MINING EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY

A long-haul battle has produced superior equipment for the mining and quarrying industry. Tough alloys form the base infrastructure of the gear, with bleeding-edge engineering plastic layered on top to absorb the impact of rough-edged rocks and ore-laden aggregate streams. Mining equipment maintenance and safety, not surprisingly, is a major concern within this devilishly tough environment, for no other industry has such an intimate relationship with nature, one that embraces the dirt and grime that lays below us.

MAINTENANCE BLUES AND THE SOLUTIONS

In taking a virtual excursion through a modern mining complex, electricity can be heard above the conveyors and screening machinery. It buzzes as it flows through lighting cables and the armoured conduits that feed vibratory motors, but there’s water everywhere, a hazard for sure. The mining equipment that runs on high torque motors turns moving parts all day and night, doing so while clouds of dust circle around lubricated bearings. No, this would quickly become an untenable situation without a dedicated maintenance program. Equipment maintenance guards against the general wear-and-tear issues that shorten the lifespan of critical parts, the screens and conveyance components that experience the full abrasive impact of geological matter. Once spotted, the worn parts can be replaced before they cause expensive downtime. Similarly, the lubricated moving parts and cable sheaths of electric cables are inspected periodically to ensure they remain viable.

SAFETY SOLUTIONS FOR DYNAMIC AND DIRTY ENVIRONMENTS

A mine, whether subterranean in nature or located above ground, is a fast moving complex, one filled with dangerous machinery. Now, mining equipment maintenance and safety may seem to focus primarily on the maintenance part of the problem, but safety concerns must always receive at least as much attention because human life is everything. Productivity and environmental stewardship also rule the mining domain but, again, safety tops every priority list. As such, every machine must be operated in accordance with national and international safety guidelines. The gear, when mandated, has to be fitted with safety guards and warning signs, and continual training practices will keep mining staff aware of these safety provisions.

An entire batch of articles can be dedicated to the safety question within a mine, to keeping workers out of harm’s way within what is, by its very nature, an inhospitable working environment. But, on remembering that we’ve paired mining equipment maintenance and safety together, those hazards are dramatically blunted when a maintenance strategy is implemented, simply because this sensible practice detects safety threats before they cause harm.

Screening Technology Pty Ltd T/AS Hawk Machinery

Address: 7 Lantana St Blackburn North Vic 3130
Contact Person: Bohdan Blaszczyk
Phone: +61 3 9877 7777
Fax: +61 3 9877 8177
Mobile: 0411 099 989

Email: info@hawkmachinery.com.au

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