Designing a 'jail brake' at Greenbushes

At Monadelphous, we work with product and equipment from all over the world. Across borders, there can be differences in industry standards and ways of working, so we can never assume that all international goods will be delivered according to Australian industry norms and safety requirements.

This came into play in the early stages of mobilisation at Greenbushes Chemical Grade Plant 3 (CGP3), when the team identified that the shipping racks from China were stacked in such a way that there was a potential for uncontrolled energy and falling objects when releasing the shipping lashings.

Unable to ascertain whether the tie down straps used to secure the steel during the shipping voyage were to Australian or International standards, unloading the steel was deemed a high-risk task.

Our engineering construction team used a systematic checklist to identify the right method to safely pull the load apart and concluded they needed an engineered barrier to protect our people from the risk of uncontrolled energy and falling objects. 

That engineered barrier solution was the Jail Break, designed to barricade the load during unlashing while allowing the worker access to release the tension straps. Continuing to secure the load behind the barrier protects the crew in the event of the load falling or shifting unexpectedly. 

Trials of the Jail Break made from recycled steel from site were a great success, allowing for easy transport and application with either a crane, telehandler or forklift. Most importantly, this practical solution addressed one of our Life Saving Rules – engineered control for falling object prevention and unforseen uncontrolled energy.

Well done to the EC team at Greenbushes who have been nominated for the 2023-2024 Monadelphous Managing Director's Safety Innovation Award.