Mining: Conveyor Belt Maintenance

Hexarmor® Engineers a World of PPE Solutions for Global Mining and Maintenance Operations

Mining is a global enterprise that supplies the precious and base metals that drive, power, and build the world’s largest industries. These mining operations can be divided into three basic types: underground mining, open pit mining, and surface mining. While the methods of mining and products that are mined in each operation may differ, production operations and the hazards of maintaining production are relatively the same.

 

Conveyor Belt Splicing: One of Many Hazardous Mining Maintenance Tasks

Engineering the right type of PPE for mine workers and maintenance crews is critical in keeping ores and base metals moving efficiently and productively around the world. In almost all mining operations, high capacity industrial belt conveyors are used to transport ores throughout the mine or production facility. The belts in these conveyors are subjected to tons of rough ores and metals each day, and continually require maintenance to splice frayed belt pieces back together. Splicing is hazardous work for maintenance crews: one inch thick belts (sometimes constructed with fiber and steel) are sliced with two-handed box cutters before being spliced back together with steel staples. Maintenance crews are often positioned on their knees during these dangerous cutting operations and must pull knife blades directly toward them - not the most ideal work environment. Recordable injuries from deep punctures and lacerations are often serious - and in some cases, life-threatening.

 

HexArmor® Engineered a New Level of Protection Against Punctures and Lacerations with the Development of a Dedicated Conveyor Belt Chap

HexArmor® designers and engineers answered the call of a major mining company that had been experiencing a high level of recordable injuries (punctures and lacerations) in its belt conveyor splicing operations. After conducting an onsite review of the company’s maintenance operations, and working directly with the company’s safety committee, HexArmor® engineered a conveyor belt chap designed to deflect the cutting blades and knives used in belt splicing maintenance. The result: belt conveyor maintenance and installation injuries were completely eliminated after the introduction of the HexArmor® chap.


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