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Improved visibilityAggregate Industries in the UK initiated a ‘Go look and see’ programme to improve safety poor visibility during the winter with tasks carried out at the end of shifts. Even with adequate yard lighting, shadows were often cast - making it difficult to see operators checking fixed and mobile plant. Hand torches, were used but were often lost or damaged and the solution was issuing site staff with head lamps. The head lamps have two settings - red light is used when employees are walking around the quarry site and white light is used when greater visibility is required for carrying out maintenance tasks on-site. The head lamps also mean an operator has two hands available to carry out the maintenance. The Lee Moor Quarry in Devon also had a serious problem with poor visibility due to misty or foggy weather. Now all its site vehicles are fitted with reversing cameras, and client vehicles that don’t have cameras fitted are loaned a portable, colour, reversing camera, which can be fitted within five minutes. The loan equipment monitor has a suction pad that sticks to the side window of the visiting truck, and a magnetic rear camera, which attaches to a part of the rear frame. A cable clips along the body to the monitor, powered by the vehicle’s 12 volt cigarette lighter. Induction initiativesBefore any contractor is given authorisation to drive into the Aggregate Industries’ Glensanda Quarry in Argyll they must undergo a driving course with practical assessment as part of the site’s induction process. This course is designed to familiarise them with the features of the site, the hazards associated and vehicle rules and ensures that all drivers on site operate at the same standard. The course involves refuelling and defect reporting, hazardous areas, and road layouts and gradients. The practical assessment not only tests contractors’ knowledge of rules and procedures and familiarises them with the site, but serves to identify areas of concern regarding their driving skills. Colchester Quarry has a cluster of operations that rely heavily on contractor companies for support and it was decided to supply them with a simple emergency contact and procedure card, in addition to the comprehensive inductions, competencies and systems in place, The card contains important contact numbers and guidance in the event of an unplanned incident. In this way, precious time will be saved and the appropriate counter measure implemented. Previously, the induction process at Ivonbrook Quarry, Derbyshire had been time consuming and complicated, and not all site personnel felt confident enough to deliver all aspects of the induction and consequently new staff and visitors received different qualities of inductions depending on the presenter. The site supervisor recommended that an induction DVD would help resolve this issue and suggested different chapters so that a contractor could view the section relevant to them. Staff scripted, filmed, acted and produced the induction sections for the DVD that incorporates film and still photography. A multiple-choice questionnaire ensures that all contractors have understood the contents. The DVD was so well-received by contractors that similar DVDs were developed for other company sites. Management at Express Asphalt in Leicestershire noticed that most serious site incidents involved injuries to customers. To get their compliance site rules across, management commissioned an illustrator to represent the generic site rules as a series of pictures. These cards, which communicate with customers in a visual way, are signed by every customer who collects from an Express Asphalt site, and also form the basis of disciplinary action for those who do not follow the rules. Mobile plant controlManagement at the Kings Lynn Quarry in Norfolk was concerned over the control of mobile plant keys. Initially, a key cabinet was installed as a control point for the keys but it proved difficult to manage as there were too many drivers involved in using the same piece of mobile plant. The solution was a driver identification system called ‘didBOX’ now installed on all front end loaders on the site. Each authorised driver is issued with a key fob programmed with their identification number and the category of vehicle that they are allowed to drive. The system limits access to approved drivers and records usage by operator, date and time. Blashford Quarry in Hampshire uses a radio frequency identification (RFID) to control operations of its mobile plant. The automated engine management and data logging system is located behind the seat of the operator and will only allow plant to start when it detects the presence of authorised operators, who must wearing an ID tag. The system is also capable of setting restricted operating times so that plant cannot start outside permitted hours. If the machine is left idling for five minutes the RFID system will also shut it down, saving fuel and preventing unauthorised use. The system also monitors start up and shut down times, fuel use and records the time the engine is idling or in use.
Q&M Vol.7 No.2 April-May 2010 |