Nivek Industries ensures workers don’t have to shoulder the burden of heavy loads alone.
In 2008, Hunter Valley mine diesel mechanic and fitter Kevin Cant narrowly avoided being crushed by a half-tonne belly plate he was removing from a bulldozer.
Belly plates are prone to slipping when being removed, with injuries like serious crushes not uncommon.
These plates can weigh up to 400kg while empty, but conditions like those at the iron ore mine at which Kevin was working could see the build-up of debris increase the plate’s weight to more than 700kg.
Kevin knew something had to be done to protect others who might not be as lucky as he was. He spent the next three years researching, designing and developing the first prototype of what would become known today at mine sites across Australia as TED.
TED – which stands for Tracked Elevating Device – is a remote-controlled all-terrain hydraulic belly plate jack designed for applications where a crane or forklift isn’t viable.
With a lifting capacity of up to 800kg, TED aims to remove workers from the hazards associated with suspended loads when working not only on bulldozers, but graders, dump trucks and other mining equipment and earthmoving machinery.
Kevin launched TED under his own company, Nivek Industries, in 2011 and began rolling out the solution to Australian mines.
Two years later, Kevin’s brother joined the new Nivek family. Now the company’s general manager, Derrick Cant told Safe to Work the TED solution was the linchpin that launched an entire brand dedicated to protecting workers in rough Australian mining conditions.
“Kevin built the first TED in his backyard all by hand,” Derrick said. “TED’s specialty was originally bulldozer belly guards and has become the best solution in its field for that specific application.
“But we’ve come a long way since then, with TED undergoing multiple upgrades and enhancements, as well as now having over 40 attachments and counting on offer to increase its versatility.”
One of the major evolutions to come out of TED’s deployment within the mining industry is its heavy-duty brother, Big TED, which was primarily designed to take the original TED’s 800kg lifting capacity up to 3000kg without compromising on a low-profile design and manoeuvrability.
Not only do TED and Big TED remove workers from underneath hazardous loads otherwise suspended by chains or come-alongs, they aim to protect workers long-term by eliminating manual handling related issues like back injuries and muscle strain.
“For example, TED can be driven under a dozer and used to raise the table up and support the machine physically, meaning there is no suspension of the load,” Derrick said.
“Then the operator will go in, undo the four bolts in the corner and stand clear before dropping the belly guard down, so they won’t be in the drop zone if it does slip off or all the debris slides out.
“Once the component is lowered, the guard is able to be driven out – rather than dragged, which causes strain on the body – on TED’s tracks to be cleaned, then driven back in to position and lifted back into place.
“It’s a much safer and more efficient process.”
The next innovation to join the Nivek family was the Lift Assist 40 (LA40), which takes the idea of removing heavy loads and applies it to smaller applications.
The LA40, which can be attached to TED, aims to reduce muscle strain and fatigue, as well as chronic musculoskeletal injuries in workers, by taking the weight of equipment like rattle guns, impact drivers and torque tooling.
The system can hold tools weighing up to 40kg and its articulation joints have been designed to push fingers out rather than pinch, addressing another common hazard within the industry.
Joining the LA40 in removing the need for heavy lifting is TED’s cousin BOB (Beast of Burden), which comes with a load capacity of 0.5 tonnes, 1.5 tonnes or five tonnes.
Like TED, BOB is an all-terrain remote-controlled carrier. But BOB differentiates itself in its ability to track loads across long distances with rough terrain.
“I was recently at a mine site in Western Australia where workers were having to carry 60kg pumps up to 100m over rough terrain,” Derrick said. “This is the perfect application for BOB, which can handle any surface and comes with a variety of custom-made smart attachments that help it take on any task.”
Nivek has come a long way since TED was first developed in Kevin’s backyard.
The company now has a research and development (R&D) facility in Singleton, New South Wales, from which the Cant brothers and their team of engineers develop new solutions and work to continually improve their existing products.
And the innovations aren’t slowing down any time soon for Nivek, with a new range already on the horizon for release in 2025.
The REX (Remote EXcavation) range will be a fully electric mini loader capable of working in confined spaces without producing added noise or fumes.
“The REX is narrow enough to fit through a doorway and can be fitted with a live video feed so it can be operated through hazardous areas without having to send in a worker,” Derrick said.
“We see it mainly operating in mines to perform cleaning duties around washeries and conveyor belts, but as we’ve seen with TED and BOB, I’m sure its uses won’t stop there.”
Nivek’s ability to problem-solve and innovate new solutions has seen it become a go-to in the industry for removing the challenges and hazards associated with heavy lifting and suspended loads.
“These solutions mean more people with different abilities and strengths can still get the job done safely and efficiently,” Derrick said. “With operators looking to open up opportunities for a more diverse range of workers, solutions like those from the TED and BOB and the LA40 family can help.
“No matter the challenge, we work to design custom solutions that meet the needs of any site.”
This feature also appears in the November-December issue of Safe to Work.