BCA 2010 - ABCB - Australian Building Codes Board

BCA & INDUSTRY NEWS
New Safety Standards at OneSteel Reinforcing
OneSteel Reinforcing has taken
proactive steps to ensure the safe
handling and loading of its Trench Mesh
steel reinforcing onto transport trucks.
Following a comprehensive evaluation,
OneSteel Reinforcing has renewed
Trench Mesh handling procedures for
OneSteel Reinforcing employees and
contract truck drivers.
The new guidelines implemented
by OneSteel Reinforcing, are seeing
significant improvements in safe
handling practices being achieved
across OneSteel Reinforcing’s
operations.
The Australian Standards on lifting
devices, (AS 3775 Chains and Slings and
AS 3776 Hooks and Rings) recommend
the device must be able to provide
positive retention of the load in order
to prevent the load separating from the
hook.
While the use of a safety clip or latch
provides a positive retention device,
standard hooks do not fit well into
Trench Mesh, making it difficult to use a
clip or latch.
“Prior to the implementation of this
initiative there was a possibility of the
load, if not properly secured, moving
when being
loaded.” Said
Wayne Miller,
OneSteel
Reinforcing
Safety Advisor.
OneSteel
Reinforcing has
identified that
wool or cotton
bale hooks, also known as bailing hooks,
are the most suitable for use with its
Trench Mesh steel reinforcing.
While bale hooks are not new to the
industry, their use has predominantly
been for lifting bales of cotton or wool.
They are long shank hooks that pull into
the mesh upon lifting, thereby causing
greater retention.
Bailing hooks do not lift from the
bottom cross wires but are placed five
cross wires in from each end, and part
way down a mesh pack of 25-30 sheets.
This evenly disperses the load placed on
the packing straps.
As a consequence, the bale hook design
does not require the use of a position
retention device to stop the Trench
Mesh load detaching from the hook as
it’s being loaded onto a truck.
Bale hooks are not suitable for other
reinforcing mesh products with larger
apertures. For these reinforcing mesh
products, OneSteel Reinforcing employ
the use of a H-frame with hooks and
pins to provide a secure lifting solution.
“We have been encouraging our
employees to recognise that the most
important aspect of loading and
handling all our reinforcing products is
their safety,” Wayne said.
“We believe that working safely and
being aware of your surroundings and
instilling the importance of safe work
procedures must be the natural and
instinctive way we all go about doing
our daily tasks.
“There are a number of positives to
come from this review, most notably
that procedures have been put in place
to provide our workers and contractors
with a safer work environment, which is
imperative.”
“The benefits of good safety are
undeniable, good safety is good
business. The benefits of a well
maintained and safe workplace and
equipment are not only obvious but
vital to ensure the long-term future of
OneSteel Reinforcing maintaining our
reputation of having safe company work
practices.”
One of the main focuses of the initiative
was to emphasise to all OneSteel
Reinforcing employees the importance
of daily safe product handling, to
prevent complacency.
Wayne said, “It’s our company objective
to ensure everyone
goes home safe and
well at the end of
the day.”
Since the review
there has been a
dramatic increase
in the awareness
of hazard risks.
It has also been
useful in identifying
areas where
improvement is
required to enhance
the company’s
safety culture and
a concerted effort is being made to
continue safety awareness.
OneSteel Reinforcing has committed to
the continual improvement of workplace
safety
and have
published a
Best Practice
Guide for
lifting Trench
Mesh.
The guide
recommends
and
demonstrates the use of shanked Bailing
Hooks and is freely available to all
industry participants, customers, and
users of OneSteel Reinforcing Trench
Mesh and steel reinforcing products.
Further details on lifting Trench Mesh
safely, is available from Wayne Miller,
Safety Advisor OneSteel Reinforcing.
Wayne can be contacted via the
reinforcing website, details below.
OneSteel Reinforcing is a leading supplier
of residential, commercial and civil
construction steel reinforcement products,
with a product range that includes
500PLUS® BAMTEC®,, POOLSTEEL®,
UTEMESH®, ONEMESH®, ONESLAB®,
TRUSSDEK®, REBAR®, PREFAB®, REIDBAR®
and ROMTECH®.
For further information on these and
other OneSteel Reinforcing products
or view product installation videos visit
www.reinforcing.com and
www.reinforcing.tv
500PLUS BAMTEC, POOLSTEEL, UTEMESH,
ONEMESH, ONESLAB, TRUSSDEK, REBAR PREFAB,
REIDBAR and ROMTECH are registered trade
marks of OneSteel Limited, ABN 63 004 410 833.
8 • Australian Building Regulation Bulletin