Materials handling
Conveyor safety vigilance a mining success story AS DIACON AUSTRALIA CONTINUES ITS WORK WITH AUSTRALIAN MINING COMPANIES, THERE’S A POSITIVE TREND PERMEATING THROUGH THE INDUSTRY: CONVEYOR SAFETY AWARENESS IS SKY HIGH.
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hen it comes to ensuring and progressing mine safety, Diacon Australia needs no introduction. The conveyor guard specialist has been honing its craft for more than 20 years, continually improving its product and evolving with an everadvancing sector. One of the main purposes of a conveyor guard is to protect workers, whether it be from rogue material flying off the fast-paced machinery or to prevent employees from entering the danger zone. As Diacon Australia managing director Brendan Refalo explains, given
their importance, it’s vital conveyor guards are practical to use. “Diacon Australia guarding started on a coal mine in central Queensland. It was developed due to a demand needed on site for better quality, more easily removed and replaced guards that could stand the test of time because they don’t corrode and are lightweight,” he says. “They’re important for mines, along with many other industries as well, because they are easy to use. When the conveyor is isolated, maintenance personnel can remove and replace the guards where they are supposed to be, and then lock them in place.”
The industry has never been more vigilant in addressing conveyor safety.
SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 50 NOV-DEC 2021
“Just the fact that they get used and they get put back properly means that they potentially save lives.” Diacon’s product has been developed this way simply to meet the requirements of the industry. Regular customer input and feedback has been vital to how the company’s product has evolved over the years. Conveyor injuries are an all too common cause of injury on mine sites and become a major concern for employers. “If you have a look at the stats of injuries and the fatalities that have occurred relating to conveyors, it is significant,” Refalo says.
