back supports and much more, the company has released a series of safety- and comfort-focused winter caps to help ensure comfort for site workers in colder conditions.

Made from a full polyester knit, the cap can easily be stretched over hard hats. Pictured is the half-face style, but Ergodyne’s caps are also available in a full-face, balaclava-style variant as well. ergodyne.com

DRÄGER ALCOTEST 5820 An easy-to-use device for carrying out alcohol breath tests, the Dräger Alcotest 5820 can be used for both active tests utilising a mouthpiece, and passive tests which measure ambient air in the atmosphere.

Using an electrochemical sensor designed by Dräger, the Alcotest 5820 can carry out tests quickly, providing reliable analysis in temperatures from -5 Celsius to 50 Celsius. Measurement uses a single button and a backlit display is provided to guide users through the test. Results are indicated by an LED light and audio signal.

Used mouthpieces can be swapped out easily and hygienically using a ‘slide’n’click’ system. draeger.com

WEIR SYNERTREX Synertrex is a cutting edge IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) platform from Weir Minerals that harnesses the latest digital technology to transform productivity, foresee risk and enhance performance.

Utilising cloud computing, it involves placing smart sensors on an array of Weir Minerals’ products which gather critical operating data for advanced analysis. The data is transformed into powerful insights which are relayed to the customer through a digital interface. It can identify problems before they occur, reducing downtime, and optimise equipment performance across an entire circuit. www.synertrex.weir

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 13 OCT-DEC 2018

Tyre management

Keeping Roy Hill safe with effective tyre management SAFE TO WORK EXPLAINS HOW KAL TIRE HAS HELPED CREATE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR TYRE MAINTENANCE AT THE ROY HILL IRON ORE OPERATION IN THE PILBARA. BEN CREAGH WRITES.

T

yre maintenance facilities are considered one of the most high-risk areas for safety incidences at mine sites.

Working with tyres is potentially dangerous because of their large size and mass, the magnitude of air or gas pressures, and presence of combustible materials, according to the Western Australian mines department.

The uncontrolled release of

air from tyres has been known to have devastating consequences at operations when a failure happens.

Roy Hill and Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group have collaborated to reduce this risk at the Pilbara iron ore operation.

The operator-contractor tyre maintenance relationship at Roy Hill originally started with Klinge & Co (before it was acquired by Kal Tire in 2016) on a consulting basis in 2012.

Klinge was awarded the tyre

management contract at Roy Hill in 2014, more than a year before the first shipment of iron ore from the operation at the end of 2015.

In the four years since, Klinge, and now Kal Tire, has worked closely with Roy Hill to drive safety and operational improvement, while also introducing new innovations to the site.

Kal Tire’s focus on safety at Roy Hill was rewarded this year when the team won the company’s coveted Tom

A Kal Tire worker inspects a truck tyre.

SAFETOWORK 14 OCT-DEC 2018

A Hitachi EH5000AC-3 truck in the Kal Tire bay at Roy Hill during assembly.

Foord Award for Safety Excellence, competing against its operations across five continents.

The Tom Foord award, which honours Kal Tire’s founder, recognises safety performance, team development, training, the implementation of unique safety elements, helping to create profitability, innovation and tyre performance.

Roy Hill manager, mobile maintenance, Brenden Pool, praises the safety performance of the Kal Tire team, which has not recorded a lost time injury (LTI) at the site in the past three years.

“Many tyre fitters have come unstuck in that role – they do some of the most high-risk work at mine sites,” Pool tells Safe To Work. “For a decentsized workforce, which works remotely a lot around the site, Kal Tire has procedures for everything to prevent an incident.”

So how has Kal Tire contributed to the safe working environment at the massive 55 million tonne a year operation?

Klinge’s early involvement at Roy Hill, a greenfields operation, provided an opportunity to offer crucial safetyfocused recommendations during development of the tyre maintenance facility.

Kal Tire general manager – western region, Miles Rigney, says having design input during the project phase is important.

Rigney recalls applying the hierarchy of controls – elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering administration, and personal protection equipment (PPE) – to the design to ensure long-term safety at the facility.

“The risk at a remote tyre facility like this is having a catastrophic tyre failure causing harm to people,” Rigney says.

“Although this is unlikely to occur, but regardless would have high or devastating consequences, we applied the hierarchy of controls to mitigate that risk.”

As the hierarchy of controls suggest, the tyre management team set out to eliminate the potential for

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 15 OCT-DEC 2018

Fast Facts Roy Hill, at 55 million tonnes a year, is the largest single iron ore mine in Australia. It is an integrated mining, rail and port operation in Western Australia’s iron ore-rich Pilbara region.

A Perth-based headquarters and remote operations centre provides end-to-end services for Roy Hill.

The first ore shipment was exported from the operation in December 2015. Roy Hill has since shipped its product to key markets in Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan.

Roy Hill is owned by Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting. Gina Rinehart serves as chairman of Roy Hill.

In July, Roy Hill introduced a scheme that will see some of the profits of Hancock Prospecting shared with employees.

The benefit initiative, conceived by Gina Rinehart several years ago, will reward the hard work, dedication and commitment of employees to make the operation safe, productive and profitable.

Tyre management

Kal Tire’s Gravity Assist System innovation.

causing harm to people with the design. Removing people from critical areas formed the basis of this strategy, Rigney explains.

“While it is not possible to eliminate changing tyres completely, something we have to do is mitigate the risk,” Rigney says. “In a restricted, closed area we do that by having strategies around remote inflation and deflation stations which keep our people outside of the line of fire.”

The tyre facility has, therefore, been developed a significant distance from areas with a high density of people, reducing the risk of causing harm to workers at least 100m away.

Rigney says being out of range of people is a key driver behind the decision to segregate tyre maintenance facilities at mining operations.

“When opportunities arise for greenfields mining operations and

planning can be considered, giving a large area to plan tyre work facilities is something that is certainly worthwhile,” Rigney says.

The large area for the facility also allows Roy Hill to segregate high-risk

tyre maintenance activities, including traffic management.

Roy Hill’s traffic management design sees light vehicle traffic separated from heavy vehicles such as the Cat and Hitachi haul trucks used at the mine.

Pool says the traffic management layout is a design suggested by the tyre management team that won over Roy Hill’s maintenance team during development.

“The design of the traffic management system was reviewed on a number of occasions by Klinge.

They had a lot of input into the way it is segregated into heavy vehicle and light vehicle areas,” Pool says.

“The light vehicle maintenance is done on one side and the heavy vehicles on the other; unless the gates are down you can’t get into the heavy vehicle side.”

In addition to helping Roy Hill develop a secure workshop, Kal Tire has taken the opportunity to add new initiatives through innovation, showing this endeavour goes hand-in-hand with improving safety.

Kal Tire recently introduced its Gravity Assist System, which acts like a mechanical arm to hold and swivel

Roy Hill is the single largest iron ore mine in Australia.

SAFETOWORK 16 OCT-DEC 2018

“For a decent-sized workforce, which works remotely a lot around the site, Kal Tire has procedures for everything to prevent an incident.”

Brenden Pool Roy Hill Manager, Mobile Maintenance

the 36kg torque gun like a weightless extension of the technician’s body, removing the need to fasten almost 70 lug nuts holding the enormous piece of equipment.

“Our team has done a lot of work around writing the safety instructions and training instructions for the Gravity Assist tool and we share that back with

our innovation team,” Rigney says. Kal Tire develops innovations like the Gravity Assist System at its innovation centre in Canada.

Rigney views Kal Tire’s safety performance at Roy Hill as an example of why operator-contractor collaboration is important for the mining industry.

Pool, also appreciative of the

collaborative relationship, believes it is important to give contractors like Kal Tire the opportunity offer innovative ideas that might improve safety and operational performance. He says Kal Tire has consistently delivered in this regard.

“The more open we make the relationship the more ideas we will get to make the environment safer,” Pool says.

“We do this with a lot of our suppliers; we are happy to partner with them and invest in ideas.”

Pool says Roy Hill is proud of Kal Tire for winning the Tom Foord safety award, especially considering the global opposition it has been up against to receive the honour.

“We’d like to think Roy Hill had a bit to do with setting them up to succeed, but the lion share goes to those guys,” he concludes.

Working at heights

LTI and fatalities can be prevented at mine sites DROPSAFE GLOBAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER GARETH WARNE TELLS SAFE TO WORK THAT A DROPPED OBJECT DOESN’T HAVE TO CAUSE A DENT TO REPUTATION, ASSETS OR INDIVIDUALS.

Dropsafe net encloses the fixture being secured.

D

ropsafe global business development manager Gareth Warne is someone who is aware of the threats that come from above.

“When you walk outside and look around there’s a huge risk of a dropped object – wherever you go,” Warne tells Safe To Work.

Dropped objects are one of the three main types of struck-by fatalities in the workplace, including at mining operations.

In Western Australia, the largest mining region in Australia, 28 per cent of

fatalities accounted for between 2009 and 2014 were due to workers being struck by objects, according to the Department of Mines and Petroleum.

Dropped objects are also ranked the third most common cause of human fatalities, after moving vehicles and fall accidents, as reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The objects might be loose items dropped by employees who are working at height, or over-stacked and improperly stacked materials that get blown away.

“I think the key to its prevention is creating awareness of the dangers in the workplace,” adds Warne. “Dropsafe is all about raising that awareness and developing solutions to mitigate that risk of dropped objects.”

“For example, a fatality may occur when an object that weighs just three to four kilograms falls from 10m.”

These dropped objects – such as overhead lights, aviation beacons, CCTVs – could be items that are designed to assist mine operations but can cause a fatality when the fixture or mounting bracket deteriorates over time.

And aside from the risk of fatality or injury, the chances of a dropped object landing on machinery or equipment are equally high. This may result in costly downtime, expensive repairs or replacement.

Considering a mine site is commonly characterised by lots of activity, wear and

SAFETOWORK 18 OCT-DEC 2018

tear, corrosion and vibration, Dropsafe designs 316 stainless steel mesh-safety nets to enclose overhead fixtures, 316 stainless steel security pouches to tether handheld items when being used at height, and the Dropsafe barrier system, which is installed on guard railing as either a permanent or temporary solution to prevent dropped objects.

“If someone is walking across a platform 50 to 60m above the ground, we can install the barrier system to mitigate the risk of an object falling through open guard railing and ricocheting, and potentially causing an LTI,” explains Warne.

The barrier system, recently launched

by Dropsafe, has gone through three years of development, involving extensive testing and analysis, wind tunnel testing and third-party validation and certification.

“The lightweight engineered polycarbonate barrier is rated to withstand a category five hurricane, going through wind tunnel testing with sustained wind speeds of 250km per hour. Its performance in harsh environments easily surpasses other barrier systems in the market today,” says Warne.

“We have manufactured all products to be used in harsh environments, so the barrier system comes with a fiveyear warranty, with minimal material degradation after high UV exposure.

“That operational span can also be

extended upon the customer sending back a purposely designed snippet internal of the barrier for degradation testing to potentially lengthen the installation life.”

These are the kind of drop prevention devices that Dropsafe has been delivering to protect the safety of individuals in the mining, oil and gas, and industrial and marine industries.

It distinguishes them as the leader in dropped object prevention technology.

Dropsafe shows that creating a safe workplace in a safety-sensitive environment does not have to be complicated when dropped object prevention technology has been primarily created for an easy use and application.

“At Dropsafe, we have 100 per cent manufacturing quality control,” explains Warne. “Because when you work in safety, your primary focus is quality.”

The Dropsafe barrier system prevents objects dropping from height .

SAFE AND RELIABLE DRILLING Since 1890, Boart Longyear has pioneered innovative drilling products and services that are safe, reliable, and maximise productivity. We adhere to strict safety standards and engineer our products to reduce risk and bring everyone safely home, while protecting the environments in which we operate.

Find out more about Boart Longyear’s commitment to safety and array of drilling services and products.

Tel: +61 8 8375 8375 or visit boartlongyear.com/ehs

Respiratory protection

Remove the risks to your respiratory health ENSURING MINE WORKERS HAVE SUITABLE RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IN ENVIRONMENTS HIGH IN DANGEROUS PARTICLES IS AN ONGOING CONSIDERATION FOR MINING COMPANIES. SAFE TO WORK EXPLAINS.

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he importance of respiratory protection in the Australian mining industry has intensified over the past two years.

In 2017, more than 20 current or former mine workers were diagnosed with coal workers pneumoconiosis, a respiratory disease caused by longterm exposure to coal dust.

The reaction to this resurgence of the disease was swift in Queensland; the state government updated its Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme and committed millions of dollars to research into dust monitoring at industrial sites.

These were steps in the right direction for a mining industry committed to preventing health issues like coal workers pneumoconiosis from

impacting people working in high-risk areas.

The cases also served as a reminder that mining companies must ensure they provide the highest level of respiratory protection for workers to reduce the risk of dust, silica or diesel particulate-related health concerns.

“Providing respiratory protection for workers when required is part of the duty of care of the employer in the modern industrial situation,” 3M senior occupational hygienist Terry Gorman reinforces.

“In Australia, employers are required to use appropriate means to prevent health hazards, including dusts, gases, asphyxiants, anaesthetics and sensitisers.

Respiratory protection must be fitted.

SAFETOWORK 20 OCT-DEC 2018

“When mining companies understand the type and magnitude of the respiratory hazard they can then identify the respiratory equipment suitable for these conditions.”

The AS/NZS1715 Standard is the ultimate guide for the selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment in mining and other industries.

AS/NZS1715 rates different types of respirators to provide a stated level of protection to a trained fitted user.

“The type of respirator selected will depend on the magnitude of the airborne contaminant concentrations, the specific working conditions, other controls in place and consideration of other PPE involved and personal factors like comfort,” Gorman says.

There are three classes of filters under AS/NZS1715 for protection from particulates – P1, P2 and P3.

P1 is used for mechanically generated particles like silica and dusts; P2 is used for mechanically and thermally generated dusts like welding and metal fumes; and P3 is used for all particulates requiring high protection factors.

Gorman says the performance of particulate filters is determined by testing the penetration of the filter against a specified test aerosol to determine its efficiency in capturing this challenge agent.

“This aerosol is used at the most penetrating particle size range for

filters at breathing flow rates,” Gorman says. “The choice of filter and mask will depend on the airborne concentration of the contaminant, for example, a P1 half face respirator will be suitable for silica dust up to certain concentrations as defined by the Standard and the National Exposure Standards.”

By understanding the airborne concentrations in the mine and applying the guidance in AS/NZS1715, the operator will select suitable respiratory protection that reduces a worker’s exposure to an acceptable level.

Ensuring that any tight fitting respirator provides an effective seal on a worker’s face should be considered the next most important step after identifying the correct device for the mining conditions.

“This has long been considered best practice as part of a general respiratory

protection program and is required by AS/NZS1715,” Gorman says.

Respirators with tight fitting face pieces include disposable respirators, half masks and full-face masks, including those that form part of a powered or air-fed respirator.

A fit test should be carried out for all workers on the selected mask(s).

