QR National will install more than 80 kilometres of safe trackside walkway at 98 sites across the central Queensland coal network
August 2, 2012
QR National has announced it will install more than 80 kilometres of safe trackside walkway at 98 sites across the central Queensland coal network.
The trackside walkway aims to provide a safer working environment for train crews at designated crew change and stowage locations.
QR National network assets general manager Scott Riedel says the design is safe, cost-effective and simple to install.
“The new walkway is made of fibreglass reinforced plastic grating, which is durable, weather resistant, safety yellow, UV protected, light weight, non-conductive, and non-slip,” Riedel says.
“It provides a safer, more stable surface for crews to move between trains and access wagons when manually applying handbrakes. The main aim of the design is to prevent injuries from slips, trips and falls.
“It also maintains a free draining track structure which is essential for the long-term track asset life performance, while minimising operational costs.”
Project was given the green light after a trial in October 2011 at three sites on the Blackwater rail system.
Each units used on the walkways are 1.2 metres in width and 3.6 metres in length and are connected end to end to create the path.
Riedel says the top connector plates are designed to absorb UV daylight and glow in the dark to delineate the walkway during nightshifts.
“Our employees have welcomed news that 25 safety critical sites, equivalent to around 23 kilometres of trackside walkway, will be installed during this financial year,” Riedel says.
“QR National will continue to monitor the success of the crew change and stowage safe walkways, with the intention of rolling out the remaining 73 crew change and stowage sites over the next five years.
“We are also developing additional conceptual designs with the potential to deliver a robust, innovative, cost-effective and compatible culvert headwall extension, staircase and hand rail modular system network wide.”