Sep 30 2009
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has refined its recommendations on plant safety into a best practice and hopes the voluntary code will not only help its members prevent accidents, but will also benefit construction and civil engineering companies.
The Safer by Design guide will be launched at the Association's safety awards next month and covers machines from dump trucks and dozers to excavators and crushers, with recommendations in areas such as access and egress, visibility, maintenance and environmental welfare. While accepting that many of the recommendations will be met by distributors retrofitting equipment, Martin Isles, the MPA's director of health and safety, hopes the manufacturers will consider its findings in future designs.
Isles said some existing machinery has fuel fillers, greasing systems and fluid checks in high and inaccessible places and he wants these activities done from ground level. "Then there's nowhere to fall," he said.
Recommendations include having a solid bottom step no higher than 300mm from ground level and "boxing rings" around the engine covers of excavators to prevent fitters falling off, as well as improved access lighting and guardrails, visibility aids and easier access for daily checks and routine cleaning tasks. "We worked with plant manufacturers on these recommendations and would like to think they will give them consideration during the design stage, which could make machines safer for everyone," he said.
Isles stressed that adopting the recommendations (available through www.Safequarry.com) was not a pre-condition of MPA membership. However, he feels manufacturers that do consider and incorporate some of its recommendations could benefit as companies across the world in the extractive industries and beyond strive to reduce accidents.
Source: http://www.mineralproducts.org/