There are two key methods of fit testing allowed by AS/NZS1715 – qualitative and quantitative. It is essential that the worker does not have facial hair or stubble or any other item that interferes with the seal of the mask on the face during testing or while in use in the workplace.

3M qualitative fit test kits for disposable and half-face respirators offer a solution for proving an effective fit, while also meeting the criteria of AS/NZS1715. 3M’s Aura Particulate

Respirator 9300A+ Series is a leading example of its current range.

This respirator has been designed to provide effective respiratory protection for use in environments where workers will be exposed to airborne dust particles and non-volatile liquid particles.

3M not only acts as a supplier of respiratory protection for the mining industry but also a resource for information that can help companies deliver a successful program in this area.

The company provides tools that help with exposure assessments, protection programs, respirator selection, fit testing and training.

3M has more than 40 years in research and innovation when it comes to respiratory protection and is a specialist in disposable respirators.

A NEW UNIQUE COMPACT-SIZED GAS MASK IN THE INDUSTRY KIMAX is designed to provide its users with short-term respiratory protection in incidents involving high concentrations of chemical agents, such as industrial chemical spills.

The KIMAX protects against organic gases with a boiling point higher than 650C; several inorganic gases; sulfuric gases and other acidic gases, ammonia and ammonia derivatives. It also protects against such chemicals in particle form. The KIMAX approved standards EN 14387: 2004 A2B2E2K2 gas filters with electrostatic particle filtration P2.

The KIMAX’s design is tailored to meet the rigorous demands of the following industries: Mining, oil and gas

Transportation

Chemical and petrochemical

Defense

PPE

Blackwoods PPE fits like a glove BLACKWOODS TELLS SAFE TO WORK HOW ITS HEAD-TO-TOE SAFETY OFFER CONTINUES TO DELIVER VALUE TO ITS CUSTOMERS.

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s Australia’s largest supplier of fit-for-function quality personal protective equipment and safety products, Blackwoods provides a complete single source safety solution to many industries “Blackwoods Knows Safety”.

From the supply of safety product to eliminating operator and workplace risks, a culture of continuous improvement ensures Blackwoods remains at the forefront of meeting and exceeding customer needs whilst still delivering the highest level of protection.

Leveraging Blackwoods’ single source safety offer, customers are able to consolidate their personal protective equipment and safety product needs through a single source to simplify processes and drive efficiencies across their entire procurement to pay process.

Longstanding collaboration with world leading manufacturers, coupled with the Blackwoods global sourcing program, provides customers with early access to industry insights and innovation.

A proven safety specialist operating across a broad range of industries including mining, manufacturing, government, defence and automotive, Blackwoods meets each industry’s challenges and needs through its expertise, core range of products, and customised and tailored solutions.

“We support our customers with a comprehensive product range, a group of well-trained account managers that call on them at a regular interval, and a group of national safety technical experts that they can draw on,”

Safety gloves are critical.

Sandra Alcock, national sales manager strategic mining, says.

KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE THOUGH COLLABORATION Notwithstanding the strength and breadth of the Blackwoods safety offer, collaborating with world leading manufacturers and customers is essential to the delivery of successful outcomes and ensuring a safe working environment.

Customer engagement, collaboration, and listening to a customer’s needs are critical to determining and jointly implementing the right solution.

“Regular customer engagement,” “direct involvement in a customer’s business,” “understanding their challenges,” and “most importantly customer feedback”, are all key inputs in the National Category Management team determining the Blackwoods safety offer, Darren Gallagher, national category manager, says.

This proven approach “ensures you get the best outcome,” says Bob O’Hearn, national sales manager manufacturing.

SAFETOWORK 22 OCT-DEC 2018

KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE THROUGH INNOVATION With innovation at the forefront of safety product development, Blackwoods ensure its customers remain abreast of market and product developments.

In addition to developments by world leading manufacturers, the Blackwoods global sourcing program provides the flexibility to fulfil any gaps through Blackwoods’ own wellestablished and proven private label brands such as Workhorse, Prosafe, and Tredlite.

As a rule, “Product improvements in quality and comfort through the ongoing advancement of technologies and materials used in safety products increases compliance in people.

When people are prepared to use safety products, safety is improved,” Gallagher says.

OUR SAFETY CULTURE The Blackwoods safety offer and its commitment to support customers in delivering the safest work environment for their people is an extension of our own safety culture.

Whether through a “safety share” before a customer meeting or during “interactions with our customers, we take time to share a safety moment or learning to ensure that it is always top of mind,” Alcock says.

“When you’re focused on safety, you’ll always have your operator as the number one priority and primary focus,” says O’Hearn.

“Safety is at the company’s core,” concludes Alcock.

Innovation

TED is used with several attachments.

TED reduces the risk factor to keep fitters safe NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MAKING SURE WORKERS RETURN HOME SAFELY EVERY DAY. NIVEK INDUSTRIES’ TED MACHINE IS HELPING ACHIEVE THIS. SAFE TO WORK EXPLAINS.

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hanging belly plates has traditionally been a risky activity for fitters at mining operations.

Nivek Industries’ Tracked Elevating Device (TED) – a remote-controlled, battery-powered, all-terrain, multipurpose belly plate jack – has greatly reduced that risk.

The catalyst for TED’s inception was a near miss for fitter Kevin Cant in 2008, while removing a belly plate in the pit using cummalongs and slings.

As happens in the field, there was an unplanned move, and the belly plate slipped, falling to the ground and narrowly missing Cant.

He set about researching a safer way to do the job after the incident, but found nothing on the market worldwide, so he decided to come up with a solution himself. The first TED went to work on a local Hunter Valley mine site in 2011.

TED’s presence at Australian operations has grown significantly over the past year.

With the mining industry increasingly aware of the safety benefits TED can offer (with nearly 150 units on site in Australia), the machine is fast becoming a relied upon tool within maintenance workshops.

Leading miners and contractors, including Theiss, Glencore, Rio Tinto, Peabody Energy, Yancoal, BHP and Anglo American use the machine.

It has also generated interest in the international marketplace.

Cant says the machine is about more

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 23 OCT-DEC 2018

Innovation

Almost 150 TEDs are now in operation around Australia.

than changing the way fitters work, but also making sure they get home safely to their families each day.

The mining industry’s had fatalities from dropped belly guards, he says, so being able to lower them under the machine without the operator being in close proximity provides a potentially lifesaving addition to mine sites.

“Fitters love it. They’re not crawling around on their hand and knees all the time now. It takes its toll on your body after a few years your knees and back in particular. I would have loved to have had a TED back when I was a fitter,” Cant tells Safe To Work.

“After my slip with the belly guard and the cummalongs in the pit, I saw reports filter through of fatalities on other sites from the same thing that almost got me, so I ramped up my search for a safer way of changing belly plates in the pit – but there was nothing on the market.

“With TED, it was more than just making something practical, it was about helping other fitters make it home in one piece at night; some of them didn’t.

Some of them lost their lives or their limbs under belly plates.”

The jack, which has a safe working load (SWL) of 800kg, is remote controlled so the worker does not have to be near the machine during operation.

The tracks are driven by two independent motors, allowing it to operate like a skid steer, making it easy to manoeuvre into position.

The feedback from industry about

TED’s value at mine sites generally starts from a safety perspective, particularly for its ability to reduce the risk of crushing injuries while also lowering the physical strain maintenance work places on the body.

Peabody Energy’s Wambo Coal Mine general manager, Albert Scheepers, believes every mine site needs a TED because of its safety benefits.

“TED is a great safety innovation, it sits high on the hierarchy of controls as an engineering solution, taking employees out of the line of fire by removing them from the hazard,” Scheepers says.

“As an industry, we have improved our safety performance tremendously over the past years, but unfortunately there’s still people out there getting hurt, and sadly fatal injuries have occurred from belly plates on dozers in our industry.

TED is solving a real issue.”

A fitter from a leading OEM says having the control of TED makes the process of changing belly guards feel a lot safer.

“You can drive it in, you can turn it on the spot, where our old trolleys, you’re going back and forth and you’re pulling big handlebars around trying to get it in the right spot,” he says.

“This thing – you can turn it on the spot, forward, back, you can spin it 360 if you want to. It does make things a lot easier.”

TED’s value as a safety device is noticeable, but the efficiency gains it delivers in the workshop and on mines should not be overlooked.

The device has been known to save up to 20 minutes on jobs that involve changing a belly plate.

“If you’re doing bulk belly guards,

TED has been successful as a jack for belly plates.

SAFETOWORK 24 OCT-DEC 2018

Photos : F. BOURCIER

you’ve got a bloke outside with a forklift or an overhead crane and you’re in and out,” the fitter says.

“You can sit underneath them and drive it straight out, old mate picks it off and you drive it straight back in and get the next one.”

Nivek Industries adds to the versatility of TED by continuing to develop generalpurpose attachments that can be fitted to the main chassis using attachment pins or bolted onto the surface turntable.

The attachments include the blade (for clearing a safe working area underneath machinery); the track roller carrier (to aid in the replacement of track rollers); the cutting edge tool (to aid in the removal, replacement and maintenance of cutting edges); the steer cylinder cradle (to aid in the replacement of steer cylinders, tie rods etc); the stand locating tool (to aid in the placement of axle stands); the slope jig (particularly suited to Y links and maintenance requiring adjustable angles); and extension blocks (to increase TED’s reach).

“TED’s pretty versatile, I mean the attachments side of it is endless,” one mobile superintendent says.

“Anything where you can get rid of that lifting and have it supported by a

stable base that you jack up into place is always a benefit.”

As more TEDs have been introduced at Australian mine sites, Nivek Industries has increased the level of support available for the owners of the machines.

The company now has service centres in Western Australia and Queensland, complementing its base in Singleton, New South Wales.

When asked about what’s next for Nivek Industries and his brain child TED, Cant says: “As for future plans

there’s quite a few additions to TED and completely new concepts in the pipeline.

Wherever fitters are putting their lives on the line, we’re looking for ways to keep them safe at work.

“It’s not just about looking after them in a life and death sense though, quality of life is important too, and taking some of the manual handling, the relentless crawling, the heavy dragging and pushing out of the equation, means that they can head home less sore and able to get on with enjoying a better life.”

TED is controlled by this remote.

TRYOFLASH TRYOPSI

conseil

TRYOPSF TRYOCSP

Innovation

Workplace safety is at the heart of Enware’s design ENWARE TELLS SAFE TO WORK HOW A DESIGN-THINKING JOURNEY LED TO AN EMERGENCY TANK SHOWER THAT PEOPLE NEED.

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ine sites are dynamic, with ever-changing progressive operations and evolving productivity requirements.

In these challenging and complex environments, the provision of reliable

first response emergency shower equipment is essential for the workforce and essential for the site to remain operational,” says Allan Lane, Enware national sales manager safety products.

“In an emergency situation, every

The ET1400 emergency tank shower also works as an eye wash station

SAFETOWORK 26 OCT-DEC 2018

second counts. And it is this thought that has driven the design thinking behind the award-winning ET1400 emergency tank shower. Without complex technology, it will operate simply and reliably in some of the harshest workplace environments in the world,” says the award-winning manufacturer.

Enware embarked on a journey to design a solution for those working in remote locations. The solution needed to be an easily deployed permanent or semi-permanent emergency safety shower for locations where suitable infrastructure, such as mains power and water, may not be established.

The result is a robust, reliable and highly visible first response emergency shower providing the workforce with confidence that help is right by their side.

“An inspired design, brilliantly executed…” are just some of the words used by the prestigious Good Design Awards judges to describe the design execution of the emergency tank shower.

One of the design challenges faced

by Enware was to minimise the size of the tank and yet be able to deliver a constant flow of water for at least 15 minutes. Enware’s research and development team came up with an idea to use a gravity-fed system with a uniquely designed flow control system.

“With the tank shower, it’s as simple as activating the shower by pulling a handle and activating the eye wash with a push handle. Enware goes the extra

Enware 2018 Good Design Award Gold Winner status – Product Design Commercial and Industrial Category

mile in attaining third party compliance certification to AS4775 and ANSI Z358.1,” says Lane.

Chemical and thermal skin injuries increase skin sensitivity. The engineering and design team were mindful of the pain and suffering with these types of injuries and understood the importance of developing a shower head that provides an even and soft distribution of flushing fluid to the body.

The design and compliance features don’t stop there. The flexible flat pack frame has been engineered and certified to suit category B wind regions and the single piece frame is certified to category D regions.

Integrated into its design are fork lift and crane lifting points, dual inspection hatches, water level and temperature indication visible from the ground, infill (with filter) easily connectable to a water tank from the ground, highly visible emergency signage and drain points.

Optional extras include alarms (including low level water alarm) and back-lit emergency signage. The design also includes the opportunity to incorporate a heater or chiller unit.

QUICK AND EASY MOBILISATION OF THE WORKFORCE The compact design provides the convenience to easily install and deploy when required, without the need for expensive infrastructure.

The ET1400 is designed to have a nice, neat storage footprint for transportation or during shutdown.

When the work is done, the flat pack frame along with the relocatable foot base can be easily disassembled and packed into the tank.

SMART DESIGN FEATURES The safety shower is a brainchild of a cross-functional team that was comprised of Enware representatives:

from research and development, product management and engineering.

It was built in close consultation with the company’s national sales manager to get a complete understanding of customer needs.

Indeed, the Good Design judging panel testifies that the self-contained shower is, “A great example of a company that knows its product category and has thought of everything.”

“To me, it’s just an awesome piece of equipment, optioning up with alarm systems, integrated heater or chiller, suitable for anywhere in Australia from Tasmania up to the Northern Territory.

“It is a very, very robust, simple piece of equipment that will do the job it’s supposed to do every time. Minimising the impact of workplace injuries to people, their families, business and community remains at the heart of Enware design now and into the future,” concludes Lane.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 27 OCT-DEC 2018

Sensors

How ifm efector is taking PLCs from fail-safe to mine safe IFM EFECTOR IS PLACING SAFETY FRONT-AND-CENTRE WITH ITS LATEST PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER (PLC). SAFE TO WORK SPEAKS TO IFM’S FREDDIE COERTZE.

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erman sensor specialist ifm efector is no stranger to safety concerns. As the first company to invent the proximity switch, ifm evolved from family-owned beginnings to full safety systems.

Many of its products are used to maintain safe monitoring in industrial, materials handling and processing

ifm’s SafeLine SmartPLC offers an integrated solution.

contexts. Over the last 18 months, the company has developed a SIL3compliant programmable logic controller (PLC) called SafeLine SmartPLC that integrates both fail-safe and standard PLCs into one system to streamline processes.

The fail-safe and standard PLCs are designed to communicate harmoniously so that standard

SAFETOWORK 28 OCT-DEC 2018

processes and safety processes can be integrated into one unit.

A visualisation system is included to offer programmable web visualisations via an internet browser. The system also includes a graphic display for easy access to important information.

One side uses an AS-i (actuator sensor interface) gateway for device connection and the other side has compatibility with Profinet, Profibus and EtherNet/IP. According to ifm product manager of industrial communications Freddie Coertze, SmartPLC’s versatility makes it particularly well suited to conveyor applications in mining. For example, it can be applied to a conveyor’s safety pull cord system for emergency stops.

