IRIA

A confined spaces inspection robot, developed by a team of Sydney Harbour Bridge Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) employees, is designed to eliminate risks for workers and reduce the costs associated with bridge maintenance. “The Remote Control Inspector (RCI) was developed to eliminate the need for people to enter confined spaces on RMS’s network of bridges including hollow concrete and steel bridge support beams,” said an RMS spokesperson.

“On the Sydney Harbour Bridge there are 7.2 kilometres of hollow steel chambers within the arches of the bridge which crews would have to enter.” The RCI is built on the chassis of a remote control rock-scaling buggy which is designed to drive up very steep and rough terrain. It has a four-wheel drive, independent suspension and is driven via a live video feed across a long-range digital signal.

Attached to the chassis is an adventure sport wide-angle video camera to record inspection footage and guide the driving of the RCI, as well as lights, a gas monitor to alarm the operator if driven into a poisonous gas zone, a roll cage to protect the electronics and a safety line to retrieve the RCI if broken down or rolled. “The concept is similar to remote control devices used by the US military such as bomb disposal robots and drones. However, the RCI is small, light and inexpensive and can be assembled from parts available in local electronic shops,” the spokesperson said.

“While RMS has always ensured maximum safety for these inspections and only sends properly trained and accredited inspectors, the project team wanted to remove the risks altogether. Entering a typical bridge confined space, even with best practices in place, carries a risk due to falling from heights and asphyxiation. These risks led to the development of the Remote Control Inspector as users no longer need to enter the confined spaces and can operate remotely from outside the support beams and arches of bridges.

“The invention has improved the safety of the work environment for bridge inspectors. The fact there have been no RMS injuries to date in confined spaces is no reason to become complacent.

“It is also being used as a training device to encourage all RMS employees to look for ways to eliminate risk in all aspects of their work.”

The project team consulted on the prototype development with PhD students and professors from the School of Mechatronic Engineering at the University of Technology,  Sydney. The academics have been attending site visits at Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of a research grant with the target of building on the work done by the RCI project team to further develop world-leading bridge inspection robots. The invention is a finalist for the NSW WorkCover Safe Work award, the winner of the RTA Occupational Health and Safety Staff Award and was highly commended in the RTA Staff Awards for Excellence in Innovation.
Posted: Nov 21, 2011
www.safetysolutions.com.au

Continue Reading

WORKFORCE management software company ComOps says its survey has found 87 percent of managers believe the harmonisation of Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation will be a positive impact to their organisation’s overall operational sustainability in 2012.

ComOps conducted the survey at the Safety Show Sydney 2011 event. It also found 68 percent of respondents believe that the harmonisation model will achieve a true harmonisation of WHS laws in Australia for the first time while 60 percent of organisations believe that the law’s personal liability provisions will be positive to their business. The harmonisation of Australia’s WHS legislation is intended to minimise areas of risk, and implement greater accountability and visibility into workplace safety practices within organisations. A key focus of the legislation is to improve communication and implement more comprehensive reporting. Accountability is a major focus of WHS harmonisation with the new laws demanding greater visibility into WHS practices, better communication and more comprehensive reporting.
Business owners, directors and other management will find their duty of care far more tightly defined.

In light of the upcoming harmonisations laws, when asked about the three most critical factors for driving a successful WHS program today, 74 percent said that creating the right culture in the company was the most important factor while 52% indicated that having management support and participation was the second most important factor. Almost half of all respondents (48 percent) said that deploying tools throughout the entire organisation to report on hazards and incidents was the third most important factor in their current planning.

The survey found that 68 percent of participants have already prepared their processes and systems in time for the new legislation, while 18 percent believe it will take their organisation at least another six to 12 months to achieve the task. Daniel Sheahan, General Manager, ComOps, said, “During the remaining months, businesses would be well advised to audit their risk management strategy as well as revisit their existing WHS plans, and confirm that they are still appropriate and will meet the requirements of the new legislation. Harmonisation provides an excellent opportunity for organisations to strengthen their management and employees’ awareness of risk.” The ComOps survey was completed by 218 professionals, 27 percent of which represented organisations with more than 1,000 employees.
By Isaac Leung 24th November 2011 www.safetowork.com.au

Continue Reading

Around 10,000 work-related injuries were recorded in the warehousing, storage and road haulage sectors in 2005-06, according to figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It is a requirement of the HSE, as detailed in “Health & Safety in Wholesale and Retail Warehouses”, that racking and shelving storage systems must be installed, used and maintained correctly to protect against injuries. Similarly it is essential that warehouse staff work in a safe environment where equipment is regularly checked for damage and defects.

