FINALIST - Safer maintenance
Over recent years, a Martin Engineering technician has visited Singleton Birch’s lime works in Lincolnshire to service 75+ conveyor belt cleaners over a few days each month. This involves manual inspection of every cleaner to ensure they are doing the job of preventing material carry-back, spillage and build-up.
Historically, the only way the technician could identify what maintenance was needed was to physically go to each belt cleaner location, involving all LOTOTO procedures, removal of guarding and – where necessary – following the RAMS for confined spaces, working at height, etc.
Each conveyor presents significant hazards such as entrapment, working at height, working in confined spaces, exposure to fugitive dust and slips and trips. These are documented on RA and SSOW, requiring permits to be issued and the conveyors to be isolated to allow safe servicing.
Martin Engineering embarked on a programme to explore whether this common task could be made safer and more efficient through the application of technology.
Please watch the video to see its solution.