The Western Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy recognised safety initiatives in the resources sector at the fifth annual CME Safety and Health Innovation Awards presented in Perth last night. Winners were chosen from 32 submissions across three categories – engineering, systems and people. Improved crusher maintenance Macmahon Holdings took the gong in the systems category for its crusher-maintenance work-safety system. The system is an integrated suite of fit-for-purpose equipment and procedures enabling enhanced crusher-maintenance safety. CME said the most innovative aspect of the initiative was in its recognition that a major maintenance function – such as a crusher shutdown – was best viewed from a safety-and-health perspective as a single event, rather than a series of discrete operations. Safe shotcreting Argyle diamond mine took out the engineering category with its underground agitator trucks submission. The purpose-built truck fleet was designed after safety problems were identified with the use of conventional trucks to delivering shotcrete at Argyle’s underground development. Argyle’s new agitator trucks eliminate hazardous parking and braking problems at the point of shotcrete delivery. Wrist relief The winner in the people category, Alcoa World Alumina, was recognised for its worker-friendly dust-busting tool. Its element remover for dust collectors was designed by shopfloor employees and effectively eliminates elements without straining workers’ wrists. The innovation is transferable to other similar applications. Highly commended Iluka Resources was highly commended for its shell fan-removal cradle, an innovation allowing a shell fan to be removed without having to walk onto the kiln. Also highly commended was Rio Tinto Dampier Salt’s manual tyre handler, a system that takes the difficulty out of moving wheel assemblies and tyre changes.
