Media Statements - Cleaner air system acknowledged by Minister with WorkSafe Award

19/12/00

A WorkSafe Award has been presented by Labour Relations Minister Cheryl Edwardes to local firm Bains Harding Industries for products that radically reduce the danger of airborne fibres associated with prefabricating insulation.

The two products, Insta-Lag and Tips, have been described as something of a breakthrough in insulation technology which till now had become sorely outdated.

“The key safety feature of both these products is that they can be manufactured and sealed in a controlled factory environment,” Mrs Edwardes said.

“The result is that the risks associated with on-site fabrication such as airborne fibres, working at heights, and manual handling, have been almost eliminated.”

Mrs Edwardes said methods of prefabricating have been traditionally laborious, with on-site industrial teams of laggers coming in first to apply the insulation material before another team of sheet metal workers can come in to fabricate and apply the metal cladding.

“Insta-Lag provides temperature control, energy conservation and personal protection in hot applications during process pipework, while Tips can be used on large diameter vessels and tanks in both hot and cold applications,” she said.

“They are a solution to several different problems and in addition to the terrific safety benefits, their contribution to increased productivity can be invaluable to WA businesses in the commercial and industrial sector.”

Bains Harding Industries is providing the products to several key projects including Nabalco’s alumina operation in Gove, the Cawes Nickel project, Alcoa’s Wagerup expansion, Worsley expansion, the Western Underground Gas project in Victoria, and international projects in Jamaica and Malaysia.

The WorkSafe Award is a State Government initiative to promote safety and health in WA workplaces, and is presented for outstanding achievement within the workplace in designing, developing, introducing or implementing a new or innovative:

safety and health procedure/s;
work system/s;
plant;
equipment; or -
environmental change/s that significantly reduce the risks of workplace injury and disease.

For more information on occupational safety and health, refer to the WorkSafe Western Australian website at http://www.safetyline.wa.gov.au

Media contact: Steve Manchee on 9421 7777