Anglo American Australia (Grosvenor) recently engaged Emerald Air Starters & Equipment to manufacture some unique hand washing stations for use at their Moranbah North underground coal mine. EASE were the only local company with sufficient workshop / fabrication capabilities able to supply exactly what Moranbah North underground coal mine required. As there were no suitable / similar products in existence EASE decided to manufacture the hand washing stations as per Moranbah's specific underground site specifications. These sinks are located underground and are used primarily for miners to wash their hands whilst on the job.
Working to a tight delivery timeline and designing within rigid underground mine site specifications EASE proposed the fabrication of basic steel frames housing appropriate sinks (sourced from a local plumbing retailer). The hand washing stations required a 'catch can' to be placed under the sink (due to lack of plumbing underground) and a Wilden Double Diaphragm Pump to enable the 'catch can' to be drained once full.
The air supply for the Wilden Pumps is controlled via a spring loaded ball valve, so they are never left running after the 'catch cans' have been drained. The sink taps were made from fittings the EASE retail store stocks and are controlled via a basic ball valve. This particular system design was implemented to make the hand washing stations more robust. A standard sink tap would not have lasted in a harsh underground mining environment.
The sinks are still in use underground and to-date there have been no issues with their operation or functionality. All components were free of aluminum - a standard requirement for any products being used underground in explosion prone environments. This is another example of how Emerald Air Starters & Equipment are willing to go above and beyond to deliver unique products, perfectly suited to their application, delivered on time and within budget. To learn more about the EASE workshop's fabrication and servicing capabilities click here.
