Daracon – Singleton Bridge Replacement
The challenge
Daracon needed to lower a worker 7m into the vertical casing that would later be filled with concrete to form the pilons. The person entering the confined space would have to join the vertical torsion bars and align them for the engineers.
This presented a number of challenges as it involved both height safety and confined space entries for the 20m deep casings for the reinforcement bars for the new bridge footings. A specialist was needed to manage the potential hazards and set up safe entry for the worker.
This job also had serious time constraints due to the rail shut down which allowed a small window to complete the replacement.
Zokal’s Confined Space and Height Safety Solution
Zokal attended onsite meetings with all stakeholders prior to the job to scope the task, potential hazards, controls, rescue plan required equipment and procedures.
Ground Water leakage to the Hunter River
The challenge
Engineers had found potentially contaminated ground water was penetrating through the new drainage system into the Hunter River. Workers would need to access the culverts and tunnels to drill holes through the concrete into the substrata and inject a chemical paste to seal the cracks, cavities and voids. This would eliminate any ground water penetrating through the drainage system. This would expose the workers to confined space hazards. They needed a specialist contractor to ensure the workers were not at risk during the operation.
Zokal’s Confined Space Safety Solution
Zokal high risk consultants were employed to manage the confined space safety during this operation.
Zokal attended onsite meetings with all stakeholders prior to the job to scope the task, potential hazards, controls, rescue plan required equipment and procedures.
Testing a Raw Coal Reclaimer
The challenge
Technicians needed to access a coal reclaimer to conduct vital inspections and non-destructive testing on all critical components of the equipment. This involved both height safety and confined space challenges.
Zokal’s Confined Space and Height Safety Solution
Zokal attended onsite meetings with all stakeholders prior to the job to scope the task, potential hazards, controls, rescue plan required equipment and procedures.
Entry to the structure was via rope access through a manhole at the base of the A-frame. The Zokal technicians then climbed 50m internally to install temporary rope access systems for the engineers to use to safely inspect the entire structure. Rescue plans were established with the need for full rope access for retrieval if necessary.
This has become the ongoing inspection procedure that is now completed annually. Technicians have been trained in both confined space and heights safety to successfully penetrate up the incline of the internal A-frame and conduct their non-destructive testing.
Newcastle Harbour - Offshore Port Marker Bouy
The challenge
An Offshore Port Marker Bouy, was needed to provide navigation and lighting, for ships entering the Newcastle Harbour. Maintenance is required on all aspects of the marker including the solar panels, batteries and lighting. A system was needed to allow technicians to safely access all components that needed to be maintained.
Zokal’s Safety Solution
Zokal technicians were tasked with installing a Lad-Saf fixed ladder safety system on the buoy. This Lad-Saf system enables maintenance crew to safely access the vertical tower, complying with all relevant heights safety legislation, standards and codes of practice.
Zokal technicians assembled and installed the safety system in a Newcastle workshop ready for the marker buoy to be loaded onto transport for positioning offshore.