“What we’ve done with conveyors in the mining industry is take a two-wire cable that can run right along the length of a conveyor and safety equipment such as safety ropes, kill switches, and lanyards etc. SmartPLC has a chip built into it that can simply clip onto the standard bus system,” he explains.

“Imagine if you have a really long 1.2km overland conveyor — you just run those cables wherever you have the need for a safety device. You clip on the BUS system, and then you have a safety device there — it’s really flexible and saves time and wiring.”

The safety module of the SmartPLC contains two printed circuit boards (PCBs) that each use separate voltage supplies but are connected via an interface so they are able to exchange data.

One of the PCBs harbours twin processors for signal processing, and the other is designed for I/O (input/ output) operations.

Through use of a data logger, the PLC’s system data can be recorded and stored on an SD card or in the system’s flash memory; and data blocks can be time stamped via an integrated real-time clock for easier documentation.

The SD cards can also be used to copy device configurations to another device (a process called ‘cloning’), which saves further time and effort. ifm emphasises a balanced approach to safety systems, maintaining an efficient balance of productivity

and safety. The SmartPLC device is designed so that a single fault won’t necessarily bring systems to a halt.

“You’ve got to find a happy medium,” explains Coertze.

“How does the safety system affect the downtime of my machines? How does it affect the operator’s work?

It used to be that you had to wire up everything, whereas now it’s all communicated over a two-wire system.

“If you think of it as if it’s your house it’s almost like an extension cord.

You’ve got one power point using multiple adapters that you just plug all your stuff in — it’s easier than just wiring everything back to one panel or one system in that respect.”

It is a design philosophy that extends beyond the SmartPLC to other ifm products, such as its magnetically coded actuators (for non-contact door monitoring) and

tamper-proof RFID sensors.

This helps to keep doors closed, preventing entry to potentially unsafe work areas and generally improving security over mechanical lock systems.

The company’s products go through a number of stringent tests before being shipped to ensure safe operation. This includes stress testing in specially designed cubicles that can “age the products by about 25 years in 28 weeks,” according to Coertze.

When being stress tested, products are placed in environments where humidity is turned up. Components endure temperature fluctuations, static testing (interference from other sources) and flammable environments.

“All of our sensors go through quality testing,” Coertze says. “We are one of the only companies that actually provides a five-year warranty on all products.”

ifm’s non-contact magnetic sensors add security and safety.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 29 OCT-DEC 2018

Drill & blast

Rod handling activities can pose numerous safety risks.

A method for improving safety in the drilling sector BOART LONGYEAR’S BEN REDD EXPLAINS HOW LEARNING FROM MISTAKES, NEAR MISSES AND MANAGEMENT INTERACTIONS INCREASES SAFETY FOR DRILLERS.

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ife is full of regrettable moments, so wouldn’t it be great if we could share those instances so that others don’t have the same pitfalls and mishaps?

This is not a new thought as we hear so often about ‘best practices’ and have many laws, regulations, policies, and procedures that we must adhere to.

Protection, safety and security are often the underlying reason behind what we are required to do. We must abide by the law to stop at a red light not because of the threat of a ticket, but because ignoring it could bring severe consequences to ourselves, others, or property.

In the drilling industry, safety is critical. Although equipment is

continually improving for productivity and safety, human supervision and interaction are still required and we know, as the English poet Alexander Pope pronounced, “To err is human...”

No one is perfect, but that is the fun of living in a world with so much variety.

We would all like to think we have it all figured out, but the reality is that we always have something new to learn.

And sometimes we go through an experience and immediately adjust behaviour only to find that a short time later our habitual tendencies put us right back to before we learned our new-found experiential knowledge.

Who hasn’t been sunburned more than once, or that blister reappears because once again we didn’t use gloves when gardening?

SAFETOWORK 30 OCT-DEC 2018

MANAGING SAFETY So, how do we learn from our mistakes and help others learn from these mistakes so they don’t go down that same possibly hazardous path?

There are obviously many things that can be done, but here we will approach one way that has made a huge impact on improving safety for drilling activities around the world.

Boart Longyear’s environmental health and safety team (E&HS) incorporated an incident-management database system to track, report, and promote a conscientious safe working environment.

The company is not the first to use such a system, and fortunately many companies today have similar safety database systems. The premise behind

the system is to reduce risk by helping people learn and change so they will practice safer behaviours and proactively address hazards before they result in an injury.

HOW IT WORKS Employees are trained to report any incident, big or small, and designated employees enter all incidents, near misses, and management interactions into the incident management system.

• A gas cap is missing from a vehicle… it is typed into the system.

• A deer runs in front of the truck… even without contact, it’s entered as a near miss.

• A driller feels dehydrated and is required by his manager to go drink more water… it’s reported and entered in the system.

• An employee uses a wrench and bruises an elbow… it’s entered into the system.

A daily incident report is emailed out around the world. Employees review the daily incident report to make them aware of potential hazards and in turn make needed behavioural or procedural changes — now that’s continual improvement.

Recent upgrades to the Boart Longyear incident management system have included a mobile app version for

Boart Longyear has introduced an app to help.

We would like to think we have it all figured out, but the reality is that we always have something new to learn. ease of use, including entering data, tracking incidents, near misses, and management interactions.

An easy-to-use inspections module has also been added to the system.

Information can be completed 100 per cent in the app, with or without an internet connection, and then sent to the global collection database instantaneously or when the person gets back into reach of cellular or WIFI connections.

EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM INCIDENT REPORTING We don’t know anyone that would disagree on the benefits of implementing more safety procedures to keep employees and others safe.

Even a precarious daredevil has builtin safety nets to give his audience thrills for yet another day.

Where the incident reporting system goes beyond the safety nets is that it also captures the before-unseen information for potential harm and flags it for an immediate thoughtful response.

When a company uses a safety management system, there are many advantages to the knowledge that is collected and disseminated.

The priority is safety and warning others of potential risks always helps to place harm at a well-planned distance.

Exploration and mining companies look for contractors that make safety a high priority. Lost-time incidents (LTI) are the last thing anyone wants.

It’s not only about making sure people work safely, but that they can go home to their loved ones in the same physical condition as when they reported for work.

Incident management systems do cost time and money to train on, implement, and utilise.

But that cost is small in comparison to saving a life and protecting investments.

In the long run, safety and incident management systems increase productivity and keep operations running successfully.

LIVE A SAFETY CULTURE At Boart Longyear, “Safety First” is a core value. The incident management system is a great way for all employees to share while making safety a daily focus.

Many times the system has proven to be a useful part of the repertoire of EHS tools that keep everyone responsible, accountable and safe.

For Boart Longyear, fostering a safety culture that emphasises why we work safely is more than just a safety program — it’s the way employees work every day.

No matter what you do, take time to make safety part of your daily activities.

Ben Redd is Boart Longyear’s global systems manager – environmental health safety & technology.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 31 OCT-DEC 2018

Fast Fact Boart Longyear, founded in the United States in 1888, has grown into a global provider of mineral exploration and drilling services.

While the company is still headquartered in the United States (Salt Lake City, Utah), the only stock exchange it is listed on is the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

Refuge chambers

Gimme shelter: How MineARC is modernising refuge chambers MINEARC IS BUILDING ON ITS MINESAFE EMERGENCY REFUGE CHAMBERS WITH A HOST OF INTERNET OF THINGS-ENABLED INTEGRATIONS, INCLUDING THE GUARDIAN REMOTE MONITORING SYSTEM. SAFE TO WORK EXPLAINS.

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he Internet of Things (IoT), which refers to the increasingly prominent process of integrating various machines and objects to the Internet, has already had a big impact on mining.

Sometimes referred to in a mining and materials context as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), it is a concept that holds much untapped potential to improve project productivity while lowering operational costs.

By improving the speed and efficacy of communication and data collection, IoT facilities can also have a large impact on safety standards. Safety specialist MineARC — known primarily for the production of its MineSAFE Refuge Chambers for underground mining — has developed the GuardIAN remote monitoring and diagnostics system to support its products in this regard.

Part of MineARC’s wider System Intelligence suite, it allows for real-time monitoring of refuge chambers using a

locally hosted webpage.

MineARC carried out the initial proof of concept and scope trials on GuardIAN three years ago, with primary development taking place around a yearand-a-half later.

Customer feedback on MineARC’s suite of refuge chambers was the catalyst that initiated an internal conversation around how the company’s equipment could better integrate into wider mining activity.

As such, the plug-and-play GuardIAN system allows mine sites to monitor and communicate with personnel in realtime from the refuge chamber during an emergency.

“GuardIAN improves on site safety by allowing sites to proactively manage their refuge chambers at all times,” says Daragh Quinn, MineARC engineering manager.

“Real-time alerts notify sites of any compromise to the operation of the chamber, so issues can be managed

SAFETOWORK 32 OCT-DEC 2018

quickly and without downtime. This is advantageous to site operations, as it means chamber maintenance can be planned out ahead of time.”

When GuardIAN is used in combination with other elements of the System Intelligence suite such as MineARC’s Compressed Air Management System (CAMS) and Aura-FX Digital Gas Monitoring System, the refuge chamber becomes entirely connected.

CAMS, for example, is a filter pack designed to optimise compressed air usage by regulating air intake into the refuge chamber. An air toxicity shutoff prevents entry of carbon-monoxide containing smoke from incomplete combustion from entering the chamber.

Aura-FX offers monitoring of up to 11 gases based on client requirements, using voice prompts for changing out chemicals and regulating oxygen levels.

According to Quinn, GuardIAN’s engineering phase originally used singleboard computing that collected as

MineARC recently won a Telstra WA Business of the Year award.

MineARC’s refuge chambers are becoming increasingly IoT-ready.

much information about the chamber as possible.

“It progressed further to better display and digest that information in a meaningful manner to people interacting with the equipment in different ways,” Quinn says.

“For example, some would be doing maintenance on the equipment and need specific information or system diagnostics, while others would be interacting with the chamber in an emergency scenario where communication and environment monitoring became more important.”

Scope documentation based on the definition of the problems revealed several ways in which the company could improve its chambers with holistic IoT integration.

For example, the team at MineARC discovered that routine inspections were taking too much time and using too many people.

In addition, data gathered during inspection was often being misinterpreted. MineARC decided to focus on improving communication within the chamber and hired new staff to increase its product focus on

the implementation of software and electronics.

GuardIAN was first released in the South African market following proof of concepts, engineering and prototype testing.

The Australian market soon followed.

GuardIAN has now been available for more than a year, and many sites are taking advantage of the technology.

OZ Minerals, for example, has upgraded its MineARC MineSAFE Refuge Chamber at the Carapateena copper-gold mine in South Australia with GuardIAN technology.

MineARC was also nominated for the Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S award at the Australian Mining Prospect Awards in 2017 after releasing GuardIAN. According to MineARC, customer feedback has been positive so far, particularly in regards to connectivity and accessibility.

“The main thing we’re dealing with at the moment is working on a system that’s as generic as possible,” Quinn explains. “Some sites will use CISCO and the system architecture that works with that, others use Rockwell Automation’s Allen-Bradley programmable logic controllers (PLCs), or others again just allow a specific refuge chamber VLAN to be established, with browsers on that network able to access GuardIAN.” GuardIAN includes advanced

connectivity features such as video monitoring (for occupant wellbeing and chamber monitoring); VOIP video phones for connection to the surface during emergencies and drills; operating system diagnostics, including scrubber monitoring, event logging and fault diagnostics; and integration with the aforementioned CAMS and Aura-X. MineARC’s refuge chamber fleet can be analysed via a central software program accessible by computer, phone and email. Push email notifications can also be programmed for important events, reducing requirements for underground personnel.

MineARC offers free operational and service training to users to ensure correct usage of the refuge chamber and its systems (including GuardIAN). Quinn says MineARC is also “on the cusp” of releasing free induction packs to help clients train their staff on site in the basics of refuge chamber use.

“GuardIAN improves on site safety by allowing sites to proactively manage their refuge chambers at all times,” says Quinn “Real-time alerts notify sites of any compromise to the operation of the chamber, so issues can be managed quickly without chamber downtime.

“This is also advantageous to operations, as it means chamber maintenance can be planned out ahead of time.”

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 33 OCT-DEC 2018

Materials handling

On guard with ESS ESS HAS UPDATED ITS EZI-GUARD SAFETY SYSTEM WITH A FEW TWEAKS OVER THE PAST YEAR. JEREMY ANDEWAY TELLS SAFE TO WORK ABOUT THE UPGRADES.

E

SS (Engineering Services and Supplies) is committed to reducing the abundance of safety risks around conveyor

systems.

Conveyors have several dangerous elements, especially when unguarded, and may result in injury or even death if proper safety protocols are not followed.

ESS provides onsite training to make sure workers stay safe while working near conveyor belts at mine sites.

“A lot of things can happen with a moving conveyor,” ESS Goldfields branch manager Jeremy Andeway tells Safe to

Work. “You’ve got crushing injuries and deaths — I’ve seen a lot of injuries on site.”

“For example, there are people out there that will try to get a roller to move if there’s a bit of build up by using a crowbar to clean the dirt off. The crowbar can get caught and pull the person’s arm through or worse.”

Andeway has been working at ESS for eight years and oversees company operations in the Western Australian mining region.

He has been involved with the development of ESS’s popular safety-

The EZI-GUARD is lightweight and easy to install.

SAFETOWORK 34 OC-DEC 2018

focused product, EZI-GUARD, an ‘offthe-shelf’ modular guarding system that is placed around conveyors for increased protection.

EZI-GUARD’s design requires little to no welding to install, and uses standard hand tools and a drill, making assembly of the system straightforward.

Once the framework is assembled, the guard panels can be attached and detached in just a few seconds. ESS also manufactures customised guard panels for closure around conflicting equipment or interfering structures.

“It’s very easy to install,” says

Andeway. “Recently in Kalgoorlie, 55m of safety guarding was installed in under 24 hours.”

The EZI-GUARD system has been engineered to meet the guard design requirements of AS 4024.3610:2015 Safety of Machinery – Conveyors and ISO 14120-2015 Safety of Machinery.

It is also flexible enough to extend beyond conveyor systems and can be used for other applications such as heavy earthmoving equipment, workshop machinery, and anywhere there is a potential to fall from heights. If restricted access is required, EZI-GUARD can cover it.

ESS continues to develop EZI-GUARD into a safer system for mining users.

In February 2018, ESS worked collaboratively with a major Kalgoorlie client, and the existing EZI-GUARD system was upgraded to include a locking mechanism for the connection of mounting brackets.

The new locking mechanism, which gave EZI-GUARD a cast screw insert attached to a wire lanyard, replaced a retainer-style system.

This lanyard is used to avoid bolts from dropping and potentially getting lost, further improving efficiency and safety.

“Normally, if you’re working at heights and drop the bolt when you take it out, you could have an incident or near miss to anyone working below,” says Andeway.

“The new system now connects bolts to the lanyard, so once you undo them, instead of falling down, they just hang there. It’s a big gain for safety.”

