Australasian Mining Review
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/37922
110 Fall prevention for the mining industry ground. Specialised fall protection equipment has been developed to keep mining workers as safe as possible when maintaining heavy duty transportation equipment such as loaders, trucks and other machinery. A safe servicing program not only maximises workers’ personal safety but it saves the company money in the long run: well maintained equipment works better and lasts for longer. T A large amount of heavy duty machinery and equipment is on site at every mine location, all of which requires regular servicing. It’s important to remember that a person can always fall through a gap or trip over awkward equipment even if they are not working at a great height. Before maintaining mining equipment, the potential hazards involved need to be identifi ed, assessed, evaluated and then controlled accordingly. A site specifi c fall protection plan will help to minimise risks. This might include identifying what potential hazards are involved with the task, and what fall protection equipment is necessary. Relevant training in the use of the equipment is also required by a competent person. Workers need to ensure they maintain connection to a safety system at all times that they are off the ground. There is no such thing as a safe distance to fall. The secure anchorage must be strong enough to hold the weight of the family car, equal to at least 15 kN (1500kg) for a single person. A properly fi tted and secured harness is the best form of protection for any work situation where a worker can trip or fall – mining belts are not recognised as legitimate forms of fall protection devices. For mining, the A,B,C,D of personal fall protection applies to all workplace situations, whether above or below the ground. This includes: A: Anchorage. This provides a secure attachment point to an existing structure for the fall arrest system that’s attached to the worker. Modern anchorage devices can be permanent or temporary to suit each work situation and maximise the worker’s effi ciency between jobs. B: Body Support. Full body harnesses connect the worker to the fall arrest system. They are specially by Leonardo Di Coio www.capitalsafety.com [Fall Prevention] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ he mining industry faces many complex challenges when endeavouring to keep its workers safe. Day to day activities straddle varied roles and volatile environments, both above and below designed to protect him from falling or to minimise the fall distance, thereby protecting him from injury. Again, it’s important to remember that a fall as short as one metre can sustain serious injuries. C: Connectors. These are single or multiple devices that connect the harness to the anchorage system. D: Descent/rescue: These systems allow the rescue of an injured or incapacitated worker without endangering others in the process. Every mining site’s operations require their own unique full review depending on their existing equipment and industry variables. This should take into account the types and sizes of equipment regularly requiring building or repair, and also the ideal work method to be used to meet the company’s needs in terms of size, location and portability. When it comes to safety, prevention should always be better than cure. Compensation claims and lawsuits can be protracted and costly for companies, not to mention workers sustaining long term or fatal injuries as a result of a fall. Application specifi c engineered solutions are available from Capital Safety for all mining worksite situations.