Kestrel Mine develops conveyor roller replacement tool

Maehe Austin and Peter O’Brien, who work at Rio Tinto’s Kestrel mine, saw the need for a new tool after changing over 30 conveyor belt rollers in one day.
“Changing rollers the old way is a difficult task, requiring two people and an array of tools including chain blocks, drill steels, roof bolts and crow bars,” said Mr Austen. “One person must get down on all fours, or lie down in mud or dust under the conveyor belt.
“It’s a time consuming, inefficient and non-productive process, with significant health and safety issues.”
The latter include the need for maintenance staff to work under suspended loads, at pinch points or in the line of fire, all the while risking back strains from twisting and bending in awkward, cramped spaces.
The new tool - dubbed, not surprisingly, the Conveyor Belt Roller Replacement Tool - allows one person to change a roller, without needing to get underneath the conveyor.
“We’ve designed our tool to be lightweight and easy to use,” said Mr O’Brien. “It’s safer and reduces the time taken to change a roller, which means increased production for the mine.
“We went through 18 months of testing and took feedback from the workforce to get the final design right. The tool is being used by infrastructure and outbye maintenance crews at Kestrel Mine, and is easily transferable to other operations.”
In late August, the Kestrel Mine won the People’s Choice Award for safety innovation at the annual Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference.
Kestrel Mine acting general manager John Coughlan said the win reflected the company’s ongoing commitment to health and safety.
“Rio Tinto Coal Australia is continually working to improve safety and actively encourages innovation to pursue its goal of zero harm,” said Mr Coughlan.
“I’d like to congratulate the two Kestrel Mine employees, Maehe Austin and Peter O’Brien, who designed this new tool.
“They identified the need for a simpler and safer way to replace rollers, and came up with a solution that not only reduces the risk of injury but is also quicker.”
Maehe Austin has been recognized previously for another safety innovation. Along with his wife Debra, he developed Austin’s Support & Equipment (ASE) Vest. This is a solution to traditional miners’ belts which focus the considerable weight of cap lamp, PED, self-rescuer, tools and gas monitoring equipment on to a miner’s lower back.
Instead, the ASE vest, designed with chiropractic input, spreads the burden over the miner’s chest, hips, shoulder and back.
Contact: charles.macdonald@informa.com.au