ESS tailors the design of each EZIGUARD system to the needs of the site in question. The patterned slot openings on the guarding panels can be customised depending on the airflow and visibility requirements, while still ensuring the hazard is guarded safely as per AS 4024.3610:2015.

EZI-GUARD’s colours can also be

“The new system now connects bolts to the lanyard, so once you undo them, instead of falling down, they just hang there. It’s a big gain for safety.”

Jeremy Andeway ESS Goldfields branch manager

customised. The guards come powder coated in black or safety yellow as standard, but colours can be specified at the request of clients.

The guards are available in several materials, including aluminium, 304 stainless steel and mild steel (galvanised). Aluminium is the most popular choice of clients; being the lightest and most corrosion resistant, it can be manoeuvred easily while still safely guarding hazardous areas.

The aluminium guards and 316 stainless steel supporting structure is particularly well suited to mine sites near hypersaline water bodies that lead to corrosion.

Some Western Australian mine sites, in particular, face high levels of salinity, something ESS takes into account when assessing mine sites.

“We look at the application in question, the surroundings, and the water quality,” says Andeway. “As soon as you get to a mine site you’ll know if it’s got good, clean water. Some mines have stalactites with salt crystals, which is a typical sign of hypersaline water.”

“On one of the sites that we work on in Kalgoorlie that has hypersaline water, we decided to use 316 stainless steel mounts brackets and supports and aluminium powder coated guards due to the potential corrosion factors.”

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 35 OCT-DEC 2018

Conveyor belt transporting ore.

Emergency protection

Saving lives with emergency escape masks SAFE TO WORK TALKS TO SAFETY AND DEFENCE SOLUTIONS OWNER GILA DAVIDSON ABOUT KIMAX, THE LATEST DESIGN IN CHEMICAL ESCAPE MASKS FROM DURAM MASK.

The masks are designed to be easy to remove from their pouches for quick access.

SAFETOWORK 36 OCT-DEC 2018

D

uram Mask has been manufacturing and providing escape masks to mining and other industries since 1989.

Duram products are available through Australian company Safety and Defence Solutions, based in Victoria.

Though escape masks share basic similarities with regular gas masks, their purpose is quite distinct, says Safety and Defence Solutions’ Gila Davidson.

“In contrast to regular gas masks, which are designed for everyday use, escape masks are lighter and designed with maximum portability and short-term protection in mind,” she says.

“This is so users can quickly reach for the mask and put it on in emergency situations. It can be equipped in under eight seconds, which is useful when time is of the essence.”

Safety and Defence Solutions serves several industries with its varied Duram product suite, including mining, oil and gas, science labs, federal police, the military (including the navy) and security.

The company supplies emergency

breathing apparatus, safety gear and protective garments such as escape masks, smoke hoods, NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) suits, ballistics, night vision equipment and more, including new underwater night vision and more.

In the mining industry specifically, the company’s escape masks are the most relevant and popular of Safety and Defence Solution’s products.

The company has worked with Shell Petroleum, BHP, Chevron and Rio Tinto in the mining and resources industry.

One of Duram’s notable products in this category is the new Kimax chemical escape mask, designed to protect against incidents such as gas leaks and chemical agents.

Designed to quickly afford the wearer a high degree of respiratory protection, the Kimax Escape Hood’s filtering system meets Class III PPE (personal protective equipment) requirements. The mask provides immediate respiratory protection in incidents involving high concentrations of chemical agents, allowing users to evacuate quickly and individually if required.

The mask is designed to be easy to put on, being a ‘one size fits all’ solution with no straps or adjustments required.

The filtering device is combined with a hood for complete coverage. Air enters the latex hood around the eye area through two attached particle and gas filters.

An interior silicon half-mask with two inhalation valves allows the filtered air to enter the nose and mouth area.

When exhaling, air passes out through a rubber exhalation valve. The exhaled air flows back directly to the ambient atmosphere via one rubber exhalation valve. An ETFE eyepiece also ensures good visibility and a strong, fire-resistant elastic rubber hood protects the entire head and seals comfortably at the neck.

Mining plays host to numerous possible respiratory hazards including cyanide, ammonia, chlorine, chemical

fumes, gas leaks and coal dust particles.

Polymeric chemicals, such as those used during the tailings process, are of particular concern in mining.

Emergency situations involving hazardous materials and highly toxic atmosphere are a real risk and while regular gas masks can protect, they are often bulky. Kimax hoods can be carried in a supplied pouch for easy access.

The mask has an approved filtering system that meets all requirements of Class III protective equipment.

“Lives have been saved due to this escape mask,” says Davidson.

“When first responders evacuate someone from a house, a fire in a hotel, or a chemical leak in a factory, many lives have been saved because of the gas mask.”

Kimax can protect against organic gases with a boiling point higher than 65 Celsius, as well as several types of inorganic gas as well. Acidic and sulfuric gases, particles, ammonia and ammonia derivatives are likewise captured by Kimax’s filtration system.

The Kimax is approved to EN 14387: 2004 Standards. It also conforms to ABEK2 respiratory filter requirements, higher than the ABEK1 standard of its slightly lighter sister product, the Kimi model DM43 chemical escape mask (Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/ NZ 1716).

Kimax also boasts a gas capacity challenge concentration of 5000 parts per million (5000ppm) across organic (A), inorganic (B), acidic (E) and ammonia (K) categories, five times the concentration of the Kimi mask’s 1000ppm ratings.

“Kimax is specifically designed for protection against high concentrations of chemical agents,” explains Davidson.

It is the premier product in Safety and Defence Solution’s line of escape masks, specially designed for high concentrations of chemical gases.

Other masks in the line apart from Kimax and Kimi include the pocketsized Chembayo chem-bio escape mask; Maskito compact escape mask, for residential and commercial smokeand gas-related emergencies; Cogo, for protection from smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) while escaping fires; and 4NE1, designed to be compact enough for firefighters to give to civilians during high-rise evacuations.

Duram masks possess a shelf life of five years when kept in optimal conditions in temperatures ranging from 15 Celsius to 40 Celsius.

“Safety and Defence Solutions has a long history of protecting people with its respirators and escape masks,” concludes Davidson. “We’ve been providing masks since 1997 and are always growing as a company with every product we bring out.”

The Kimax chemical escape mask can be put on quickly.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 37 OCT-DEC 2018

Workforce management Komatsu employees with the icare Aware Award and representatives

Komatsu instils safety culture and mindset among employees KOMATSU RUTHERFORD HSE MANAGER CAMPBELL SAUNDERS TELLS VANESSA ZHOU HOW THE COMPANY MOTIVATES INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES TO STRIVE FOR SAFETY AT ITS RUTHERFORD UNDERGROUND REPAIR FACILITY.

I

t is not a simple task to inspire around 100 workers to make continuous improvement toward safety.

The Rutherford facility is made up of boilermakers, electricians, mechanical fitters and electrical fitters.

Daily, the team deals with underground mining equipment, electric motors, and loaders.

Together, Rutherford supports these components, servicing the mining industry from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales and beyond.

And it is the same team of people

who have won an icare Aware Award for their work in keeping the people safe at Komatsu.

When a potential safety risk was found when overhauling mechanical transmissions and heavy machinery parts, the workers came up with an idea to improve the process.

“They highlighted some safety hazard to their direct manager and gave him the ideas of what they wanted to do,” Rutherford HSE manager Campbell Saunders says.

Previously, the workers had to stand on a temporary safety step and

SAFETOWORK 38 OCT-DEC 2018

manually rotate a tension wrench for four hours, bearing risks of repetitive strain injuries, slips and falls. But the team had an idea of building a motorised jig to support the driver that can perform the same function electronically.

“With the solution, they no longer have to do any of that manual work and they no longer have to stand on a safety step,” Saunders says. “Simply press a button, and the motor will be electrically driven.”

Indeed, icare NSW injury prevention manager Jennifer Cameron praises the

team’s ability to use an engineering solution to reduce injury risk.

She says, “The link between safety and productivity is strong. And I think the Komatsu initiative is a good example of good innovation not having to be complex or involving digital technology.”

In fact, the team came up with a process change that reduces the risk of injury and boosts productivity by 75 per cent.

The team improved just one – but essential – step in a whole range of processes involved in overhauling drivers and loader products.

They transformed a step that used to take four to five hours into something that is now completed in 45 minutes.

When asked about how the idea came into fruition, Saunders says, “It’s just that collaboration piece, between them feeling comfortable enough to go to their manager and say, ‘hey, we’ve got this idea.’”

According to Cameron, the senior leaders at Komatsu are particularly good at engaging with workers.

“They are genuinely committed to the safety and wellbeing of their people. By engaging with workers, being approachable to them and having honest conversations with them about safety, you can understand what the challenges are and work toward finding solutions,” Cameron says.

The rest was only about getting the site manager to approve order purchases, and external vendors to recommend the appropriate motor to use to perform the desired function.

The motor arrived, and the jig got fabricated in-house.

“The whole idea was born and away they went,” Saunders says.

PREVENTION, NOT REACTION No worker has ever been injured when performing the tedious process. But workers were finding it difficult to overhaul the loaders using the previous

method, Saunders says.

“The great thing about it was they identified the safety hazard before an injury ever happened. And this is what we encourage across Komatsu.”

Saunders explains.

Saunders claims that Komatsu is in the business of incident prevention.

The company encourages employees to be proactive rather than reactive to an event that has already happened.

Indeed, the HSE manager takes pride in his employees’ proactive attitude – the team identifies the hazards, comes up with ideas and solutions and turns them into a working device.

Now, since workers no longer need to manually tighten up bolts and turn the driver on top of a safety step, the risk of falling off a safety step has also been virtually eliminated.

“We’ve got rid of the potential for someone to be injured, which is our main priority, so obviously that enhances our safety record. To our

Fast Fact The motorised jig is an original idea borne by Komatsu employees at the Rutherford facility.

The initiative only took two affirmations to turn into reality: one of the employees’ direct manager and one of the site manager.

Over four hours of manual work has been cut down to just 45 minutes - this is one step in the whole process of overhauling mechanical transmissions and machinery parts.

The motor-driven solution virtually eliminates the risk of strain injuries, slips and falls to workers.

The jig got fabricated in-house.

The team solution has won the icare Aware Award 2018.

A standing motorised jig

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 39 OCT-DEC 2018

Workforce management “The link between safety and productivity is strong. And I think the Komatsu initiative is a good example of good innovation not having to be complex or involving digital technology.”

Jennifer Cameron icare NSW injury prevention manager

customers, that’s very important,” Saunders says.

“Customers may not be able to see a tangible or direct benefit from initiatives such as this, but considering the heightened focus that many of our customers place on safety these days, such improvements only enhance our reputation as an organisation that continually moves forward toward our goal of zero harm.”

team have come up with safety improvements. The workers took the initiative to make platform ladders, for example, thus eliminating the need to overstep – and the risk of getting injured – when trying to get to an area of height.

EVALUATING SAFETY INITIATIVE When evaluating a safety initiative, the Komatsu management is putting safety first and foremost.

“When we assess the potential of a worker’s initiative, we check whether that improvement will bring any other safety hazards. You don’t want to make an improvement on something, only for that improvement to introduce another safety hazard,” Saunders says.

“However, if a by-product of a safety initiative is an improvement on our production time or output, then that’s an additional bonus to the business.

“The real bonus and the real focus is safety – that safety has been improved.”

There are multitudes of other examples where the Rutherford

In fact, there is an experienced and dedicated safety team in Komatsu that works tirelessly to improve the safety and wellbeing of its workforce, Cameron claims.

While it was the first time that the Rutherford facility participated in the icare Aware Award, Saunders considers Komatsu’s win fantastic for his workers, as it gives them some well-deserved recognition for their initiative and inventiveness.

“Our people are getting recognised for some really, really good work that they do. Winning this award recognises this facility and the individuals responsible for the initiative, but there are many more examples of employees across the Komatsu organisation implementing innovative ideas like this that improve workplace safety for themselves and their fellow work colleagues,” Saunders concludes.

Putting the team’s invention into application

SAFETOWORK 40 OCT-DEC 2018

Deloitte’s top human capital trends in the resources industry WORKER WELLBEING HAS GROWN IN IMPORTANCE TO TAKE A TOP SPOT IN MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES. SAFE TO WORK EXPLAINS.

D

eloitte’s 2018 Human Capital Trends report is the most extensive to date, with input from more than 11,000 businesses and HR leaders around the world, including 952 from the global energy and resources (E&R) sector.

Wellbeing is viewed as the top priority for resources and business leaders, with 85 per cent regarding it

as important or very important to their organisation.

However, the survey also reveals that the industry is falling behind when it comes to redefining work to keep pace with the rapidly expanding foothold of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and automation in the workplace.

Just 31 per cent indicate a

readiness to tackle these challenges, according to Deloitte, despite 76 per cent recognising it as a priority.

Deloitte Australia energy, resources and industrials human capital lead partner, Julie Harrison, highlights that many in the energy and resources sector were dealing with fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) work arrangements, true globalisation and exploration,

Wellbeing in the mining workplace is viewed as important.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 41 OCT-DEC 2018

Workforce management expansion taking place in developing countries, and diversity and inclusion issues.

Therefore, Harrison says it is perhaps no surprise employers in the industry are investing in wellbeing programs to support employees and also deliver a greater productivity dividend.

“The rapid expansion of these programs is reflective of wellbeing, as both a social responsibility and a talent strategy, becoming increasingly important,” Harrison says.

“Yet in many areas gaps remain between what employees value most and what energy and resources organisations are delivering through comprehensive wellbeing programs – only half say they are ready to deliver effectively in this space. Safety of course remains the core cultural and wellbeing construct across energy and resources.”

Harrison adds: “Interestingly, we see AI, robotics and automation still rated relatively low by the industry, despite robotics in particular taking a significant foothold in the industry over the past 12 to 18 months.

“However, whilst many across the industry might be automating today’s processes, they won’t necessarily reap the real rewards available from redefining how work could be delivered in a fundamentally different way to drive greater productivity.”

Here are Deloitte’s 10 human capital trends for 2018 in more detail (in order of importance): WELLBEING: A STRATEGY AND A RESPONSIBILITY As the line between work and play continues to blur, employees are seeking benefits across a wide range of programs for physical, mental, financial and spiritual health. As noted, wellbeing has been identified as the priority within the E&R industry.

PEOPLE DATA: HOW FAR IS TOO FAR? (DATA AS OPPORTUNITY & RISK) Organisations face a tipping point: develop a well-defined set of policies, security safeguards, transparency measures, and ongoing communication around the use of people data, or risk employee, customer and societal backlash.

Encouragingly, two-thirds (65 per cent) of E&R respondents say moderate to strong people data management policies are in place.

However, only a fifth (21 percent) are managing the potential impact on their consumer brand.

THE SYMPHONIC C-SUITE: TEAMS LEADING TEAMS Rated third by the E&R sector, this is the next stage in the ongoing evolution of leadership models, in which the organisation’s top executives play together as one team, while also leading their own functional teams, all in harmony, to drive more responsive, coordinated and agile organisations.

