Diacon’s plastic guarding is now found in mine sites across Australia.

Diacon Australia has been at the forefront of conveyor safety with its lightweight plastic mesh guarding, a safer and more cost-effective solution.

Diacon Australia has been designing and manufacturing cutting-edge plastic mesh guarding to significantly enhance the operational safety of conveyor belts since 2010.

The company identified a need for improvements in the areas of conveyor safety, machinery guarding, work area demarcation and fall-protection.

From initially servicing the sugar industry in Mackay, Queensland, Diacon’s plastic guarding is now found in mine sites across Australia, as well as overseas in places like Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, New Caledonia and the UK.

The fabrication of the lightweight plastic guarding takes place at Diacon’s facility in Mackay, where the company continues to innovate with cost-efficiency, durability and safety in mind.

Steel mesh guarding fabricated on-site is typically heavy and bulky. This presents safety issues and time delays, as removing it from conveyor systems to conduct repairs and maintenance often requires two or more workers.

“Diacon’s safety guards exceed the expectations of end-users due to their very lightweight and robust construction,” Diacon managing director of consolidated engineering plastics products Brendan Refalo told Safe to Work.

“The guards are simple to install. They mount on custom-made bosses attached to brackets, and they have a unique slide-lock system that locks the guard – in accordance with Australian safety standards – into position with the use of a tool.

“The slide-lock mechanism is captive within the guard, so it can’t get lost or come free and fall, as conveyor belts are often high above ground.

“When the guards are removed from the mounting system, they actually can be hung on a nearby handrail. When most workers see this for the first time, they think, what a great idea, and it keeps the guard off the ground ensuring it doesn’t become a trip hazard.”

While standard steel mesh guards can weigh in excess of 30kg, one of Diacon’s plastic mesh guards tops out at 16kg.

Diacon’s alternative to steel mesh guarding has proven popular in many mine sites, keeping workers safe while conveyor belt systems are in operation.

“Old conveyors without guarding and only narrow walkways that do not comply to Australian safety standards place operators very close to the moving conveyor, leading to errors of judgement and accidents,” Refalo explained.

Diacon is adaptive to customer needs and seeks to consistently meet their requirements. The company monitors user feedback to enhance its products and develop specific conveyor belt safety systems for individual customer needs.

Continual refinements to fabrication processes, coupled with improvements to plastics they utilise, has allowed Diacon to produce site-specific applications.

The company is currently trialling a new high-visibility conveyor belt guard utilising stainless steel mesh.

“With the insertion of a high-strength stainless steel security mesh we’ve managed to keep the price cost-effective, yet greatly improve the overall visibility through the guard,” Refalo said.

This new product will sit comfortably alongside Diacon’s existing range, including the conveyor guard, the hungry board and the safety panel.

All Diacon products are produced on a special-order basis, with customisable sizes and lengths. The company adopts state-of-the-art methodologies in the manufacturing and distribution of its products, incorporating a regime of rigorous product testing to support customers’ expectations for excellence.

Diacon’s ability to complete 3D scans of conveyor belts is useful in accurately designing and manufacturing plastic mesh guarding.

On manufacturing the guarding, Diacon can conduct on-site installation, or provide advice to customers who plan their own installation.

Using Diacon Australia’s plastic mesh guarding helps to offset scheduled or unplanned downtime by keeping workers safe when they need to undertake conveyor belt maintenance and repairs.

Safe to Work is a high-quality, multi-platform publication for the Australian mining sector with safety being the key priority. It is a communication channel within the Australian mining industry that exclusively focuses on safety products and services.

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