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Manufacturing safety with Bend-tech

Ensuring safe access and protection when working on surface mining machines should be a priority for any operation.

Applying handrails in areas which require frequent maintenance and inspection is a proven safety measure and will ensure personnel are far less likely to fall from a potentially life-threatening height.

Few know this better than Bend-tech, a leader in manufacturing handrails.

Handrail integrity is critical in the heavy industries, with cracking a major threat. For example, due to the rocky terrain and the 6,000 hours per year a machine such as the Caterpillar D10T would run, handrails inevitably begin to crack and have to be replaced roughly every 300 operational hours.

This becomes extremely costly and inefficient when also considering the downtime required to repair or replace the handrails.

A significant risk to personnel safety also becomes present if the damaged handrails are not detected early enough, where simply leaning on the handrail could cause failure and result in a serious fall incident.

After a valued client requested Bend-tech redesign the D10T bonnet handrails to be more robust and reduce cracking, the company sent its above ground parts team out to site. The team learned more about the issue, took down measurements and discussed possible solutions.

The Bend-tech solution

Drawing from Bend-tech’s in-depth experience with manufacturing handrails, the team developed a robust set of handrails with design features addressing the ‘cracking’ problem.

Features include:

  • Specialised anti-vibration rubber mounting system to keep handrails rigid, while allowing flexibility to maintain strength in the welds
  • Rubber mounts clamp to further reduce vibration during operation
  • Custom designed to allow for removal and re-installation of the radiator header/water tank without handrail clashing
  • Available in two alternative designs: Fixed or a drop-in solution for temporary maintenance
  • Eliminates requirement for fall arrestor kits
  • OEM equivalent Hood/Bonnet also stocked.
The Caterpillar D10T.

Bend-tech has received positive feedback from a number of sites, with a notable first failure recorded at 6000 hours, working out to be around five to 20 times longer lasting than original handrails.

Further adjustments have since been made to the design and we are expecting to see handrail lifetime extended further. This significant improvement in handrail integrity will ensure greater safety for personnel and prove to be a more efficient solution for those running D10T’s.

Visit the Bend-tech website for more information.

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