A team at Tom Price have helped take ergonomics to the next level by road-testing shovels that have been designed to suit different heights of individuals.
A trial began in November to test if different length shovels, especially manufactured with an ergonomic curve, can help to increase productivity while reducing strain for workers.
"We found that by lengthening the arm of the shovel by two inches each way above and below the ergonomic curve, people who are around 6 foot tall didn't have to lean as far to dig, which meant that they relieved pressure on their back and shoulders," he said.
The trial, which involved pit technicians at Tom Price and Marandoo, tested three different lengths of shovel arms, two of which have become preferred sizes. The shovels were modified by Lisa Moody at the heavy equipment workshop in Tom Price.
The plan is to trial the two shovel sizes with different teams at Brockman and Paraburdoo over coming months.
From here, there are more ideas to modify shovels even further by providing narrower and sharper blades for geologists and broader and blunter blades for pit technicians.
For more information on the trial, contact jamie.o'brien@riotinto.com or david.james2@riotinto.com.
Above: The Tom Price and Marandoo super-techs with the shovels used in the trial.
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