Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

Increasingly, managers and engineers are expected to demonstrate how existing and foreseeable risks have been addressed, including the actions required to reduce the risks to tolerable levels.

The employer’s responsibility is not only to employees but also to any person who could be exposed to a hazard arising from the mining operation or related process as stated in Section 5 (2)(b), which requires that:

“as far as reasonably practicable, every employer must -

(a) identify the relevant hazards and assess the related risks to which persons who are not employees may be exposed; and

(b) ensure that persons who are not employees, but who may be directly affected by the activities at the mine, are not exposed to any hazards to their health and safety”.

Therefore, the responsibility placed on employers, regarding hazard identification and risk assessment, look both inwards at the workplace and outwards at persons who are not part of the mining activities, as regard their health and safety.

Due to the above responsibility imposed on the employer, SACEA were requested to do an investigation into the coal mining related rigging accidents with the objective to review training needs as well as draughting a guideline which could be employed in an attempt to reduce the rigging related accidents and incidents.

ACCIDENT STATISTICS
For the investigation, accident statistics regarding lifting equipment and machinery since 1995 were drawn from the DME. This information is represented in the bar graphs below (Figures 1 to 4).

From the bar graphs it is evident that too many accidents occur in the mining industry regarding the use of lifting equipment and machinery, and the trend is not encouraging either. These statistics exclude any minor injuries and incidents occurring at the individual mines. Keeping in mind the incident triangle of Frank Bird, for the 22 fatals, which occurred since 1995, at least 13,200 lifting equipment related incidents (i.e. 22 x 600) must have occurred. Frightening statistics!

The DRM for lifting equipment has only completed phase 5 of the 7 phases of the approval process and it will still be a few months before the guideline for a COP on lifting equipment is issued by the DME.

Figure 1: Annual lifting equipment accidents for the coal mining industry.

Figure 2: Lifting equipment accidents by type of equipment for the coal mining industry.

Figure 3: Annual lifting equipment accidents for the total mining industry.

Figure 4: Lifting equipment accidents by type of equipment for the total mining industry.

GUIDELINES

1. OBJECTIVE
The following objective for the task group putting this set of guidelines together was formulated as follows:

“To establish a set of guidelines which will ensure safe working practices regarding rigging practices.”

2. DEFINITION
Initially the term “lifting” was referred to, but it was decided to rather use the term “rigging” which is also inclusive of moving equipment in any direction, i.e. vertically, horizontally and at any other angle. Rigging was then defined as:

“The altering of a load’s position in any direction by applying a force with the aid of a lifting machine, lifting tackle and/or ancillary equipment.”

3. FRAMEWORK

The following framework is the basis of the guideline document.

3.1 Workmen permitted to do rigging tasks

3.1.1 Competency – (The legal definition is used)

- Certification which includes a theoretical and practical test on the use, inspection and the maintenance of rigging equipment (MQA unit standards to apply – not just maintenance personnel, and should be included at the lowest level (No limit in weight - heavy weights & difficult loads to be classified as critical tasks with the relevant risks identified and SOPs draughted to address risks)).
- Theoretical test to be based on an accredited training program.
- Practical tests to be based on prescribed outcomes (to be relevant to either maintenance or operational personnel) as determined by the initial risk assessments.
- Retesting of competent persons to be done as and when required.
- Hazard identification by line supervision regarding rigging activities and equipment.
- Relevant training and certification to be given to maintenance and operational personnel applicable to tasks to be performed.

3.1.2 Appointments and authorisations

- Responsible supervisor’s (maintenance and operational) to be appointed by the manager. The appointment to include the scope of responsibility.
- Only persons found to be competent may be appointed.
- These appointments to emphasize their responsibility for maintaining rigging equipment logbooks.
- All competent persons to perform rigging tasks should be authorized to do so in writing.

3.1.3 Training administration (Control & issuing)

- Proper training registers to be kept and updated on a regular basis including feedback to 1st line supervision.
- All persons responsible for people performing rigging tasks should be trained in the hazard identification associated with those tasks.

3.2 Rigging equipment requirements.

3.2.1 Determine all rigging tasks performed at a specific site.

3.2.2 Rigging equipment requirements to be determined according to risk assessments.

3.2.3 Properly specified, certified, conspicuously and indelibly marked and registered (logbook) equipment to be used for the relevant tasks.

3.3 Planning and preparation prior to performing rigging tasks

3.3.1 Do task specific risk assessments for any planned or breakdown activity. With reference to existing SOP’s and COP’s if any changes to the tasks, resources or the environment occur.

3.3.2 When simultaneous tasks are undertaken on the same system/equipment, cognisance should be taken of the interaction between the tasks which may lead to hazardous situations or conditions.

3.3.3 The roles and responsibilities of team members and the means of communication should be clarified prior to the execution of a rigging task.

3.3.4 Identify the task, the scope of work to be performed, competencies of personnel and rigging equipment to be used.

3.3.5 Implement controls to eliminate or minimize hazards/impacts identified in the risk assessment process.

3.3.6 Task observations should be performed to monitor compliance and adequacy of the existing SOP and to further improve on the existing SOP.