Deloitte Australia energy, resources and industrials human capital lead partner, Julie Harrison, comments: “Shortening business cycles, functional and organisational globalisation, increased M&A activity and new employee expectations are leading E&R executive teams to need to be global and local, visionary and responsive, and work in symphonic ways whilst enabling empowered employees to engage with the organisation through a variety of talent models.”

FROM CAREERS TO EXPERIENCES: NEW PATHWAYS (21ST CENTURY CAREERS) The concept of a career is evolving towards a model that empowers individuals to acquire valuable

SAFETOWORK 42 OCT-DEC 2018

experiences, explore new roles and continually reinvent themselves.

Despite traditional career models becoming defunct in the new world of work – 63 per cent of E&R respondents indicate career paths in their organisation are not based on a traditional organisational hierarchy – the report finds more than half of the business leaders surveyed in E&R (51 percent) have no programs in place to build the skills of the future.

Harrison comments: “Whiilst many E&R organisations recognise the Future of Work will bring about significant change, few have a clear understanding of what it really means for their organisation, talent models, and the way they develop their people. Reinvention within an organisation will be critical in the near future, and providing experiences, education, exposure, and the environment from which to learn and grow will have an impact on talent choosing to work with E&R organisations.”

CITIZENSHIP AND SOCIAL IMPACT: SOCIETY HOLDS THE MIRROR An organisation’s track record on corporate citizenship and social impact now has a direct bearing on its core identity and strategy. Engagement with external stakeholders on topics such as diversity, gender pay equity, income inequality, immigration, social licence to operate, and climate change can lift financial performance and brand value, while failure to engage can destroy reputation, alienate key audiences and impact licence to operate within specific locations.

Nearly half (47 per cent) of E&R respondents say social responsibility is not well-developed or invested in.

However, more than half (53 per cent) say it was either high or top of their

flexibility are the key in this space and finding ways to provide more choice within a framework might be a positive contribution to attract and retain people within the E&R sector.”

Mining companies need to focus on a talent strategy.

list of strategies. E&R companies are ahead of the global responses in this area.

only a third feel ready to navigate associated changes. Leading organisations recognise that to gain maximum value from new technologies they need to find ways for humans to work alongside robots – reconstructing work, retraining people and rearranging the organisation. The greatest opportunity is not just to redesign jobs or automate routine work, but to fundamentally re-think ‘how work works’ to benefit employers, teams and individuals. Only 6 per cent of E&R respondents say they are currently doing this.

THE HYPER-CONNECTED WORKPLACE: WILL PRODUCTIVITY REIGN? As communication tools like instant messaging and social media migrate from personal life to the workplace, the challenge for organisations is to ensure they actually improve organisational, team and individual performance and promote the necessary collaboration for the organisation to truly become a social enterprise. Of E&R respondents, 49 per cent say they expect face-toface meetings and phone calls would decrease in the near future. To replace them, 63 per cent predict an increase in instant messaging and 67 per cent an increase in online collaboration platforms.

AI, ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION: PUTTING HUMANS IN THE LOOP While E&R respondents see AI, robotics, and automation as important,

NEW REWARDS: PERSONALISED, AGILE AND HOLISTIC Employees are increasingly asking for more personalised, agile and holistic rewards, including a focus on fair and open pay (e.g. the UK recently introduced gender pay gap reporting).

There’s a long way to go – only 4 per cent of E&R respondents say they offer personalised reward programs.

Harrison comments: “Choice and

THE LONGEVITY DIVIDEND: WORK IN AN ERA OF 100YEAR LIVES Forward-thinking organisations see extended longevity and population ageing as an opportunity to retain or employ highly skilled workers.

Currently 19 per cent of E&R respondents say they are partnering with older workers to develop new career models that leverage their expertise, considerably more than the 8 per cent of all Australian respondents who say they are doing this.

Harrison comments: “This ‘silver lining’ in E&R could be used to partner with young graduates in areas such as mechatronics or data science to help them rapidly apply their skills in real life situations that would make a real difference to solving specific business problems, whilst also bringing the older workers up to speed with some of the more advanced and modern day skills available.”

THE WORKFORCE ECOSYSTEM: MANAGING BEYOND THE ENTERPRISE Business needs strategies to engage, manage and retain an increasingly hybrid workforce. Over the next two years, 43 per cent of E&R survey respondents expect a rise in contractors, 26 per cent an increase in freelancers and 23 per cent growth in gig workers.

Harrison comments: “This shift in talent models will require new styles of work contracts, management skills and strategic workforce planning to ensure the right skills are available as and when needed within the organisation.”

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 43 OCT-DEC 2018

Training

Immersive Technologies upgrades simulator range for machinery training SIMULATORS NOT ONLY HELP WORKERS OPERATE MINING MACHINERY, BUT ALSO GIVE THEM THE SKILLS TO STAY SAFE. SAFE TO WORK LOOKS AT A NEW SIMULATOR ON THE MARKET.

A

key way to ensure a safe working environment when operating mining equipment is through comprehensive

training.

In today’s industry, training simulators provide support to companies so their workers have the skills they need to operate machinery properly.

Immersive Technologies is a leading provider of mining simulators. The company has this year built on the

success of its LX3 medium fidelity equipment simulator with the latest platform, the LX6.

The mining technology specialist released the three-screen LX3 almost two years ago and it has proven to be a breakthrough for the company in the medium-fidelity space.

Since its release, Immersive Technologies has sold LX3 simulators to mining companies in Australia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America in a

SAFETOWORK 44 OCT-DEC 2018

period of two years.

It was, however, the popularity of the LX3 model that prompted Immersive Technologies to design the LX6, which offers mining companies a broader, six-screen platform.

Immersive Technologies product manager Ravitha Sukumaran says by developing a six-screen version the company can offer a simulator with a large vertical field of view suited for digging, dozing and grading. “Operators need a larger vertical

The LX6 has been developed following the success of the LX3.

field of view in these areas because most of the time they are digging into the ground below,” Sukumaran says.

“The three-screen LX3 was optimised for trucks however not for digging, dozing and grading. Even though the LX3 could deliver training for digging, dozing and grading, to further develop operator skills they really need to have a larger field of view, which is what the LX6 provides.”

Miners using just truck simulation kits do not necessarily require the LX6, but those operating simulation kits for shovels, excavators, wheel loaders, dozers and graders will benefit considerably.

Many users of the LX3 are still using the three-screen version for this type of machinery. However, they now have an opportunity to upgrade to the LX6 to bolster their skills even further.

“With the LX3 and LX6, we are providing a scalable option for budgetconstrained companies as well,” Sukumaran says.

The platform’s screens are high definition to support the large field of

view. LX6, like LX3 still offers a smaller footprint compared to high-fidelity simulators despite having a larger vertical view than the LX3.

Launched at Expomin in Chile during April, the LX6 is compatible with all surface mining machines simulated by Immersive Technologies and shares the underlying technology of the market leading PRO4 and IM360 simulators.

Sukumaran believes the LX6’s introduction to the global marketplace comes at a good time for the company and industry.

“The market is continuing to turn in the right direction. That’s why we felt developing a simulator like this, which adds value to our other products, would benefit the industry,” Sukumaran says.

“Many of our customers now have a combination of high and medium fidelity simulators; some were constrained to delivering training for one machine type at a time even though they may have multiple Conversion Kits (Machine Modules). By adding an LX3 or LX6 they are now able to better utilise their existing Conversion Kit assets.

“For the mid-tier mining market, in particular, it provides them with a useful platform that can be used for early stage training but also for upskilling training.”

In summary, the benefits of the LX6 focus on increasing training productivity, safety, cost effectiveness and promoting simulation efficiencies.

In terms of training productivity and safety, the LX6 is ideal for early training stages, emergency response, machine and site familiarisation; completing

compliance training for safety; freeing up high fidelity simulators for later stage and business improvement focused training; and for expanding training capacity.

As a cost-effective solution, the LX6 efficiently trains large groups at a low cost while continuing to focus on driving customer safety, profitability and minimising production impact by reducing the time required for in-field training.

Compatible with all surface mining equipment Conversion Kits, the LX6 delivers simulation efficiencies, increasing training throughput by utilising surplus Conversion Kits that are truly interchangeable across all simulator platforms, maximising use of existing resources.

Immersive Technologies’ SimControl software sits at the heart of the equipment simulator, delivering a comprehensive management system that is quick and easy to operate.

The software provides the ability to administer trainees, manage multiple machine types and models, review training sessions, configure learning scenarios and build complete training curriculum.

SimControl uses a streamlined graphical interface for management tasks, while providing the ability to customise the simulated environment to meet specific training needs and unique site conditions.

Immersive Technologies releases updated versions of SimControl twice a year, allowing users with a customer support package to take advantage of technology and best practice advancements.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 45 OCT-DEC 2018

Health

How FIFO workers can stay healthy while on site THE LONG HOURS OF LIFE ON SITE DON’T NEED TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF FIFO WORKERS. SAFE TO WORK PROVIDES TIPS ON HOW TO STAY HEALTHY.

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IFO workers have a significantly higher chance of being overweight or obese than their non-FIFO counterparts, research indicates.

In 2013, 79 per cent of FIFO workers fit into the two categories, compared to 64 per cent of the general population in Australia.

However, working away does not need to be a choice between being FIFO or being fit, according to recruitment agency Mining People International. Workers have the power to maintain their fitness while working at mine sites.

LiveLighter program dietician, Amelia Harray, believes there are choices that FIFO workers can make to live a healthier lifestyle. They ultimately boil down to two things: food choices and exercise routine.

In the morning, fibre-filled breakfast can keep the stomach full. An example

is to opt for Weetbix and porridge, instead of bacon and hash browns.

For lunch, instead of giving in to the impulse to fill the plate with hot chips or creamy potato bake, reach for the salad or vegetables first.

It is also helpful to prepare lunch to take to site, and ensure the lunch will get the stomach full.

Harray says eating excessive amounts of protein does not necessarily equate to more muscle.

One easy thing to do is to swap large serves of meat with sandwiches and wraps that contain salad and boiled eggs.

Should the impulse to snack kick in, LiveLighter recommends drinking a glass of water first: your body’s thirst can be easily mistaken for hunger.

Otherwise, healthy forms of sweets can help FIFO workers snack better.

For example, put cheese and tomato on top of wholegrain crackers, grab a

SAFETOWORK 46 OCT-DEC 2018

slice of fruit bread lightly spread with low-fat cream cheese, or eat fresh or dried fruits to provide the vitamins and fibre that fill up the stomach.

A gym should also be available in most mine sites. Harray suggested drawing on a gym operator’s expertise, and weights to be balanced with moderate cardio.

Lastly, temptations also exist outside mine sites, such as at the restaurants, the pub or home.

One simple thing that FIFO workers can start doing is to choose food that is grilled instead of fried, salad instead of chips, and water instead of sugary drinks.

Finally, exercising does not need to be a solitary activity. Harray advises FIFO workers to allocate 30 to 60 minutes a day to do some moderate physical activity; they can go for a cycle with the children or hit the ball with some friends.

Educating mine workers on skin cancer SKIN PATROL HELPS REMOTE MINE WORKERS WITH SKIN CANCER PREVENTION AND EDUCATION. SAFE TO WORK EXPLAINS.

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ustralia has the highest levels of skin cancer in the world; over 750,000 Australians are treated for it each year.

Up to two in three will be diagnosed with at least one type of skin cancer by the time they are 70.

Skin cancer is a serious concern at mine sites. Workers are often exposed to extreme heat in harsh conditions.

In particular, scorching summers in northern Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia can be particularly dangerous for mine workers, especially between 10am and 3pm.

Skin Patrol has been helping workers with issues related to skin cancer since 2004. The company provides private and confidential checks via on site skin cancer clinics and is Australia’s only mobile medical organisation focused on this practice using the expertise of a doctor and remote dermatologist opinion.

It was founded to increase awareness around the early detection of skin cancer in order to minimise the risks of skin cancer-related deaths and to enable corporations to generate positive employee goodwill with their staff by providing a necessary healthcare service.

Excessive exposure to the sun’s UV radiation is the main cause of nonmelanoma skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), as well as a significant cause of melanoma.

“Melanoma is no different to any other form of cancer,” explains Skin Patrol director Marion Patrick. “It is the fourth most-common cancer in Australia after prostate, bowel and breast cancer.”

Melanoma may develop anywhere on the body and often in a mole that has been present for many years and learning the A,B,C,D rule of melanoma detection is important. These stand for asymmetry (A), border change/shape (B), colour (C) and diameter/size (D).

Similarly to other types of cancer a family history of melanoma increases an individual’s risk factor.

Non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can also pose serious risks if left undetected.

Most common in continually exposed areas such as the face, ears, and hands, warning signs can include red and scaly spots, non-healing sores, and pale, red or pearly lumps. Skin cancer risk factors include sunburn as a child, excessive exposure, skin type and age.

“All skin types are susceptible to sun damage and sun damage is cumulative,”

says Patrick.

“Damage to our skin starts when we are children and continues through our adult life. The older we get, the greater our risk of a skin cancer developing in a skin-damaged area.”

While mine workers are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hard hats, gloves and hivis vests, long sleeves, wide brim hats (not baseball caps, Skin Patrol stresses) and long trousers while working are also imperative. It is also recommended that workers regularly apply sunscreen with an SPF30+ rating or above.

“Often male workers do not like to wear sunscreen on their faces as when they perspire they complain it runs into their eyes,” says Patrick.

As mine workers are in a highrisk category, an appointment with a doctor for a dermatological check-up is recommended at least once a year.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 47 OCT-DEC 2018

Mine workers need protection against Australia’s harsh sun.

Drones

Alcoa leads the pack with drone technology THE MINER IS KEEPING ITS OPERATIONS SAFE WITH DRONE TECHNOLOGY, AND IT’S YET TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES.

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rone technology has changed the game at Alcoa’s Western Australian operations.

It delivers safety and business improvements by eliminating potential risks that are associated with a mining operation.

Drone technology is especially useful when there’s a need to enter confined spaces, work at heights and get rope access to perform visual inspections – tasks that are imperative to a mine site but associated with potential risks, says Andrew King, the senior technologist and chief UAV pilot of Alcoa Alumina’s Centre of Excellence.

Workers no longer need to walk on foot to examine equipment. Nor does a machine need to be shut down to let workers conduct a manual survey.

Survey work has therefore become much safer and faster, while much more detailed coverage of surfaces and areas is provided. All this is achieved without taking jobs away at Alcoa.

“Many employees who undertake these tasks now have become drone pilots,” says King.

“They have been trained to operate the drones, and capture pictures and videos using the drone’s camera while flying.”

Alcoa’s use of drones is inspired by the company wanting more detailed information about its operations.

Previously, information was presented in a 2D map view. But Alcoa was seeking 3D data with much more

detail, says King.

“There are a vast number of high quality products available, and initially we used off-the-shelf products to prove the concept,” he says.

But Alcoa’s relentless pursuit for sustainable results led it to custombuild some of its drones, suited to the company’s sites.

For example, the racing drone technology is built to send video back to mine operators via a video transmitter, without requiring any GPS, compass or in-built stability.

