Part of our transformation at Steelworks is about being proactive and continuously looking for new ways to tackle age-old challenges, particularly with the safety of our team in mind.
In January 2021, members of the Steel Making team devised and delivered a clever solution for cleaning out tundishes that makes the task safer and easier, reducing the risk of falling or sustaining ergonomic injuries.
Tundishes are used in Steel Making for casting steel into billets, stabs, or blooms. When in use, they hold molten metal, so regular inspections are crucial to ensure they remain in excellent working condition. The thing is, they’re also about 1.2m deep, which makes it awkward for the team from the Tundish Repair Shop to get in and out to complete routine maintenance and repairs.
Approaching the challenge with a fresh mindset, the team installed a removable ladder, as well as a permanent steel frame, onto each service bay. Now the servicing technician can easily gain access to the inside of the tundish, and once they’ve signed off on the job, they can climb out, and remove the ladder.
Huge shout out to the team involved – Gary Shearsby, Craig Sultan, Darwin Ganuelas, and Joselito Ferreras, pictured above.