Underground Mining Safety: 6 Important Things to Look for in Handrails

Underground Mining Safety: 6 Important Things to Look for in Handrails

How optimized is your workplace for safety? Are you so particular that even your handrails are secured and regularly checked?

Underground mining safety should always be top of your priority. Fall accidents can be completely avoided if you will be faithful in ensuring that all your equipment is 100% safe for use. Of the many safety protocols that you can deploy, the utilization of intelligently-designed handrails can ensure this. A well-placed handrail on your machinery can spell the difference between life and death in case of a fall accident. Hence, it should always be your no. 1 priority to have all your mobile machinery duly equipped with handrails. This post is for you if you have yet to fully zone in on this safety factor. This post is also perfect for you if you’re looking to replace your current safety handrails. In this post, we will discuss the importance of safety handrails. To help you further, we will also enlist the six important things to secure when it comes to handrails.

What is a safety handrail?

A safety handrail is a fixed rail placed on walls, equipment, and machinery that people can hold on to for safety and support. It secures safe work on elevated spaces.

 

Why are safety handrails important?

Safety handrails are highly important due to the following reasons:

a. Work safety – safety handrails secure that all individuals are fully supported and provided means to move freely and work smoothly at all times. It gives all individuals the confidence and liberty to move about as they know that they can easily hold onto safety handrails at any given time.

b. Work efficiency – everyone gets to work smoothly and confidently as all tasks are deployed safely and efficiently.

c. Smooth workflow – daily operational efficiency is achieved. Hence, workflow is continuous with no delays or task blockage.

6 Important Things to Look for in Handrails

Take note of the following factors when planning for placement and replacement of safety handrails:

Factor #1: Hinge Points

It’s best for safety handrails to have optimized hinge points. As much as possible, you should aim for safety handrails with low hinge points. Ones with low hinge points are best because the design will allow for handrails to lay flat when not used. Such a position is ideal for unused safety handrails because they get protected from rockfalls and wipe-outs. Such protection ensures that you get to use your safety handrails for years to come. You should make it a point to look for safety handrails with versatile designs.

Factor #2: Hinge Mechanism

Apart from hinge placement, you should also be extra particular when it comes to hinge mechanism. As much as possible, you should make it a point to look for safety handrails with optimized hinge design. A good example of such are Sandvik parts engineered by Bendtech. Such handrails come with a unique kick-latch design that enables individuals to use their feet when engaging with a handrail’s folding feature. Such a mechanism removes the need for operators or individuals to bend down while working. This significantly improves the level of safety during work. 

Factor #3: Design Optimization

You should also closely check out the overall design of your safety handrails. It should have an optimized layout design that can smoothly allow for easy all-around work. As much as possible, you should look for handrails with covered gaps. All handrail gaps should be duly covered by fold-out handrail gates and extensions to ensure that all individuals can freely move about and deploy tasks while being fully protected. An optimized design will allow operators and individuals to confidently move in different positions across the deck without having to worry about their safety.   

Factor #4: Material

Safety handrails should be made of premium durable material. When planning and designing safety handrails, always aim for ones made of stainless steel. A stainless steel handrail will ensure that there will be no need for replacement for years to come. Do note that it’s best if the hinges of your safety handrails are also made of stainless steel. Always keep in mind that your safety handrails will be exposed to strong levels of varying force and different outdoor elements. Hence, it should be made up of non-corrosive material that can support long-lasting function.

Factor #5: Replacement

Underground mining work is intense. So much so that it’s normal for you to expect machinery and tool wear and tear day in and day out. This is why regular maintenance and safety optimization is highly advised. This is something that you should also keep in mind when it comes to safety handrails. Your safety handrails should be designed and optimized in such a way that they are very easy to maintain and replaced if need be.

Factor #6: Local Supply

Lastly, you should ensure that your safety handrails and everything that it is made up of, are locally available. It should always be easy for you to order parts or full replacements in case the need arises. Do keep in mind that no work can efficiently proceed if safety is not secured. No workplace can function fully well if one or some of its parts are not 100% safe and accident-proof. To avoid long delays and operational blockages, opt for safety handrails that are easily available in your locality.

 

About Author:

I am Thomas Britto here to share my experiences in the civil engineering field to all my readers.Today many students are struggling to buy books at high prices. So I decided to start a blog and share my experience and knowledge with all my readers.

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