If a racking system collapses it can lead to major injury or even death. Racking is manufactured from relatively light components and consequently is susceptible to damage. Any damage to racking will reduce its loading capacity. Eventually the racking will collapse even when it is within specified safe load limits. Prevention is always better than the cure, and is less expensive. Periodic, rack safety audits make good business sense and are a critical component of every warehouse’s successful planning and operation.

In general terms, storage equipment comes in two categories, shelving and racking. Shelving is for pedestrian picking, hand-loaded applications and as such, under normal use, sustains little damage. Racking however is constantly being loaded and unloaded with mechanical handling equipment and therefore is much more susceptible to damage.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
The HSE and The Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (S.E.M.A.) give the following areas to look at for potential problems. These are divided into two distinct areas, beams and uprights:
1. Beams: a) Missing beam locks/pins
2. b) Bent/deformed beams when unloaded
3. c) Dislodged beam connectors
4. d) Damaged beam profiles.
2. Uprights: a) Front impact damage (limit 5mm)
b) Side impact damage (limit 3mm)
c) Damaged/missing braces.
d) Damaged/missing floor fixings

The limits quoted are measured by using a simple 1m long straight edge held against the racking upright. The damage/deflection is then measured in the centre of the straight edge. POTENTIAL CAUSES OF SHELVING & RACKING DAMAGE
It is essential that companies use qualified forklift truck drivers who should only be expected to work within their capabilities. Not only is it necessary to use the right type of truck intended for a particular installation, it is also important to ensure that the layout of the racking system provides good access for that vehicle with adequate aisle widths free from obstruction.

Pallets and decking can also be a potential cause of damage. Broken, or poor quality pallets can cause premature beam failure by putting outward pressure on the inside faces of the beams. Dropping heavy goods on to decking, overloading, or forcing items into place can cause them to weaken and become unstable. The decking being struck by access equipment, fork trucks and other heavy lifting equipment can cause other possible hazards.

Other rack accidents occur when the structures are not properly secured to the floor slab or when unsecured beams are dislodged. Improper loading, either by exceeding capacity constraints or not placing the pallet’s squarely on the decking can cause it to either tip off the front or back of the rack or to push another pallet off an adjacent rack in a
double-deep situation. In addition, post pallets provide a series of pointloads for which beams may not be designed.

PROTECTING RACKING
Collisions between forklifts and racking are a relatively common occurrence in a busy warehouse. Where racking is likely to be struck by vehicles it should be protected with column guards or rail systems. Semi-flexible, moulded plastic guards, such as the Sentry products, are quickly and easily attached to racking or building columns in seconds to form a protective bumper that minimises the force of fork truck collision that can damage racking frames, structural columns, vehicles and operators.
These drastically reduce the power of fork truck impact that can easily damage the structural integrity of racks and floors leading to health & safety issues and expensive repairs. They are designed to fit all standard European racking uprights and are easily fitted around the feet of racking systems and secured by Velcro straps. These products deflect any impact energy away from the racking to provide effective protection against most collision damage.

In addition to upright protection, rack-end protection, , guide rails and tunnel guards there is netting and wire mesh backing and safety signs, which include safe working load markings and maintenance signs. These are all critical items in racking safety.

MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS
When there is a high degree of activity in the warehouse, it is especially important that trained and competent rack safety personnel regularly inspect the racking system. When a forklift has struck a rack, one of the first priorities should be to identify any unsafe components in order to reduce the dangers of collapse. Specific precautions and taking damaged racking out of service immediately may be the only prudent response to prevent possible risk of injury to personnel caused by continued use of damaged racking. Rack safety is the employer’s moral responsibility and comes with substantial legal liabilities (civil and criminal).

An audit will assist in ensuring the number of incidents is kept to a minimum and it will examine the set up of the warehouse and help identify a pattern of operation that may be contributing to rack damage, or that additional training, signage, or upgraded rack protection systems are required. In addition a racking maintenance contract with a respected company, such as Dexion ensures compliance with health and safety regulations. The Workplace (Heath, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992, states: “The
workplace and the equipment, devices and systems to which the regulation applies shall be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair”.

