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Advanced chemical spill protection has been installed at the Tritton copper mine in the Central West of New South Wales with the help of Blackwoods Dubbo, which provided eight Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) portable spill pallets from Enware Safe-Equip.
The pallets are being used for tasks such as storing chemical reagents for processing copper ore and holding radiator coolant and waste oil in the maintenance department for the mine vehicles.
Tritton purchasing officer Mitchell Cobcroft said the mine needed a containment bunding system that has the ability to be placed in suitable locations without the high costs of creating permanent bunded areas.
“We are presently upgrading our facilities and creating more permanent chemical storage areas, but we will still require the versatility of the portable pallets,” he said.
Tritton copper mine originally purchased eight Enpac IBC 2000i™ spill pallets, but because of their usefulness, now finds that it needs more.
“Our staff well understand the necessity of handling chemicals with safety. The pallets are easy to move around with a forklift and are simple to clean. They have a drain hole and bung and can be easily hosed out,” he said.
A bund is a bounded area used to store potentially hazardous fluids on a worksite. It contains any spills, enables the recovery of the spillage and prevents leaks of chemicals, thereby minimising the risk of pollution and ensuring the personal safety of workers.
Tritton used only permanent bunds before purchasing the mobile Intermediate Bulk Containment Bunds (IBC2000i).
“A problem with our permanent bunds was that they were located in a central area, which meant a lot of traffic and movement of chemicals to and from where they were needed,” Mr Cobcroft said.
“Now that we have portable bunds, we can locate them precisely at the point of use, which is very convenient.
“We have found they represent good value to the mine and I would recommend them to other businesses with workplaces similar to ours.”
The Enpac IBC 2000i™ Intermediate Bulk Containment Bunds fit more than 99 per cent of all IBC dispensing units and features a large sump capacity of 1457 litres. The pallet’s 3628 kg load capacity allows two IBCs to be safely stacked on top of the sump.
The unit comes with an integrated 22 litre pail holder for quick and easy dispensing.
The IBC 2000i is the only one-piece, lightweight, 100 per cent polyethylene spill containment unit that is forkliftable and nestable for convenient shipment and storage. It will not rust or corrode or have adverse reactions with chemicals. An optional drain is available.
Its high-visibility yellow promotes safety as well as providing color contrast to show if a spill has occurred.
Craig Ariesen of Blackwoods Dubbo said: “Mines typically hold chemicals and waste oils in a number of locations throughout the site, so the portability of the Enpac spill pallets is a big plus.
“We have found plenty of demand for this highly successful product, which is obviously doing the job it’s intended for.”
Tough but lightweight Enpac polyethylene equipment complies with some of the world’s most demanding packaging and environmental standards for handling, storage and transporting of hazardous materials.
The two and four-drum spill pallets - plus two, four, six and eight drum workstations – are part of a broader spill containment, environmental and worker protection products from Enware. Included in the ranges are:
Enware Australian Pty Ltd Managing Director Mr Paul Degnan says that not only do the pallets and workstations limit worker exposure to accidents, but also they reduce materials costs by reclaiming spillage and reduce disposal costs.
“The tough but light range is intelligently designed to enable workers to boost productivity by moving more product more quickly. A major benefit also, in these days of high workers compensation claims, is potentially being able to reduce premiums by demonstrating first class facilities plans and materials handling products.”
The latest National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) figures show that Australian industries particularly prone to workers compensation claims include Transport and Storage; Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Manufacturing; Construction; and Mining.
The same NOHSC figures show Australian industry now has well over 25,000 new workers compensation cases a year where falls, slips and trips result in death, permanent disability or a temporary disability resulting in an absence from work of more than a week. Sprains or strains of joints or adjacent muscles now account for more than 50 per cent of new workers compensation cases recorded by the NOHSC.
Mr Degnan says the Enpac range is unique in Australasia because it brings together in one system a complete range of solutions to materials handling issues commonly arising across a broad spectrum of industrial applications.
For more information on Enware's Spill Pallets - click here
For more information, please contact Enware Australia Pty Ltd, 9-11 Endeavour Road, Caringbah NSW 2229 Australia, Ph +61 2 9525 9511 Click here to email us |