‘Claim to frame’ at the Gladstone Workshop

The team at the Gladstone Workshop have the innovation mindset, coming out with two simple safety innovations in the past month. 

The workshop houses a range of heavy equipment that needs to be transported around the site to support different activities. The gouging machine for example, is needed for many tasks related to welding, particularly when the operator needs to remove large amounts of metal or welds. It weighs in at around 55kg and requires a two person lift to safely put it on a pallet jack or portable trolley to move it around the workshop. 

An opportunity for improvement was identified to fabricate a custom transport frame. The frame was designed with wheels and a handle so the machine can be easily moved around, with side attachments for easy cable management. 

Feeling inspired, the team then turned their attention to the hydraulic rams and pumps. Each ram weighs about 120kg and are needed at various work fronts. The rams and pumps were previously stored on a portable trolley which was moved around the work fronts to prevent manual handling injuries. With the development of another custom transport frame, both the rams and pump can be stored together, making it more efficient and secure to move around. 

These one-of-a-kind frames have significantly reduced the likelihood of musculoskeletal injuries that are often caused by manual handling, and increased efficiency within the workshop. A cost-efficient solution to transporting heavy equipment, the custom frames can be easily replicated throughout our operations, improving safety across the board. 

Well done to the Gladstone Workshop team and congratulations on your nomination for the 2022/2023 Managing Directors Safety Innovation Award.