The PUWER Regulations (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) states that audit period should not exceed 12 months. Section 5 states “…equipment to be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair” and that repairs, modifications, maintenance and servicing are restricted to competent personnel.
The contracted company will arrange for trained technicians to make an initial site visit and inspection to provide a detailed assessment of the storage system and layout. Following the visit, a report will be sent to the customer highlighting any damaged, missing or badly fitted components and detailing any replacements and repairs that need to be carried out. Such contracts not only give peace of mind to the employer but also provide a written history for Health & Safety Inspectors and Insurance Companies. They allow for continuity and help ensure that storage systems are maintained in a safe and workable condition.
www.logisticshandling.com

Continue Reading

Supply Chain News: Managing Future Logistics Operations Will Require The Ability To Navigate Through Uncharted Waters – and Simulation will be Key

Going Forward Companies Will Need To Adopt Tools Specifically Designed To Better Manage Marketplace Fluctuations in Distribution
Cliff Holste, Materials Handling Editor

With an environment of volatility and unpredictability likely to last for years, should logistics and distribution management look to greater adoption of simulation and emulation tools to cope with these dynamics?

While the current down economy drags on, the one thing we know for sure is that business conditions will improve at some point in the future as they always do. But that doesn’t necessary mean that business will return to normal, i.e., a robust job creating economy. In fact many economists say that a job growth rate that is barely enough to keep up with population growth is the “new normal”. The U.S. economy is creating jobs, but it’s doing it so slowly that, at the current pace of hiring, the unemployment rate will stay stuck at about 9% for at least five more years.

This, then, is the new normal: an economy that grows only fast enough to keep unemployment from rising, but not strong enough to create the jobs needed to bring unemployment down to the full employment level of about 6%.
As it relates to the business of supply chain logistics, Dr. Jim Tompkins of Tompkins Associates says that at one level, it’s hard to talk about a new normal because of the speed of supply chain change we have been seeing for some time.
“The new norm for the supply chain is that there is no new norm. Or, stated differently, the new norm is that the pace of change is so rapid that the new norm is that everything is changing and will continue to change,” Tompkins says. Given the high degree of uncertainty, previous forecasting models are of little value. According to Tompkins “This leads to the requirement that supply chain success will only be achieved when logistics systems have substantial flexibility and modularity.”

Another way to look at it is that companies must adapt to a permanent level of increased volatility and change. There’s a widespread sense that there will be no going back – that the landscape of business has been forever altered. Business must now expect to routinely deal with issues such as constant currency fluctuations, cautious customers, and rapid swings in the price and availability of key commodities.
For distribution operations, there are several concerns. Key among them are: what will the order fulfillment landscape look like on the recovery side, and what affect will caution and uncertainty have on buying patterns? While no one knows what all of the issues will be for sure, manufacturers & distributors can begin to speculate and get ready.

To some degree, what businesses are experiencing right now may be the best indication of what the future has in store. Many market analysts believe that consumers have changed arguing for example that many will demand a “return to simplicity.” They say that unlike consumers in previous recessions, who greeted the return of financial stability with a buying spree, current consumers entered the recession feeling bloated.

SCDigest Says:
It’s a very good bet that in order to survive in the “new normal” world of constantly changing consumer dynamics, companies will need flexible and adaptable tools that allow them to test the capabilities of their operations against forecasted flow patterns and make required adjustment ahead of the actual event.

As they regain their ability to spend, they’ll continue to buy simpler offerings with the greatest value – a pattern we are currently seeing. These same analysts also believe that for the first time in many years, consumers will choose to live below their means, or what they call “discretionary thrift.”

Though there already has been a strong trend toward risk mitigation in the general business community, logistics businesses specifically are being forced to conduct regular audits of their operations to better manage risk and resiliency of what are in effect uncharted waters.
(Distribution/Materials Handling Story Continues Below ) Testing The Water Before Jumping In with Simulation

Today, new simulation and emulation tools can evaluate alternative scenarios automatically and determine the best options. These tools provide objective, fact-based guidance to making effective manage decisions about a complex range of operational configurations, and can eliminate “subjective debates”. The following are three benefits most often cited:

Gain understanding of complex multiple variables and their impact on operations, starting simply and adding complexity as the model builds.
The ability to perform time-phased analysis, seeing, for example, a trend towards gradual but significant increases in inventory levels.
The ability to easily perform multiple “what-if” analyses and understand the impact of different operational scenarios.
With a simulation tool, a virtual model of the operation is built (whether it’s a conveyor system in a DC or a supply chain network). Rules are created that describe how the system should work. The key advantage to simulation is that demand is dynamic. It can be estimated at a daily level or it could be on a minute-by-minute basis. It is also possible to have demand or other variables populated more or less randomly over some period.