3.4 Personal safety and protective equipment.

3.4.1 PPE to be used in accordance with the relevant task’s risk assessment and the OEM’s specifications and requirements.

3.4.2 Personal safety and protective equipment to be inspected prior to use to ensure compliance with the applicable standards.

3.4.3 Ensure that personnel understand the limitations of the personal safety and protective equipment.

3.5 Inspection, maintenance and care of equipment.

Refer to legal and OEM requirements pertaining to the inspection, storage, safe operation, maintenance and care of the relevant rigging equipment for specific applications. If such requirements are not available or specified, the end-user must draught standards to address the above requirements.

In addition, the following criteria should be considered in the draughting of a standard:

Inspections - Frequencies?
- Pre and post task inspections
- What to inspect?
- Who should inspect?
- How to inspect?

Maintenance - Describe maintenance tasks and frequencies for each type of rigging equipment

Safe operation - “Do’s & Don’ts”
- Warnings!
- Actions when faulty equipment is discovered

Storage, handling & transporting requirements

3.6 Examination of rigging equipment.

3.6.1 Prior to use

The competent person to ensure that rigging equipment planned to be used for a specific task is the correct type of equipment and also in a safe working condition.

3.6.2 During use

Competent person to be continuously aware of the condition of the rigging equipment in use during performing of a task. Damaged or failed equipment should be reported and replaced immediately and removed from the site.

3.6.3 After use

Competent person to do a thorough final inspection of all rigging equipment used and report any defects detected. Prior to storage, all rigging equipment should be cleaned and maintained to standard.

Any defects detected should be recorded in the relevant logbook.

3.6.4 Registers

All rigging equipment to be uniquely identified and recorded in a register. Registers to be kept and updated by the relevant appointed person and over-inspected at regular intervals.

3.7 Testing and certification of rigging equipment.

3.7.1 All rigging equipment should be tested and certified in accordance with OEM standards and relevant legislation.

TRAINING

A vast variety of training courses throughout the mining industry is employed which range from basic on-the-job rigging training for artisans to full rigger artisan training, which includes a full apprenticeship for 18 months to 2 years. A very important point to take note of is that most apprenticeships include a basic rigging course, but on its own as a once-off course is not enough to last the artisan throughout his/her entire career, i.e. refresher training on a regular basis is crucial.

What confuses the whole training issue is that “rumours” run around in industry that artisans, other than riggers, may only be trained to lift loads up to 2,000 kg. This issue was discussed with a Snr. Inspector of machinery at the DME, who confirmed this to be untrue. He also confirmed that once a thorough risk assessment was completed on the lifting of a critical load and an SOP written on how to complete such a lift safely, artisans can be trained to perform these tasks without the help of a qualified rigger.

Through further research on the internet, the website http://www.tssonline.net/cgi-bin/Prodsel.pl?cat=Industrial%20Safety revealed real wordclass safety training aids for rigging and lifting practices. It is worth the while to visit this web-site and to browse through the wide range of safety training products and services.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion then it is evident from the accident statistics represented by figures 1 to 4, that we as managers and engineers have a great challange to drastically reduce the rigging and lifting related accidents and to ensure that all our artisans and foremen are well trained in the basics of rigging and lifting practices.

Basic rigging courses available from the various mining houses, as well as the artisan’s training syllabus regarding basic rigging and lifting training requirements as per the MQA unit standards, were used to ensure relevance and comprehensiveness of this rigging guideline.

The guidelines for the draughting of a COP for lifting equipment from the DME were used to ensure comprehensiveness of this rigging guideline.

RECOMMENDATION
From the above information the following recommendations are made:

1. Mining houses to use this set of rigging guidelines to draught a COP for basic rigging.

2. Hand over this set of rigging guidelines to the MQA for inclusion in the unit stards.

3. Seriously consider utilising the safety training aids available from Technical Standards Services Ltd’s website:
http://www.tssonline.net/cgi-bin/Prodsel.pl?cat=Industrial%20Safety. If one product has to be singled out, it would be the pocket size booklet “The International Rigging and Lifting Handbook”. This is a comprehensive booklet based on good practice emphasising legislative requirements, definitions, principles, user examination, proper selection of equipment and a safe approach to lifting. It meets the requirements for the provision of written instructions, and is also regarded as an industry standard handbook used extensively in the oil and gas and construction industries.

This handbook could be issued to each artisan and forman once they are trained in the basics of rigging and lifting practices.

4. Continue doing risk assessments on critical rigging tasks, write SOPs for these tasks, train all relevant artisans on the SOPs and do planned task observations on them ensuring adherence to safe rigging and lifting practices.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgement is hereby given to management of Sasol Mining, Anglo Coal and Ingwe for allowing their members of the special task group to spend time on the setting of this set of basic rigging guidelines.

Acknowledgement is also given to members of the DME and SACEA for their guidance in putting this document together.