Innovations to reduce airborne contaminants and train staff using virtual reality are amongst the winners of the 2016 CME Safety and Health Innovation Awards.
The Awards, now in their twelfth year, explore the use of innovative solutions to health and safety issues within the resources sector.
The aim of the awards is for the innovations developed by industry to be shared across the industry; to be used to improve safety and health by all who have similar issues on their sites.
CME Deputy Chief Executive Nicole Roocke congratulated all winners and finalists who presented their innovations during an industry forum.
“This event promotes the application and sharing of innovation across the WA resources sector, as this is essential to ensuring continuous improvement in safety and health performance,” Ms Roocke said.
“These innovations are often developed on the shop floor and championed by the people directly involved on the ground.
“Our award finalists have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving safety and health through the development of these prototypes and concepts.”
The full list of 2016 finalists can be found here.
CME Safety and Health Innovation Awards Winners
Engineering category – Karara Mining Limited
Micro-Mist Dust Suppression System for Primary Crusher Run-of-Mine Bin
Excessive dust emissions during ore-tipping operations to the primary crusher Run-of-Mine (ROM) bin was identified as a significant safety, environmental, operational and maintenance issue at Karara Mining. Karara initiated the design and installation of a bespoke micro-mist spray system to remediate issues associated with reduced visibility around the primary crusher and exposure to respirable airborne contaminants. Karara collaborated with Enviromist Pty Ltd and Bulk Materials Engineering Australia to design and implement a new, innovative and purpose-built dust suppression system. Since commissioning of the system and throughout its operation, the new micro-mist spray system has delivered on critical safety and environmental improvements including a signification reduction of dust emissions and water consumption.
Systems category – Barminco
Interactive Virtual Reality Safety Training System
As an international leader in hard rock underground mining, Barminco worked with technology specialists to develop a pioneering innovation – a portable Interactive Virtual Reality training system to assist in hazard awareness and ‘new-starter’ training. This Interactive Virtual Reality technology training tool enables the user to realistically experience the underground environment, in addition to providing an introduction to Barminco’s Start Work In Control (SWIC) safety process. The technology has the ability to introduce hazards to trainees in a realistic, first person point of view without placing them at risk. It engages the user in all levels of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning, making the experience more engaging with higher levels of knowledge retention.
People category – Rio Tinto
Improving Safety Through Breakthrough Methodology and Solutions
With a goal to reduce injuries by half, Rio Tinto’s Yandicoogina operation took a unique approach to safety improvements. Through collaboration, Rio Tinto’s diverse team members applied a ‘Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control’ Kaizen business improvement methodology, a well-proven methodology typically used for production and cost projects, to identify 20 high-risk manual handling and tooling-related activities. By challenging the status-quo, the risk for each activity was reduced by engineering innovative tooling to make the task safer, easier and more effective. As a result, the site has sustained over 12 months without any recordable hand injuries and reduced its All Injury Frequency Rate by 65 per cent. Rio Tinto acknowledges the contribution of Linkforce, Biosymm and Otraco.
Industry Choice Award – Karara Mining Limited
Micro-Mist Dust Suppression System for Primary Crusher Run-of-Mine Bin
See description above. Voted on by participants in the Innovation Awards Safety and Health Forum.
