The State Energy Commission has received a prestigious award for its development of a system to cut gas flow during the dangerous job of working on gas mains.
The system was developed by the Commission's gas workers themselves to allow them to work safely on a gas line.
Productivity and Labour Relations Minister Yvonne Henderson today presented SECWA Gas with the Jobsafe Award at the Commission's Gas North Depot at Malaga.
Three years ago, four SECWA gas workers were badly burnt in a gas line repair accident at Woodlands. This led to the search for a safer gas flow stoppage system.
Mrs Henderson said today that the result was the Rogan Safe Gas Flow Stoppage System.
"The Rogan is an outstanding example of how people in a workplace can get together to talk about a problem and come up with a solution," she said.
"The system means that gas workers, whose job it is to repair or intentionally cut into a gas main, can do their jobs with confidence.
"It has put Western Australia at the forefront in handling emergency gas breaks safely and joining gas line sections.
"It is now the basic safety system for all SECWA gas main work."
The Rogan Safe Gas Flow Stoppage System basically involves two devices being placed on either side of a gas line break to stop the gas and allow the line to be worked on safely.
Each Rogan device comprises two balloons which are inflated inside the gas line to cut off the flow of gas, along with valves to release any gas remaining in the line.
The previous gas stoppage system was less sophisticated, had less margin for error and also was prone to leaks.
The Jobsafe Award is administered by the Department of Occupational Health Safety and Welfare and given for outstanding achievement in developing new or innovative procedures or work systems that reduce the risk of workplace injury and disease.
This is only the seventh Jobsafe Award to be presented in two years.
