Mining and Tunnelling
The Company's origins are in the UK Coal Mining Industry, with experience ranging from the Mines Inspectorate, Engineering function management and Research & Development.
In 1994 HSEC Ltd. expanded six fold to provide many of the engineering services previously available from British Coal's Technical Services & Research Executive, based at Bretby, Burton on Trent. At that time many of the senior engineers who had provided the headquarters technical support to the Corporation's Chief Mechanical & Chief Electrical Engineers joined HSEC Ltd.
HSEC retains a large consultancy team providing specialist mechanical, electrical and ergonomic services to the mining industry. HSEC's engineers undertake the majority of the Statuary winder testing in the UK.
Services
Feasibility Studies -
The investigation of options for engineering projects including outline scheme
design and initial budget costing.
Engineering Design - Services range from scheme design, for
example for new mine surface facilities or underground infrastructures, to
detailed design of mechanical or electrical equipment.
Project Management - Full range of project management services
from specification, vetting of tenders, through contract management, and site
supervision to testing and commissioning.
Engineering Investigations - Investigations into equipment
failures, reliability and fitness for purpose as well as investigations into
accidents and incidents involving engineering systems and human factors.
Ergonomic & Human Factors - Equipment and system design and
assessment for operational efficiency, safety and maintainability.
Investigations into Human Factors issues including: Safety Culture, Human Error
and Rule Violations.
Inspection & Testing - Specialist statutory testing of winding
and transport systems as well as on site dynamic testing as part of failure
investigations. Over inspection of Winding and Shaft systems.
Procedure Development & Audit - Development of specialist
procedure such as safety procedures for work on Electrical Equipment or
development of policy on use of vibrating tools and the auditing of maintenance
activities, for example undertaking tri-anneal audits of schemes of maintenance
on Shaft and Winding equipment.
Conformity Assessment - Under HSEC's Supply of Machinery
Advisory Service, we provide a full range of consultancy to support
manufacturers of underground machinery meet the obligations under the Supply of
Machinery (Safety) Regulations. We also:
- Supply consultancy advice on meeting the requirements for safety critical
control systems to BS EN 60568.
- Assessment of non-certified electrical equipment for use underground under
Regulation 19 of the Electricity at Work Regulations.
Risk Assessment of Underground Engineering Systems - Full range
of assessment techniques including statutory, HAZID, FMECA and HAZOP Studies.
Specialist Services
Underground Transport
- Transport systems, surface and underground, for minerals, materials
and manpower. Conveying, locomotive and rope haulage systems. Particular
expertise in Free Steered vehicles, and Diesel Powered plant.
Shafts & Winding - Hoisting equipment, shaft side and in-shaft
equipment, for both vertical shafts, drifts and un-walkable outlets.
Pumping Systems - Pumping installations, pipe work, settlement
and storage systems for mine de-watering. Water distribution systems for fire
fighting and dust suppression.
Mineral Extraction Equipment - Long Wall and Short Wall mineral
extraction machinery, and tunnelling Equipment.
Electrical Power Distribution and Utilisation - Power
distribution systems and drive control systems, particularly for hazardous
areas.
Control and Monitoring Systems - Motor control, plant and mine
wide monitoring and control systems, signalling, and communications systems,
particularly IS equipment for hazardous areas.
Materials and Metallurgical - Investigations on engineering
equipment and structures, particularly related to fatigue failures and welding
problems.
In addition to the disciplines available from our core staff, we also have a
team of associates with extensive mining and tunnelling related expertise
including:
- Mining Engineering
- Civil Engineering and Structures
- Environmental Engineering
- Mineral Preparation
- Quality Management
Hand-Arm Vibration -
Vibration measurement and assessment, advice on policy and risk reduction
measures, training for operators and assessors.
Machinery Safety - Safety design reviews, assessment of
conformity to European Directives, Technical File preparation, risk assessments.
Human Factors in Safety - HSEC are experts in anSystem design and project
management for rail, free-steered vehicle and conveyor transport systems.
Training
Safety training for operators
and technicians, management of training programmes on new plant for operators
and maintainers. Bespoke training courses are
developed and delivered to meet specific training needs of clients' staff.
Examples of HSEC's previous custom-made courses include:
- Safety Refresher courses for mechanical and electrical maintenance staff
- Safety Awareness training for staff involved in Shaft and hoisting operations
- Planning and Undertaking Safe Lifting Operations in underground environments
- Training for staff responsible for assessment of Hand Arm Vibration Risks
- Inspection and repair of Certified electrical equipment for use in hazardous
areas
- Maintenance of specific engineering plant and equipment
- Awareness of Hand Arm Vibration risks for operator and maintanence staff
- Training on the assessment and control of risks arising from the use of
vibrating equipment
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