Safety alert after man loses eye in whiplash accident

Queensland's Mineral Mines & Quarries Inspectorate has issued a safety alert after a worker lost an eye due to a rope failing and striking his face during installation of a new conveyor belt. A loader was being used to replace an old conveyor belt at a crushing and screening plant when the accident happened, the Inspectorate reported. During the process of removing the old conveyor belt, a gravity take-up unit pulley jammed when the links of a safety chain used to lift it became stuck between the pulley end and the adjacent structure. This increased the force needed to move the conveyor belt, resulting in the 14mm synthetic fibre rope failing. "When the rope failed it whiplashed, striking a worker in the face. As a result of the accident, the worker later had surgery to remove one of his eyes," the safety alert stated. Key issues An exclusion zone had not been defined to account for rope or cable stretch under load. Equipment failure during hauling and loading type operations can occur at any stage. Workers need to be aware of this and stay well clear of items such as cables, ropes, and chains when they are under tension.Purpose-built equipment such as a winch, winder or reeler was not used when replacing the conveyor belt.Personnel working in the area were not wearing appropriate PPE to protect them from flying materials or objects. In its recommendations the Inspectorate noted that the most critical control in this instance was separation from the hazard. Jammed gravity take-up pulley. "An exclusion zone should be implemented when using cable, ropes, or similar types of haulage equipment under tension. The exclusion zone should account for any rope or cable stretch under load, plus a significant allowance as a margin of safety, particularly when using synthetic fibre ropes," the alert stated. Preference should be given to purpose-built equipment such as winches, winders and reelers when installing or replacing conveyor belts, it said. The report also noted that some traditional synthetic fibre ropes such as nylon and polypropylene are particularly prone to whiplash or failure due to their elasticity. Winch line dampeners are effective at reducing rope lash on failure, provided they are used as per manufacturer’s instructions. As a last line of defence, eye protection should be worn when carrying out tasks where there is a risk from flying material or objects.

Safety alert after man loses eye in whiplash accident

Industry Queensland

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