However, in the other spectrum of the technology, the drones deliver productivity gains by producing 3D point cloud data (a 3D high resolution visual made up of thousands of georeferenced points) that can be used to create 3D digital environments. This can then be translated into virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

“We can use this data and information to design future infrastructure. It gives us a very immersive perspective as we can ‘virtually’ be in that environment,” says King.

“For example, if you wanted to see what a new road or building looks like and how it fits in the current space, you can create a 3D model from the drone data, and then include the design from computer aided design (CAD) drawings all together in an AR or VR world.

“We are still developing the full potential of using this technology in our mining operations.”

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Alcoa has adopted other technologies, including Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS), which uses GPS and Wifi to tell a person of any incoming vehicles.

Additionally, Alcoa’s fleet management systems include full telemetry of its vehicles and machines.

“We’ve automated sample analysis using robotics, we’re conducting online process liquor analysis and have applied advanced analytics to optimise processes within our operations,” says King.

Alcoa drone specialist Andrew King.

Automation

Rio Tinto edges closer to completing AutoHaul project in Pilbara THE MINING COMPANY HAS HIGHLIGHTED SEVERAL SAFETY BENEFITS THAT WILL RESULT FROM ITS LONG-AWAITED DRIVERLESS TRAINS. SAFE TO WORK EXPLAINS.

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io Tinto is on track to deliver a safety boost to its rail operations in the Pilbara, Western Australia as it moves its AutoHaul driverless trains project towards completion.

The miner’s fully autonomous train, coined by the mining giant as “the world’s largest and longest robot”, completed its first delivery of iron ore in July.

It was a significant milestone for Rio Tinto, which launched the project in 2012 as part of the ‘Mine of the Future’ program. The train system is on schedule to be fully implemented by the end of 2018.

Designed to transport iron ore to Rio’s port facilities, the AutoHaul project will cost the miner up to $US940 million ($1.2 billion), exceeding an initial budget set by the company.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore managing director rail, port and core services, Ivan Vella, says the program will deliver the world’s first autonomous, long distance, heavyhaul rail network, operating the world’s largest and longest robots.

“This program symbolises both the pioneering spirit and innovative talents of many people across Rio Tinto, and shows our absolute commitment to improving safety and productivity, as well as enabling greater flexibility across our operations,” he says.

“We will continue to ensure our autonomous trains operate safely under the wide range of conditions we experience in the Pilbara, where we record more than eight million kilometres of train travel each year.”

The autonomous train system will improve safety by reducing risk at level crossings, and by using automated responses to alarms, speed restrictions and asset protection devices.

Rio Tinto has fitted the locomotives carrying AutoHaul software with onboard cameras to provide constant monitoring from the company’s operations centre in Perth.

Using artificial intelligence, the train is able to accurately assess topography, railway bends, carriage weight and the interrelationship of these factors, thereby presenting a better driving strategy.

The miner claimed that the autonomous train system would also reduce the distance that train drivers need to travel to changeover points by approximately 1.5 million kilometres per year. The reduced need for driver changeovers will increase rail circuit capacity.

The first quarter of 2017 saw the train run in autonomous mode, with over 60 per cent of its total kilometres supervised with a driver on board. Rio Tinto was granted accreditation for the

AutoHaul operation by Australia’s Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) in May. The driverless train went on a 280km journey carrying 28,000t of iron ore from Tom Price to the port of Cape Lambert, a distance that doubled its last reported single trip.

Rio Tinto’s operators at its Perth operations centre remotely monitored the performance of the train 1500km away.

The train system is changing the way Rio Tinto works in this area, as it has with its autonomous truck program. However, the mining company is focusing on a smooth transition for its workforce as the technology is introduced.

“We are working closely with drivers during this transition period as we prepare our employees for new ways of working as a result of automation,” Vella adds.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 49 OCT-DEC 2018

The trains will be safer for Rio.

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Technology

App delivers improved efficiency to conveyor audits FLEXCO’S CONVEYOR AUDITING PROCESS IS ENHANCED BY TECH DESIGNED FOR CONDUCTING ON SITE BELT INSPECTIONS.

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lexco’s conveyor audit app is allowing the company’s experts to provide real-time assessments of conveyor systems at mine sites.

The app, introduced in 2017, is helping operators resolve issues, including safety concerns, much quicker than in the past.

Turning the archaic pen-andpaper inspection method into a distant memory, the Flexco app has improved the efficiency of maintenance processes.

Previously, it would take several weeks for mining companies to properly analyse findings from a conveyor system audit.

With the Flexco audit app, mining companies are discussing the assessments before the Flexco field expert has even left the mine site, according to WA sales manager Adam Wright.

“With the audit app we can essentially press send at the end of the day and the report will be emailed through to the maintenance supervisor or management on site. We can then talk the mine’s maintenance team through the entire audit while we are still on site,” Wright says.

Flexco field specialists focus on finding the root cause of any conveyor system challenges before they become serious problems.

The app allows the specialist to input information into an easy-to-read report, including how to solve the issues, for

management to implement changes that limit the potential for unscheduled downtime.

A Flexco auditor, accompanied by the app on a tablet, will walk along the conveyor belt at the mine site with a representative from the company’s maintenance team.

The app is stacked with features, including conveyor system ratings, diagnostic issues, attachment of photographs and product information, which generate data on the system’s condition.

This information is compiled into reports once the belt conveyor walk has been completed for both the mine’s and Flexco’s reference.

Wright says it is important that Flexco’s field specialists work closely onsite with mine’s crew to complete the inspections.

“It works really well if the maintenance personnel and Flexco field specialist develop a strong partnership on conveyor system audits, which we advise to be consistently scheduled,” Wright says.

“What Flexco will do is highlight the conveyor system’s flaws, and then recommend how to improve on the issues, including how to develop better strategies for scheduling maintenance activities.

“The audits will essentially provide the miner with a digital, real-time inspection that explains what they need to fix or upgrade to deliver the productivity gains they are targeting.”

An effective audit of a conveyor system often leads to a reduction in operational costs and maintenance activities, leading to improved productivity.

Wright reinforces the importance of a Flexco field specialist being onsite when the conveyor system is operational to achieve an accurate assessment.

“The ideal time for us to go would be for a day or two when the plant is running and then for up to a day when the plant is shut down,” Wright says.

“By the time the plant is shut down we will have collected the information we need to analyse what it is doing to provide suggestions.”

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 51 OCT-DEC 2018

The app has been a welcome addition to the audit process.

Technology

Hearing the warnings HUMMINGBIRD ELECTRONICS’ WARNING SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY IS HELPING TO IMPROVE SAFETY THROUGH CUSTOMISABLE, VERBAL MESSAGES AND VISUAL CUES FOR TRUCK AND HEAVY MACHINE OPERATORS.

Articulated trucks can benefit from the use of the Inclinometer. Image: Caterpillar.

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lashing warning systems, monotonous buzzing alarms – the heavy machine operator’s dashboard can light up like a Christmas tree to warn them of any imminent dangers. However, are these visual and audible warnings getting through in time before an accident occurs?

For Australian safety electronics manufacturer Hummingbird Electronics, clear verbal messages present a number of safety benefits that can help build on and improve the warning

systems already in place for heavy machine operators.

Part of the REDARC Electronics group since May 2015, Hummingbird specialises in bespoke sensor products focused on driver safety, both for trucks and construction equipment operators in the Australian civil construction and transport market.

“Everything from the angle, pitch, temperature and force to the speed of the vehicle – Hummingbird products encompass all aspects of driver safety,” Mark Bruce, Hummingbird Electronics’

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national sales and marketing manager, explains.

The company’s latest product releases epitomise how an effective warning system can be the difference between a near miss and an accident for operator and machine.

The Hummingbird Elite HMDS8000 Dual Axis Inclinometer – an in-cab monitor and sensor kit – enables an operator to monitor the pitch and roll of their machines, namely large equipment and customised vehicles such as earthmoving machinery, water

trucks and heavy transport vehicles.

“These are large machines and can be very dangerous on civil and mining sites because they tend to inherit a high centre of gravity,” Bruce says.

The higher centre of gravity means a large portion of the machine’s weight is carried high up off the road surface, making them top-heavy and vulnerable to roll overs especially on the varied terrains of civil worksites.

“Once you start putting loads in the back of a dump truck or the earthmoving boom/bucket of an excavator, the centre of gravity can also dramatically change,” Bruce explains.

“The driver could be sitting in an air-conditioned, pressurised cab, so they can be quite oblivious to how dangerous these angles are.”

Articulated dump trucks, for instance, can be especially susceptible to rolling from slight angles, according to Bruce.

“A wheel may drop off an edge that could take the trailer with it, the weight of which could also take the cabin with it,” he says.

The Hummingbird Inclinometer kit provides the operator with a visible pitch, roll and speed measurement display that shows the angle of the machine and when a potential danger is imminent by way of a unit sensor on the vehicle.

“The screen will show an image of the machine, which will turn yellow and emit a repeating beep to warn the operator when they come close to a dangerous angle. If the driver goes further, the screen goes to red and it emits a continuous beeping noise,” Bruce says.

“The Inclinometer also gives you the ability to customise the angle at which the warnings start for both pitch and roll.”

The ability to customise the response time of the sensor gives more flexibility

Hummingbird’s bespoke sensor products focus on driver safety.

in various applications, such as vehicles travelling over rough surfaces, which could trigger a false alarm.

The Inclinometer Elite model incorporates GPS technology, which provides speed readings and the ability to log over-speed events.

“It can then provide a time stamp of where and when an event occurs.

All that information can be accessed straight from the password protected device without the business having to use a third party,” Bruce adds.

Traditionally, heavy machine operators have used a ball-in-tube type warning system using gradients on a curved tube to alert them to a potentially dangerous angle. However, Bruce says this system has become antiquated.

“With the Inclinometer system in the cab, the driver is getting training every day. It’s painting a really precise picture of what angle and gradients they are getting close to,” he says.

The Hummingbird Inclinometer is also the only product of its type that can incorporate two sensors, making it perfect for articulated

machines, according to Bruce.

A second sensor can be installed and monitored simultaneously via the in-cab screen – providing independent pitch and roll information for a second vessel, such as a prime mover and its trailer.

Like the Hummingbird Inclinometer kit, the manufacturer’s 16 Channel Audio Alert System is designed to alert vehicle and machine operators of safety warnings, albeit in a uniquely vocal way.

“If you think about buzzing noises or alarms on cars and vehicles, they all sound the same. We’ve somewhat become complacent with these alarms – we ignore them and don’t acknowledge them as much,” Bruce says. “All of these buzzers and warnings can become very ineffective for heavy machinery operators.”

Hummingbird identified the need for an alarm system that went beyond the traditional ‘buzz’ and visual light warnings, and approached the manufacturer for a solution. Through comprehensive product development the Audio Alert System was born.

The system is designed to give

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 53 OCT-DEC 2018

Technology vehicle and machine operators clear and precise audible verbal alerts when an input trigger has been detected, rather than receiving an alert via a dashboard full of warning lights, symbols and buzzers. It can be programmed for up to 16 individual input triggers, which come in the form of prerecorded audio files loaded onto an SD card and put into the device on installation.

If one of the triggers is for low oil pressure, for instance, the device could emit a preset verbal message such as: “Warning, oil pressure low”.

“We could have messages playing every time you turn a machine on: ‘Have you done your pre-starts?’, ‘Please fasten seatbelt’, or even, ‘Apply handbrake’ when shutting down,” Bruce explains.

“It could be anything from a machine alert to message saying: ‘Please contact site manager’, including their mobile, to a ‘door open’ warning.”

He says other examples of warning messages could cover high engine temperature, headlights on, tailgate open or even over-speed detected.

The system can be customised to

The Inclinometer can incorporate two sensors.

prioritise different warnings for the operator, as well as the frequency and volume of certain verbal messages.

“There could be an instance whereby a door open and low oil pressure alarm is triggered, and the low oil pressure verbal warning would take precedence over the door, for example.”

It also features a 9- to 36-volt input range, enabling it to be used in both 12and 24-volt vehicle applications.

The devices allow operators to monitor the pitch and roll of a machine.

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Both Inclinometer and Audio Alert System devices can work in tandem – the Elite Inclinometer can issue a verbal message when a roll warning is detected, for instance.

Bruce says the system not only helps to improve operator safety, but it can help guide the operator on the tasks at hand.

“It can even apply to machines for hire companies. It could provide basic and straightforward guidance for those who aren’t using these machines every day,” Bruce explains.

“It can tell the driver to complete certain tasks. They need to be trained and a machine fitted with the Audio Alert System is essentially verbally training the operator.”

Bruce says there are a number of bus companies using the system as standard, as well as waste management firms and OEMs adopting the Australian designed and manufactured safety devices.

“It’s foolproof for drivers, the Audio Alert System takes away the guesswork, ultimately improving safety and reliability by turning warnings into a clear verbal readout,” he concludes.

STAY ALERT AT WORK, SUBSCRIBE TODAY safetowork.com.au/subscribe SAFE TO WORK is a leading resource providing insights on safety developments and innovation in the mining industry.

THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY

ISSUE 1 - OCT/DEC 2018

Published quarterly, the magazine includes interviews with prominent industry figures, and profiles on people and companies innovating and developing a safer industry.

Safe To Work will provide the industry with news and features about the latest achievements, equipment, technologies and products benefitting safety. Safe Tow Work is Australia’s leading source for safety in mining.

People protection Blackwoods outlines the importance of a head-to-toe source for safety

Respiratory protection

Workforce management

Safe To Work is a multi-platform publication for the Australian mining industry with safety being the key priority.

Refuge chambers

Tyre management

THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY

Technology

Playing it safe: Five steps to improve safety and profits with technology SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC’S PETER BRAUN EXPLAINS HOW SAFETY AND PROFITS CAN RECEIVE A BOOST AT THE SAME TIME.

Technology is driving safety and profits.

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raditionally, safety and profitability have seemed to be diametrically opposed for many manufacturing and production operations.

Although no-one disputes the value of investing in safety, the primary objective for a manufacturing or production business is to drive profitability, and protecting the safety of the plant’s people, assets and environment has often been viewed as a somewhat necessary evil to achieve the bottom line.

However, the safety of a business

can have a direct, positive impact on the operational profitability of the plant. A safe operation is one where production isn’t forced to stop due to downtime, repair, or — even worse — an injury caused by incident.

Less-than-compliant conditions that cause production stoppages will have a direct effect on revenue. Such occurrences, along with potential worker compensations costs or regulatory penalties, can add up to far more than the cost of prevention, i.e., the expense of installing safety systems and equipment.

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The potential for increased operational profitability that can be realised through more effective safety management is really starting to turn heads, and is truly bringing safety and environmental integrity into the mainstream of industrial business processes.

The recent technological revolution and the proliferation of devices to be connected to the internet or a cloud has resulted in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-related technologies across industries.

This technology influx has changed industrial work execution processes which, in turn, may require modifications to the way safety is managed, especially in high hazard industries.

