Flinders Ports elevate safety with Konecranes Fall Protection System on their mobile harbor cranes

Since its launch in 2001, Flinders Ports is South Australia’s leading port operator, with seven ports located at Port Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Thevenard, Port Giles, Wallaroo and Klien Point. Their multimodal logistics terminal in Port Adelaide handles a range of bulk exports, including containerised bulk and multi cargo.  The terminal operates two Konecranes Gottwald Model 6 Mobile Harbor Cranes, one 2-rope G HMK 6407 and one 4-rope G HMK 6407 B variant. Safety has always been top priority at Flinders Ports, and they felt that the Konecranes FPS retrofit was the right choice to improve safety even more on their mobile harbor cranes. 

Part of the Konecranes Any Brand series, this retrofit is compatible with both Konecranes and non-Konecranes equipment. In this case, a safety net was installed on each long side of the chassis on the two Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Cranes to catch any falling objects. Extra handrails along the front edges of the chassis were also added to increase the safety of personnel as they access the crane.

 

The aim is to minimize risk

The goal with every retrofit is to make the handling, functionality and reliability of existing cranes equivalent to the latest generation of equipment. A retrofit adds features to improve operational efficiency and is a cost-effective way to bring performance and safety up to the same level as current Konecranes models.

Fall from heights is a Critical Risk for Flinders Ports, so they have been working to identify ways of improving the level of risk controls applied. Engineering controls such as the Konecranes FPS are a great addition to the existing crane safety features and improves the overall safety for their team members.

“Fortunately, it’s very rare that people or items fall off cranes, but there’s always a risk in an industrial setting, and prevention is by far the best solution. If we minimise this risk, we know we’ve done everything we can to prevent accidents, and preserve the safety of our personnel and equipment,” says Jonathan Dowsett, Maintenance Manager, Flinders Ports. “The Konecranes FPS was easy to install and provides exactly the safeguard we need.”

The Konecranes Fall Protection System retrofit attaches a safety net on each side of the crane between the two T-ends of the chassis, where moving wheels are exposed as the crane maneuvers on the quay. The wide net easily catches a falling person or object, preventing the potential injury or damage that could result from entering this hazardous area. The handrails installed on both ends of the chassis offer additional handholds and act as a barrier to an accidental fall at the top of the stairs as operational and maintenance personnel access the crane or leave it. The FPS follows all Flinders protocols and complies with local safety standards.

Working together in safety

 “At Konecranes, we’re determined to maximize the safety and performance of ports equipment, regardless of make or model,” says Ross McNamara, National Service and Sales Manager, Konecranes. “By installing safety retrofits such as the FPS, Flinders demonstrate a clear commitment to the wellbeing of their people and the reliability and efficiency of their operations. We’re proud of our long partnership with them and our mutual dedication to safety in port services.”

The Fall Protection System is one of Konecranes’ Any Brand retrofits. Whatever the make of your equipment, you can add safety-assist, electric conversion, smart features or automation retrofits to bring the performance of your cranes up to that of the latest Konecranes models.