At the annual Workplace Safety North conference, held in Sudbury, Ontario, April 4-10, J.S. Redpath Limited earned top honours in the juried line-up of industry safety innovation awarded annually by the Ontario Mining Contractors’ Safety Association. Redpath’s winning solution is a redesign of the platform trap door entrance on a mechanized raise climber.

Traditionally, mechanized raise climber personnel entered the upper platform through a hatched door by way of a congested opening and a ladder-way not lending itself to the best ergonomic design due to the lack of proper handholds once the worker passed through the trap door opening at the platform. The potential risks of this entrance system included pinch points to hands, lack of 3-point contact for ladder climbing possibly resulting in slips and falls; poor miner posture potentially resulting in musculoskeletal injury, and the inadvertent moving of the raise climber due to the worker’s tendency to step on the operating control mechanism. Redpath’s recognition of these potential hazards has led to a design innovation expected to be adopted by the industry at large.

Redpath’s Mechanized Raising Area Superintendent, Gary Gagain, alongside MRC Shop Foreman, Wayne Boucher and Welder Millwright, Jack Sikora, have over 60 years combined experience with the company. This experienced trio defined the areas for improvement upon the MRC and began incorporating engineered alterations to Redpath’s work platforms manufactured in the Timmins, Ontario, mechanical shop complex. The development lasted nearly 2 years and was completed in spring 2014 including both shop and field testing before being formally adopted.

The winning innovation now provides a physically enlarged opening of the platform access. This enlargement is a more comfortable allowance for mining personnel outfitted with complete personal protective equipment. Also, “In the event of emergency, this larger gateway quickly facilitates deck access for rescue personnel wearing bulky breathing apparatus and porting equipment.” stated Denis Beaudoin, Secretary-Treasurer and 17 year veteran of the Ontario Mining Contractors’ Safety Association. “This MRC innovation is expected to be adopted by others.” added Beaudoin.

In addition to the expanded door way, the hatch door is now outfitted with a double stop mechanism; the first hitches the door to prevent potential slamming down on workers’ hands and the second soundly vertically locks the door and doubles as an extension of the cage ladder rungs to ensure 3-point contact for the raise miner’s safe climb to and from the deck. This provision also eliminates the need for miners to reach and seek personal climbing support from near-by equipment, hose work, safety chains - - components not designed to withstand the weight of personnel.

This engineered design is also expected to influence the entry systems on galloways in Redpath’s shaft sinking practices. (left to right) Bruce Fraser, Chairman of the Ontario Mining Contractors’ Safety Association and Redpath’s Manager of Health, Safety and Environment, presents the distinguished trophy to Gary Gagain and Jack Sikora at the WSN Conference in Sudbury. In the same category at the awards ceremony in Sudbury, PT Redpath Indonesia received honourable mention for their innovative design of a self-supporting stop mechanism for on-site job boxes. This ratcheted stopper prevents box lids from potentially collapsing on workers and increases efficient access to box contents.

Additionally, Redpath was the recipient of a WSN 2013 Workplace Excellence Award. Eligibility for the award includes effectiveness of Management Responsibility and Commitment, Joint Health & Safety Committees, Workplace Inspections, Health & Safety initiatives, to name a few. This award was proudly accepted on behalf of all Redpath employees by Redpath’s Superintendent of Health and Safety, Roberta Spicer, and Gerry Goodale, Area Manager for Shaft Safety and Training. (left to right) Candys Ballanger-Michaud, President and CEO of Workplace Safety North, presents to Redpath’s Roberta Spicer and Gerry Goodale.