Work Safe Position on the use of Cable Ties in Quarries

BRUCE McCLURE, CMPA’s General Manager reports on WorkSafe’s position on the use of cable ties.

A number of CMPA members have expressed interest in using nylon cable ties in specific locations at their quarries. In some instances the use of cables ties as a temporary measure for securing some guarding near plant which was undergoing repairs, alterations or maintenance works is seen as a practical safe alternative.

To their credit WorkSafe have been very positive on the use of cable ties and have produced a statement that clarifies their position on the use of cable ties. The WorkSafe position is shown below.

Regulation 3.5.25 (2) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 states that if an employer uses guarding as a measure to control risk in relation to plant, the employer must ensure that:

• if access to the area of the plant requiring guarding is not necessary during operation, maintenance or cleaning of the plant, the guarding is a permanently fixed physical barrier; or
• if access to the area of the plant requiring guarding is necessary during operation, maintenance or cleaning of the plant, the guarding is an interlocked physical barrier that allows access to the area being guarded at times when that area does not present a risk and prevents access to that area at any other time; or
• if it is not reasonably practicable to use guarding referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), the guarding used is a physical barrier that can only be altered or removed by the use of tools;

The possible alternative arrangements for the securing of guards to plant that may require removal to enable access include:

• nuts and bolts (suitably treated eg: galvanising, stainless steel etc),
• bolts with a head requiring a specialised tool,
• a bracket seat with a bolt
• any other bolt, pin or similar arrangement that requires the use of a tool to remove
• padlocks
• lockout key system

If there are guards being used on plant that don’t include the use of any of the above attaching mechanisms, then a process should be in place to review and change the current guards to ensure that the guards can be secured by means of any of the above attaching arrangements.

During this interim period where guards are being changed, cable ties may be used for guarding of fixed plant at quarries only under the following conditions:

• Cable ties must be a Heavy Duty, UV resistant cable tie with a minimum width of 7.0mm.
• Cable ties must be designed so as the cable tie cannot be removed by hand, i.e. the securing toggle is to be recessed.
• The tails of the cable ties must be cut flush with the securing toggle.
• Heavy Duty UV cable ties may only be used in areas such as perimeter guarding around plant and conveyor guarding.
• Heavy Duty UV cable ties may be used in other areas only as a temporary/short term attachment until maintenance or other works are completed.
• When a cable tie is removed, it must be immediately replaced with a new cable tie when the guard is re-fitted.
• A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is to be developed detailing the use of cable ties, auditing of their condition and ensuring cable ties are in place.

It is not acceptable practice for cable ties to be used in the following circumstances:

• In load bearing situations e.g. to support a guard.
• In high risk areas of the plant where the guards are being used to protect drive mechanisms, e.g. around tail drum and flywheels.
• In areas of the plant where guards are subject to excessive vibration e.g. around prime crusher or vibrating screens.

The photographs on this page show one application of the use of cable ties. The cable tie used in the application is a 8 mm wide heavy Duty UV protected nylon cable tie. Many thanks to Drew Phillips, Castella Quarries for his comments and photographs.

The CMPA will incorporate this information from WorkSafe in our future documents on Guarding of Quarry Plant.

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