Running the simulation of a proposed operation, or an emulation of a current operation, then allows the analyst and/or logistics manager to “test” the behaviour of the operation over time, as these inputs change. It may allow bottlenecks or other glitches to be identified that may otherwise be missed. The result is better ability to understand the impact of change and volatility on proposed or current operations, what the real bottlenecks and system constraints are, and the advantages or disadvantages of applying various risk mitigation strategies.
Because logistics managers will in many cases be operating in uncharted waters, emulation tools will better enable them to do several real-time analyses:

Get a better handle on what is really happening with order volumes by type, customer, seasonality, etc.
Understand what the cost and processing times are for different picking scenarios under current and alternative practices.

Improve those practices based on analysing the data output provided
Simulate what the effect of changes in picking practices and policies would be before actual implementation
Give planners better real-time tools/data to understand how orders and materials flow through the DC and to better balance the workload for optimal results.

Today’s simulation graphics are impressive as many of the visual and functional modeling properties in the last few years have come from leveraging advances in computer gaming technology. As a result there has been dramatic improvement in the realistic behavior of material handling elements within the model. According to Matt Hobson-Rohrer, a Demo3D representative, a simulation model can be quickly developed from AutoCAD layouts for most DC material handling systems making it integral and affordable for most companies.
Another important advance in simulation technology is that data can be imported from various sources like the ERP, WMS, WCS, Item Master, and many other independent data banks. This is possible through standard interface protocols and greatly speeds-up the data entry process while eliminate manual entry errors.

Final Thoughts
It’s a very good bet that in order to survive in the “new normal” world of constantly changing consumer dynamics, companies will need flexible and adaptable tools that allow them to test the capabilities of their operations against forecasted flow patterns and make required adjustment ahead of the actual event.

Today’s simulation and emulation tools allow companies to test the performance of alternatives in a virtual environment and “see” what affect they have on system performance, yield, and cost. Going forward, simulation of logistics networks and systems may become the quintessential manage tool running in the background and automatically reporting potential trouble and suggested remedies.
www.scdigest.com

Continue Reading

By WKTV News

Continue Reading

Continue Reading

A factory worker who suffered fatal head injuries when an A-frame racking unit toppled over died accidentally, an inquest jury has found.

The jury of seven women and three men returned a unanimous verdict of accidental death yesterday following a day-and-a-half long hearing at Bradford Coroner’s Court.

The jury concluded James Murphy, 61, of School Green Avenue, Thornton, an employee at refrigeration company George Barker in Idle, was working in an area where metal racking had been moved but not bolted down, causing it to collapse.

The court heard George Barker had been issued an improvement notice by the Health and Safety Executive following Mr Murphy’s death on December 1, 2009, requiring it to carry out a risk assessment and safe system of work for the racking.

HSE inspector Morag Irwin told the court the business had gone out of its way to address issues raised by both the HSE and its own employees.

When asked by acting Bradford Coroner, Professor Paul Marks, if the tragedy was the result of a failure to bolt down the racking, she said: “It’s the immediate cause but I don’t think it can be ignored that they didn’t have the other elements in place for safety.”

The court heard Hi-Lo, part of Constructor Group UK, which had manufactured the racking, had also been served with an improvement notice by the HSE as it had not issued guidance to say it should be bolted down.

The company had subsequently written to more than 700 of its customers and indicated it would withdraw the equipment from sale.

Range Storage and Material Handling Equipment Ltd, which sold the racking to George Barker, received a prohibition notice after the HSE found it had also failed to issue customers with instructions to bolt the racking to the floor.

David Pattison, the company’s chairman and managing director, said it had sold more than 30 of the racks to George Barker but had not been employed to install them.

He described George Barker as “health and safety orientated company” and said his employees had visited four or five times over the past ten years to check the racking. Mr Pattison said when bolted down, the racking was capable of holding 1,250kg, but otherwise only 38kgs.

The jury heard William Moutrie, a HSE engineer who had examined the scene of the accident, discovered the racking had not been secured to the floor and concluded there was no other reason for its collapse.

