| Innovation to prevent a fall from height |
Description
The task of changing screen meshes on the coating plant, made it necessary to open one of the stone bin hatches to gain access to the underside of the screen deck. The potential hazard created by the open hatch was spotted and reported as a Near Miss. It was recognised that any future repair work on the stone bins would also require the
hatches to be guarded.
Some form of barrier was necessary to prevent an operator from stepping into the open hatch, but due to the restricted space, it could not be a permanent fixture. As the screen deck is at the top of the coating plant mixing tower, the design would need to remain in-situ in the screen house rather than create the manual handling issue of carrying barriers up and down the plant.
A collapsible frame was designed with a hinged frame and drop-down legs. The entire frame can be folded up and secured against the wall when not in use, ensuring that the access way is not compromised during normal operation. When deployed, the upright legs swing down to support the frame and prevent access to the hatch area.
This elegant solution provides a moveable barrier, which is safely stowed in the area where it is required.
Benefits
All staff members entering the restricted area can now safely operate on the screen deck having a fixed barrier to prevent a fall from height.HIGHLY
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