The five steps for integrating new IIoT technologies to better manage risk and hazards and to avoid costly unscheduled asset downtime are as follows: DIGITISE AND CONNECT A first step in the process is to capture the data flowing from the various safety related tools such as Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF), Layer of Protection Analysis systems (LOPA), Process Hazards Analysis tools (PHA), and Hazard and Operability tools (HAZOP).

By digitally connecting to existing systems and data sources, the need for manual data collection and data handling is minimised and the new realtime information can then complement the safety information gleaned from existing reports.

Newer software offerings such as SIF Manager from Schneider Electric provide persistent monitoring, validation, and documentation of all aspects of SIF performance for the life of the plant. Automatically tracking SIF key performance indicators (KPIs) and SIS device metrics can reduce manual efforts by as much as 90 per cent. Over the operating life of an asset, this might represent savings of from $1 million to $2 million.

ANALYSE Safety analytics can be descriptive, diagnostic, predictive or prescriptive.

Once the data is collected and the type of analysis required is determined, this analytical data crunching can help plant personnel determine the optimal production and maintenance activities across multiple assets to reduce cumulative risk and to minimise downtime.

DEPLOYING THE CLOUD Using the cloud for digital safety design, analysis and validation makes it easily accessible to everyone, anywhere and at any time. Safety data and its context is available to experts anywhere in the world. Such a solution also drives transparency throughout the organisation and removes the traditional barriers and silos within departments, management structures, assets and/or fleets of assets.

SIMULATION Virtual models referred to as “digital twins” analyse the gathered data and then use it to run simulations and to benchmark performance, allowing plant operators to pinpoint where efficiency gains can be made.

By pairing both virtual and physical worlds (the twins), problems can be actively averted before they occur, preventing potentially threatening safety situations.

INTEGRATE A CYBERSECURITY STRATEGY Digitisation of course comes with its own risks, namely the threat of

cyberattacks. Safety teams must examine whether it makes sense to enable safety systems for internet connectivity at all and, if so, under what conditions. In some cases, a tool such as the plant historian might require access to safety-related data or information.

In summary, IIoT has the potential to be transformative when applied correctly to process safety and there are instances where IIoT tools and techniques can deliver profitable safety.

Safety is not simply a compliance program or an add-on. It’s a corporate value — a way of respecting and caring for the people that keep the company running. Continuous improvement and investment in safety demonstrate that you’re committed to protecting them on the job, and ensuring that they can go home to families, friends, and loved ones at the end of every day.

So each safety decision must adequately protect the functioning and lives of your workers and contractors, as well as the community.

Unsafe production costs money, while safe production makes money.

Technology has impacted haul truck operations.

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Eyewear

What impact protection do I need?

MINE WORKERS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EYE PROTECTION, BUT DO THEY UNDERSTAND THE REQUIRED IMPACT LEVEL? SAFE TO WORK EXPLAINS.

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ustralians suffer around 50,000 eye injuries every year even though many of them were wearing eye protection at the time of their injury.

Safety eyewear is often incorrectly fitted, is not rated appropriately for the task or does not provide adequate protection, according to a Safe Work Australia (SWA) report.

Ordinary eyewear such as prescription glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses do not offer appropriate eye protection and can actually increase the severity of injuries in the event of an incident.

Eye injuries can lead to permanent vision loss, contributing to depression and negatively affect work and social relationships, as described in a Comcare Eye Health in the Workplace guide.

The most dangerous injuries for the eyes are in the mining, construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing industries, in which 60 per cent of all eye injuries in Australia occur.

It is therefore critical to have the appropriate eye protection. That means knowing when to use medium, high or extra high impact rated eye protection and when to use safety glasses, safety goggles, face shields or a combination of these.

CHOOSING YOUR IMPACT RATING Eye protection impact ratings are determined by the PPE’s ability to withstand an impact from a specificallyweighted ball without cracking, detaching or dislodging, breaking or

impact from an object moving up to 190m per second.

Suitable tasks: Any mechanical procedure involving very high velocity machinery.

Eyewear has four categories.

coming into contact with the eye or the head.

Low impact Rating requirement: Can withstand impact from an object moving at 12m per second.

Suitable tasks: Chipping, riveting, spalling, hammering and managing a strap under tension. Choose safety glasses with a Standards mark.

Medium impact Rating requirement: Can withstand impact from an object moving up to 45m per second.

Suitable tasks: Scaling, grinding and machining metals, some woodworking tasks, stone dressing, wire handling and brick cutting. Choose safety glasses with a Standards mark ‘I or F’.

High impact (visor only) Rating requirement: Can withstand impact from an object moving up to 120m per second.

Suitable tasks: Metal chipping, hydraulic nailing or any mechanical procedure involving high velocity machinery.

Extra high impact (visor only) Rating requirement: Can withstand

SAFETOWORK 58 OCT-DEC 2018

THE DIFFERENCES While impact resistance is critical mine workers should also consider whether they need safety glasses, safety goggles, a face shield, or a combination of these.

Safety glasses allow air in and around the eye area while safety goggles fit tight against the face, offering protection against dust and splashes. Face shields provide further protection and can also be worn over spectacles or goggles.

In determining suitable safety eyewear, a risk assessment should be carried out by a qualified OHS professional to choose what suits each work environment.

Mine workers should also consider the type of lense, the shape of their head and if anti-fog lenses for use in humid conditions are required.

Certification to the AS/ NZS1337.1:2010 Standard means there is quality assurance that the product will perform as stated. Check safety eyewear to see if it has the Australian Standards logo, which indicates they conform to tests for impact resistance.

It is also important to consider UV protection. The sun’s ultraviolet radiation can cause a range of debilitating health conditions, from mild irritation to cataracts and cancer of the conjunctiva.

, D E E N U O ET. Y R RR .

E V E N E F O T ON IS A H W D IT RCH A N I E F ES TH

RELY ON AUSTRALIA’S MANUFACTURING, MINING AND INDUSTRIAL HUB 70,000 monthly users can’t be wrong. Find what you’re looking for with over 12,000 business listings and 8,000 specific product listings. Access relevant information and resources, empowering you to make a qualified purchase decision. You can always rely on your industry hub.

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Case study

Mastermyne’s commitment to raising safety awareness never stops SAFE TO WORK EXPLORES THE INITIATIVES THAT HAVE HELPED IMPROVE THE SAFETY PERFORMANCE OF THE MINING CONTRACTOR OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.

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astermyne has taken a relentless approach to improving safety.

The mining services company’s passion for keeping people safe is communicated through the core value of: Safety always – we are trained and competent to look after our environment, our workmates and ourselves, to ensure we all safely return to family and friends every day.

Mastermyne’s management and employees work hand-in-hand to actively improve safety. After a rise in incidents recorded during January 2015, Mastermyne embarked on a

journey to improve the safety mindset of its workforce.

The mining services company had already come a long way on this journey, starting with business compliance to the risk-based legislation, development and implementation of safety management system and tools, followed by compliance management of the number and quality of the tools used.

Implementing a system to ensure compliance to safety procedures and processes resulted in an improvement in performance for most of the 2016 financial year.

However, once momentum wore off

Mastermyne MD Tony Caruso (middle) with two co-workers.

SAFETOWORK 60 OCT-DEC 2018

and the system became business-asusual, safety performance started to trend the wrong way.

Mastermyne’s managing director Tony Caruso said the company’s safety performance was not improving at the start of the 2017 financial year, even though its compliance remained steadfast.

“We needed to do something different; the momentum of the focus on hazard identification and proactive indicator compliance management had plateaued,” Caruso said.

“Again this had become business-asusual. It was no longer keeping safety at

the front of mind of the workforce.”

Mastermyne’s senior leadership team tackled this issue by identifying the desired safety culture and mindset of the workforce to make all employees mindful of their own safety and that of others. The company was determined to ensure that safety was at the top of everyone’s mind.

After deciding on a path to change this mindset, Mastermyne faced the challenge of an inconsistent standard towards a positive safety culture across the entire Mastermyne Group, Caruso added.

“Some sites were more advanced on their safety journey than others and the challenge was to leverage the better performing areas of our business and use the ‘what good looks like’ approach across all of Mastermyne,” Caruso said.

Mastermyne moved its fiscal 2017 business goals away from compliance to focus on behavioural change, with its leaders agreeing on “what good looks like for a safety leader.”

The company rolled out safety leadership across the top 10 per cent of its workforce – the leaders within the business.

Mastermyne’s EGM strategy and growth David Sykes said this process delivered a consistent safety message, while exhibiting exaggerated safety behaviours.

“Levelling the playing field with this approach ensured that everyone at the company was at the same point in the safety journey,” Sykes said.

Mastermyne’s leadership then realised another strategy was required to extend the momentum into the 2018 financial year.

To achieve this, the company’s leaders asked each other: How do we continue to influence people’s attitude toward safety, and build that desired safety culture and mindset?

The senior leadership team set up a brain science project team to work out

Mastermyne EGM strategy and growth David Sykes (right) talks with a colleague.

how to move from the current mindset to the desired mindset.

Sykes said the team engaged a consultant to learn more about how the brain worked and how best to use this knowledge to enhance the mindset of the people in our business.

“We learned about how the brain interprets messages, how much the brain can manage at a time and how best to communicate the desired message,” Sykes said.

“Learning that the brain can only process five items of information at any one time and filters out what the brain determines is useless or noise … this became the basis of delivering safety messages going forward.

“We needed simple, short bursts of information, rather than lengthy presentations or communications.”

The team also learned how the brain prefers to interpret communication, what the brain wants to know and what influences the brain to drive human performance.

Mastermyne developed a safety leadership training program to train its leaders in communication and how to

exaggerate positive safety behaviours to influence a positive safety mindset.

To complement the program, a ‘call out’ campaign was introduced across the company to increase momentum and chatter around positive safety acts, further bringing the focus to the front of mind across the company.

“Leaders would initially ‘call out’ positive acts or performance by singling out individuals who had acted out the company values,” Sykes said.

“By exaggerating the behaviour it causes a ripple effect across the company. Encouraging others to act in a similar manner and support each other in positive safety performance.”

The result of the latest Mastermyne strategy to improve safety culture has the company well placed to finish the current financial year in line with the safety performance targets and sets the business up for continual improvement for future years.

The company’s improvement from a safety perspective saw it recognised as a finalist for The Safety Foremost Award at the Resource Industry Network’s (RIN) in 2018.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 61 OCT-DEC 2018

Education

Australians have a better understanding of mining’s importance to the country.

Transforming the public perception of mining WHAT DO AUSTRALIANS THINK OF THE MINING INDUSTRY IN 2018? THE MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA FINDS OUT. SAFE TO WORK REPORTS.

A

ustralian opinion towards the mining sector looks to be improving, with research showing it’s at its highest level in six years.

Independent firm JWS Research conducted the public opinion survey on behalf of the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) using a sample of 1500 Australians, while facilitating online discussion forums for regional mining communities.

Outright support for the mining industry amongst Australians came out at 46 per cent versus total opposition at 13 per cent. Total support outweighed opposition by more than three to one.

Respondents expressed three main reasons for their support.

Firstly, the Australian mining industry provides high-wage, high-skill, hightechnology jobs for Australians (with 55 per cent of respondents in agreement).

Secondly, the industry provides resources essential for modern life, technology and business in Australia (55

per cent agreement).

Finally, the industry provides almost 60 per cent of the jobs in regional communities where it operates (53 per cent agreement).

The study also revealed Australians’ strong belief in the importance of the resource industries for the nation’s future.

Views towards coal mining, iron ore, gold and uranium have significantly improved since early 2016, with net favourability having rebounded to +28 after hitting a low of +1 in February 2016.

Iron ore is viewed by 14 per cent of people as the most important source.

Both coal and battery minerals like lithium and cobalt are also perceived by 9 per cent of respondents as important.

“We welcome the strong positive support for the world-class mining sector amongst Australians,” MCA chief executive officer Tanya Constable says.

“These results show that the advocacy of the MCA, our members and other industry supporters is working to restore public support for the industry.”

SAFETOWORK 62 OCT-DEC 2018

However, the industry needs to divulge more information to the public about its positive activities, particularly in mine rehabilitation and investment in regional communities.

Despite Australia’s strong track record in these areas, many respondents believe mining companies should be repatriating land that had been mined. They should also invest in health and welfare programs, including mental health and social welfare.

The research encouraged mining companies to address public perceptions regarding its management of environmental impact, its care of employees and its distribution of wealth across the community.

“The MCA and our members will use these results in future industry communication and campaigning work, including highlighting the great work being done by Australian mining companies in responsible environmental management and health and safety,” Constable concludes.

THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY

ISSUE 1 - OCT/DEC 2018

People protection Blackwoods outlines the importance of a head-to-toe source for safety

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Workforce management

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Launched in 2018, Safe To Work provides a high-quality, multi-platform publication for the Australian mining sector, with safety as its key focus.

Safe To Work’s promotional features deliver a forum for organisations to showcase the role each aspect of safety plays in helping the industry achieve the industry’s No. 1 priority.

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Standards

New safety standards for pumps in Australia AUSTRALIAN PUMP INDUSTRIES’ MAL PATEL EXPLAINS THE CHANGING SAFETY STANDARDS FOR PUMPS, AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR MINING COMPANIES.

M

ost power equipment dealers sell or service engine drive highpressure water blasters.

Many are oblivious of the new Australian pressure cleaner Safety Standards (AS/NZS4233). The new standards will change the way people think about pressure cleaners and their legal use.

The reality is, pressure cleaners are dangerous and that even includes the toy machines available from big box hardware stores. Carelessness, negligence or even lack of proper service can result in injuries at almost any level.

In an effort to remedy this situation, the Standards Association has mandated new rules regarding the use and application of high pressure cleaning equipment. It did this by dividing machines into two classifications, “A” and “B”.

A class machines are classified as those with a pressure flow combined capability of 5600 bar litres. By that we mean pressure in bar of the machine multiplied by the litres of flow per minute.

In other words, a 20L machine with 275 bar (4000 psi) pressure rating has a bar litre rating of 5500.

It is, therefore, an A class machine and the operator does not require to be trained by a certified trainer.

On the other hand, a 23L machine

Users of pumps at mines need to check on the latest safety standard.

with a 4000 psi pump has a rating of 6325 bar litres and is a B class machine.

NEW STANDARDS … SO WHO CARES? Power equipment dealers selling and servicing this kind of equipment should care because this will affect their business.

Even A class machines require the operator to undergo training, which includes: danger awareness, site safety setup, machinery stop controls, hose and equipment inspection, and

SAFETOWORK 64 OCT-DEC 2018

personal protection equipment.

Class A machine operators are required to be trained and assessed as competent.

The standard is vague on who actually does the training and companies like Australian Pump Industries are working hard to produce documentation that enables their manuals to be used as guides for suitable training.

B CLASS OPERATORS … IT’S SERIOUS For B class operators, the standard

Australian Pump Industries is working on developing new safety kits to convert existing B class machines to A class and will have them on the market soon. requires that the operator be trained and assessed as competent, through an RTO and in accordance with the High Pressure Water Jetting Units of Competency requirements.