After the hearing, Mr Murphy’s wife Susan said she welcomed the verdict. She said: “I was pleased with the proceedings and I am glad it’s over now. I would like to thank all the employees at George Barker, they have been wonderful. Everybody loved James. He is sadly missed.”

A HSE spokesman said: “An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of James Murphy is ongoing.

7:50am Wednesday 16th November 2011 – Telegraph & Argus

Continue Reading

A RESERVOIR bricklaying company has been fined $100,000 for overloading scaffolding more than double the safe limit.

EGI Bricklaying pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe workplace and to ensure the public was not exposed to health and safety risks at a hotel construction site on Commercial Rd, Prahran.

Northcote Leader – 13 November

The company was fined $100,000 and ordered to pay an additional $4000 in costs at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week.

The court heard the company put workers and members of the public at serious risk after it overloaded scaffolding with bricks.

When WorkSafe investigators visited the site on February 27, 2009, it found the scaffolding had more than 6000 bricks stacked on 14 bays, more than double the safe working limit for each bay.

The investigation also found the bricks were not evenly distributed across the platform, employees were not properly trained in unloading and stacking bricks and there was no supervisor at the site to ensure the job was done correctly.

WorkSafe construction and utilities director Allan Beacom said overloading platforms on a scaffold was a “significant and serious breach”.

Continue Reading

SIEMENS says embedded sensor technology could make Australian workplaces the safest in the world.

Siemens released the Picture the Future 2030 safety research, which indicated that workplace fatalities and a marked rise in industrial injuries is costing Australian companies over $57 billion every year.

Workplace incidents, according to the report, equate to one death per working day, or 280 deaths per year. The agriculture, construction, transport and logistics and manufacturing industries account for the majority of safety-related incidents in Australia.

Siemens attributed the alarming trend to the over-casualisation of labour, with over 25 percent of Australia’s workforce now made up of part-time or casual workers.

By introducing embedded sensor devices in clothing or uniforms of workers, Siemens says machines and vehicles will be able to detect potential operators, and shut down if the worker in question is not properly trained to use it.

There will no longer be a need for yellow lines or barriers. Sensor systems will detect if workers enter an unauthorised or dangerous zone, machines will be able to match operators to qualifications, and detect the use of safety equipment, like goggles.

Siemens expected the advanced sensor technology identified in the research to be made available within the next decade and predicts that this type of technology that will become commonplace in many industrial settings by 2030.

By Isaac Leung

Continue Reading

Thursday, 10 November 2011  by Madeline Hefferman – Smart Company

Companies forced to make “significant changes” to comply with national occupational health and safety laws will have an extra 12 months to comply, after Victoria and Western Australia said they would not reach the January 2012 deadline due to delays during the preparation process this year.

According to The Australian, Workplace Relations Minister Chris Evans will announce today that companies which need to make “significant changes” will have up to 12 months’ grace to switch over to the national system, and Safe Work Australia will provide transitional assistance.

Evans’ office was contacted for confirmation this morning, but did not respond before deadline. It is not yet clear how the Government will define “significant changes”.

Advocates of harmonisation point to inefficiencies for companies operating across different jurisdictions, and say the legislation is best practice.

The new laws will mean that:

• Prosecutors will need to prove the employer did not take all reasonably practicable measures to prevent the risk to health and safety from taking place, reversing the onus of proof from the previous OH&S Act.
• Officers of a corporation will also be required to exercise due diligence to ensure the organisation complies with OH&S responsibilities, which is already in place in New South Wales.
• Companies will have broader obligations to consult with people performing work, including contractors.

The Government is quoted saying that harmonisation has the potential to deliver up to $2 billion per annum in productivity improvements in addition to a national benefit of $250 million per annum by cutting red tape for businesses.

Jessica Fletcher, senior associate Hall & Wilcox, says the mooted delay is not unsurprising given complaints about delays detailing the associated regulation and the decision of Victoria and Western to not introduce the legislation.

“We’re also getting to mid-November with an expected starting date of January 1 and there’s still not been finalisation of the legislation in all jurisdictions, including the federal jurisdiction,” Fletcher said, adding this was unusual because you would expect the Federal Government to be leading the charge on its own reforms.

Fletcher says businesses should continue to work towards harmonisation, “maybe with a bit more breathing room”.

“But it’s too drastic to say they should down tools – 12 months goes very quickly,” Fletcher says.

Continue Reading