United safety training co-coordinator Steve Nash, a finalist in the New South Minerals Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Innovation Awards with this entry, developed the purpose built install and removal tool in conjunction with Kings Engineering.

Several reported injuries at United involving personnel changing tyres prompted the mine engineering department to design the tool to reduce the risk of manual handling injury.

Changing of a tyre using the tool is a two man operation. The device aligns and holds the tyre in the correct location allowing easy fitting and the weight of the tyre is controlled upon removal.

It has been designed with the correct load bearing capacity and is fit for purpose.

The tool is portable and can be used in a narrow or limited space where a loader with forks or a tyre holding attachment can’t access.

Since introduction of the tool into United, 90% of heavy lifting has been removed during fitting and removing of shuttle car tyres.