The operator needs to be trained and certified in the following: system operation and safety procedures, pressurised water jets and hazards, controls and safe operation, component compatibility, hose inspection and fittings, nozzle selection and operation, personal protection equipment, equipment maintenance, and body positioning.

B Class operators require ‘verification of competency’ or refresher training at intervals not exceeding two years. The standards are requirements, not advice. They need to be taken seriously.

Operators caught breaking the rules ultimately run the risk of being fined for negligence in the event of anybody being injured on a construction site, farm or any workplace.

A SOLUTION Smart operators know sooner or later these rules will be enforced.

Australian Pump Industries is

focused on a solution for operators of high pressure equipment that are operating on the border between A and B class machines.

The solution is to change out pump equipment effectively turning B class machines into A class machines and taking off the heat.

The company has introduced a change out program and even trades B class pumps and gearboxes in to replace them with the company’s “Big Berty” Bertolini pump in the A class category.

Apart from that Australian Pump Industries is also producing A class machines for a wide range of applications where B class machines would have been used in the past.

For example, Aussie Pumps’ heavy duty 5000 psi Predator will soon be available as an A class machine with a 16L flow instead of a 20L flow.

Bringing the flow down by putting in a slightly smaller capacity pump but retaining the 5000 psi pressure rating, makes it legal but provides very serious capability. Thus machines can be converted of any brand of engine powered pressure cleaner from B class to A class.

Australian Pump Industries will soon be producing a 500 bar (7000 psi) 10 lpm machine that can be classified under the Standards as an A class unit.

The company stresses that the safety aspects of operating pressure cleaners are very serious.

Aussie Pumps ships machines all over the world and is conscious of the fact that in many cases they go into unsophisticated markets.

The operator manuals and machine decals are all aimed at keeping operators safe.

Even the machine’s design, the Aussie Scud, is based on a “no sharps” concept.

The machines are also equipped with Aussie ASP (Aussie Safety Protection) kits that protect both the machine and the operator from pressure spikes.

Australian Pump Industries is working on developing new safety kits to convert existing B class machines to A class and will have them on the market soon.

The company invited power equipment distributors around the country to contact them regarding the free information pack available on this serious subject.

When it comes to safety, there can be no “she’ll be right” when it comes to the use of pressure cleaners.

The company also supplies the market with PPE and recommends the use of high pressure gloves that are rated for pressure ratings of up to 500 bar (7000 psi) and should be used on all 4000 psi machines and above.

Keeping operators safe is everybody’s business.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 65 OCT-DEC 2018

Collaboration

Safety businesses to benefit from Rio Tinto initiative in the Pilbara THE MAJOR MINER PLANS TO BUILD ON ITS PRESENCE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA BY SUPPORTING BUSINESSES IN THE PILBARA.

R

io Tinto has launched an innovative new partnership with the Regional Chambers of Commerce & Industry Western Australia (RCCIWA) to help strengthen more Pilbara businesses, including those focusing on the safety sector.

The partnership will support and enhance the capabilities of local businesses in the Karratha and the Pilbara inland regions.

Rio Tinto has started an initial 12-month program with the Karratha & Districts Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KDCCI) and the Pilbara Inland Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PICCI) to deliver the service locally.

A series of workshops and events are planned to engage local businesses and identify gaps in local capacity and capability. The partnership will work to strengthen capability and connect businesses to procurement and project opportunities.

Rio Tinto also plans to enhance its local procurement program, which was launched in 2017 to support Pilbara businesses by making it easier for them to compete for contracts.

Ivan Vella, Rio Tinto Iron Ore managing director rail, port & core services, says the company is partnering with RCCIWA because of its unique understanding of local suppliers and communities in the regions in which it operates.

“Together, we’re aiming to strengthen

and develop the capabilities of local businesses in the Pilbara to improve their chances of securing work from Rio Tinto,” Vella says.

“Rio Tinto is committed to supporting local businesses to develop sustainably and to become more competitive in key areas such as safety, risk management and commercial value.

“Our iron ore business is planning to spend more than US$5 billion of replacement and sustaining capital through to 2020, providing increased opportunities for local businesses to participate in these projects.

“This new partnership is also an important enhancement of our Local Procurement Programme which is designed to boost local economies and

Rio Tinto has a long history in the Pilbara region. Copyright © 2018 Rio Tinto.

SAFETOWORK 66 OCT-DEC 2018

create jobs by progressively increasing spend with local suppliers across Western Australia.”

Rio Tinto has setup a local procurement portal as an important channel to effectively engage with local businesses. The portal showcases upcoming working seeking expressions of interest.

Rio Tinto’s commitment to local procurement adds to its presence as the region’s major iron ore miner.

The company’s Pilbara operations include an integrated network of 16 iron ore mines, four independent port terminals, a 1700km rail network and related infrastructure. They are supported by an operations centre in Perth.

Safety and functionality – two founding components of Kalgoorlie facility KONECRANES AND SANDVIK HAVE WORKED TOGETHER AT THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER’S NEW FACILITY IN THE GOLDFIELDS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

S

The Kalgoorlie facility facililityrepresentatives

andvik Mining and Rock Technology’s new, permanent Kalgoorlie facility delivers advanced safety and efficiency in the form of a five-tonne Konecranes lifting crane.

The improved system that Sandvik and Konecranes have built together enhances workers’ productivity and safety upon performing warehouse processes.

Konecranes’ CXT crane was built with high-quality components, precise manufacturing and years of experience, helping Sandvik reach its ambition to serve the market with high service quality within a safe working environment.

The crane will perform essential maintenance and workshop tasks – such as safety-focused activities – in the new facility. It will lift mining machinery

components such as gearboxes and engines to a range of underground and surface mining machinery, like loaders and drills.

Hoffie Van Huyssteen, Sandvik’s customer service centre manager in Kalgoorlie, says he was impressed by Konecranes’ exceptional communication and organisation throughout the whole process.

“The commissioning of the new crane, which included runway installation, went so smoothly and self-sufficiently that I could devote my time elsewhere,” he says.

DESIGNED WITH DETAIL Sandvik uses the latest CXT wire rope hoists to lift mining machinery components and engines for a range of underground and surface mining

machinery in the Kalgoorlie facility.

The wire rope hoists come with an option to adjust speed ranges according to weight or lifting task. For example, it allows slow speeds in moment of load lift-off and lowering, and even slower speeds in heavy to very heavy lifting.

Depending on the model, CXT has a capacity to lift up to 80 metric tons.

Konecranes designed, manufactured and assembled all the key components themselves to ensure the hoist promote the highest safety and durability.

The ropes’ lifetime is also extended by as much as 40 per cent, owing to a new rope reeving system, which provides great savings on maintenance costs.

Van Huyssteen says, “With Konecranes products, safety is built into the design. Konecranes perform inspections on a range of our other hoists and lifting equipment, so we were confident that the professionalism and after-market service would be outstanding – and they certainly delivered.”

Managers can further plan budgets for maintenance and expansion ahead of time due to the capability of CXT’s Truconnect remote monitoring and reporting service.

It uses sensor technology that continuously collects and provides information on the lifecycle of crane components in real time. This means that crane maintenance can be planned according to the crane’s actual usage.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 67 OCT-DEC 2018

Mining equipment

Sandvik loader promises safer operation for underground mining THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER HAS FOCUSED ON ADDING SAFETY BENEFITS FOR OPERATORS WITH UNDERGROUND MACHINES. SAFE TO WORK WRITES.

S

andvik Mining and Rock Technology’s latest underground loader, the Sandvik LH517i, promises to bring a raft of improvements for operators, including increased safety and comfort.

The Swedish manufacturer has improved the size, visibility and ergonomics of the operator’s cabin to reduce fatigue and improve well-being.

“The increased focus on operator comfort in the new Sandvik LH517i emphasises Sandvik Product Area Load and Haul’s interest towards operator well-being and reduction of fatigue in underground operations,” says Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology product line manager Olli Karlsson.

The loader is designed to complement Sandvik’s TH551i truck in terms of payload and overall design.

Sandvik’s first i-series loader was designed in response to 240 customer suggestions collected in customer forums that took place in Australia during 2015.

It used the data to reduce the operating cost of the product through smarter placement of key service areas, while also considering the safety and working comfort of the service team.

Mining contractor Barminco, was particularly vocal as to the machine’s improvements.

Barminco Australia general manager

plant, Peter Campain, says Sandvik has taken the majority of the customer suggestions from the forum and added them to the LH517i.

“The Sandvik LH517i continues to improve the maintainability and reliability of the loader and reflects the design philosophy used in the Sandvik TH663 truck which has given us great service,” Campain says.

The loader is technologically advanced, making use of intelligent systems for improved connectivity, troubleshooting and system monitoring.

“It highlights Sandvik’s desire to be the technology leader in the industry with smart and flexible digitalised solutions for new generation of mining,” says Karlsson.

“We have aimed to reduce the total cost of ownership by improving equipment maintainability and

component lifetime.”

Sandvik has matched the LH517i with the TH551i truck, considering their designed payload capacities.

The Sandvik LH517i features the latest Sandvik Intelligent Control System and My Sandvik Digital Services Knowledge Box TM on-board hardware as standard for product health monitoring and faster trouble-shooting.

Sandvik has taken flexibility for customers interested in tele-remote or full automation into account by having the unit ready for automation.

Karlsson says the introduction of the LH517i will lead the way for the intelligent loader range.

“It highlights Sandvik’s desire to be the technology leader in the industry with smart and flexible digitalised solutions for new generation of mining,” Karlsson says.

The LH517i, a new release from Sandvik.

SAFETOWORK 68 OCT-DEC 2018

Mining technology in development to improve underground safety UNDERGROUND MINING HAS ITS SAFETY RISKS, BUT A NEW TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP AIMS TO REDUCE THESE FROM AN EQUIPMENT PERSPECTIVE. SAFE TO WORK WRITES.

C

aterpillar and Newmont Mining have formed a technology collaboration to improve autonomous vehicles for underground hard rock mining.

The companies will be supported

by United States-based Cat dealer, Cashman, and will develop Cat’s semiautonomous MineStar-based Command for underground system for a start.

“Automating underground loaders enables machine operators to work safely and efficiently from a control room on the surface,” says Graden Colby, underground operations manager at the Leeville goldmine in Nevada.

“In addition to enhancing safety, the semi-autonomous system increases loader utilisation, improves productivity

and allows one operator to control two or more machines.”

The collaboration will see Newmont and Cat test and validate new features, improving existing systems and sharing information to help further Cat’s automation strategy.

The agreement is designed to allow for rapid implementation and replication across all of Newmont’s gold mines through Caterpillar’s global network of dealers.

Newmont is the largest user of the company’s underground automation tech in the western world.

“Through our shared vision with Caterpillar and Cashman — along with senior management commitment — we are tackling a new frontier in mining to

Loader operators in a control room.

SAFETOWORK 69 OCTOBER 2018

improve safety, productivity and costs,” says David Thornton, general manager of Newmont’s Carlin underground operations.

Improving underground safety is a constant priority around the world.

In South Africa, 995 miners were trapped underground last February.

Seven miners also died at SibanyeStillwater’s Masakhane gold mine after being trapped underground for two days last May. Geophysicist Michael Van Schoor says, “Managing health and safety risk in a mine requires real-time monitoring and quantification of the underground hazards and the exposure of personnel and equipment to such hazards.”

Three technologies have been announced by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to assist underground mine activities.

Firstly, the ‘Monster’ is a robot platform that identifies and assesses risks in underground mines without having human presence in potentially dangerous areas.

Secondly, the ‘RockPulse’ is a monitoring device that provides early warning for small seismic activity.

Thirdly, the ‘Glass Rock’ is a prototype device that enables miners to see through rock faces, designed to prevent underground collisions with reefs, among others.

Events CONFERENCES, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS EVENT SUBMISSIONS CAN BE EMAILED TO EDITOR@SAFETOWORK.COM.AU

PROSPECT AWARDS, SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND, SYDNEY, OCTOBER 18 Celebrating its 15th year in October, the Australian Mining Prospect Awards has firmly established itself as one of Australia’s premier mining industry events. Previous winners have included a large range of companies, from SMEs and safety-focused companies to the industry’s biggest hitters, such as BGC Contracting and Roy Hill.

• prospectawards.com.au

EtherCAT Seminar Series 2018, AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND, OCTOBER 19-26 Industrial Ethernet and EtherCAT in particular are hot topics in the global automation industry: Traditional fieldbus systems are showing their limitations today as new technologies are appearing that provide more performance and support for Internet protocols. Automation system users have to decide if, when and how to adopt these next generation networks.

Attendees will experience expert presentations from the EtherCAT Technology Group, as well as on-site networking and discussion opportunities with the experts.

• ethercat.org/en/events_2018.htm

MININGTECH AUSTRALIA, GOLD COAST, OCTOBER 25-26 With an improved outlook for the global mining industry, there is a growing demand for new technological innovations to improve processes and efficiency in mining.

On the back of this improved regulatory climate and the optimism in commodities, the team behind Mining Investment Conference offers the latest MiningTech Australia Conference. The event will include more than 250 global attendees from more than 15 countries.

• miningtechaustralia.com

IMARC 2018, MELBOURNE, OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1 The International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) has become Australia’s largest mining conference that connects global mining leaders with technology, finance and the future. The conference is bringing together over 5000 decision makers, mining leaders, policy makers, investors, commodity buyers, technical experts, innovators and educators from over 90 countries. The IMARC 2018 program covers all aspects of mining, from exploration to investment, production to optimisation through to new technologies.

The IMARC 2018 will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre again in 2018.

• imarcmelbourne.com/

SAFETOWORK 70 AUGUST 2018

STRATEGIC MINE PLANNING WITH NEW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, PERTH, NOVEMBER 12-14 This AusIMM course is designed for mining engineers, mine planners, mine geologists, project managers, resource analysts, involved in feasibility studies, development and operations, interested in new technologies for risk management and optimal decision support.

• ausimm.com.au/content/default. aspx?ID=279

AUSTMINE 2019: MINING INNOVATION: THE NEXT HORIZON, BRISBANE, MAY 21-23 2019 Austmine is taking its biennial conference to Brisbane in 2019. The event will continue to feature the best in innovation from around the world. Over the course of three days there will be workshops, presentations, case studies, networking and Austmine’s mining industry awards. The comprehensive program features a high calibre selection of international and Australian speakers, paired with first-class and innovative content. The exhibition will present a stellar display of technology, services and solutions that can be discussed in a face-to-face environment.

• austmineconference.com.au/

NOMINATIONS NOW

OPEN For more information, please go to

www.prospectawards.com.au Sponsors

Science.

Applied to Life.™

Breathe Confidently With The Perfect Seal Tight-fitting respirators can only provide protection if they fit correctly, so fit-testing each employee is critical. A good fit means the respirator will seal to your skin, so that air can pass through the filter before reaching you. When the mask isn’t properly fitted or the seal is compromised, the air will take the path of least resistance and go around the respirator rather than through – reducing respiratory protection.

To find out how you can be fit tested visit www.3M.com.au/ppesafety © 3M 2018.

#3MScienceOfSafety AV011467477