DESCRIPTION
Judging the correct height of edge protection for mobile plant can often be subjective. At Sibelco’s Dingle Bank Quarry the edge protection on the haul road needed frequent repairs due to weathering. An audit of the edge protection had revealed significant variances in its height and individuals using a range of adhoc measures for checking it. Whilst wanting to ensure that all the edging was at the correct height, they did not want operators or others carrying around measuring sticks or having to jump in and out of cabs to check edging heights.
D Wardle Plant, who provided the earth work services at the site, operated a fleet of eight articulated dump trucks (ADTs). They devised a simple and easy means of ensuring the correct height of edge protection for the fleet. All ADT’s were fitted with a simple marker sticker which provided a visual guide to the minimum height for the edge protection. This quick, easy and visual reckoner removed any doubt about whether the edge protection met the minimum height.
A training campaign on edge protection was also introduced. This included a toolbox talk to all ADT drivers. Edge protection was also made a discussion point in each daily pre-start briefing. The campaign was supported by the management of Sibelco and D. Wardle, who ensured that the safety messages on edge protection were communicated to everyone working on the site.
D Wardle Plant have now implemented the vehicle sticker and training programme across the sites they operate within Sibelco and at other client's quarrying and construction sites.
BENEFITS
- Simple, visual marker to confirm edging meets standard
- Easy to adopt on other sites or with different operators
- ADT drivers have confidence to report concerns over edge protection
- Low cost system to implement
- Safer operation for ADT drivers and others.