Safety Inspections – Your Ongoing Responsibilities

At CoxGomyl, our number one core value is safety. From design and manufacture to installation and maintenance, the well-being of those working at height, the building users and the general public is always at the forefront of our work.

Unfortunately there are examples of what can happen when building maintenance units are not properly inspected and maintained. The NSW government issued a safety alert reminding owners and users of BMUs of the need for ongoing safety inspections in the wake of a serious accident. Two workers were seriously injured when a BMU cradle fell 10 storeys. The investigation traced the problem to worn components at the connection between the winch and the cradle. One bolt failed, leading to a sudden transfer of weight to the other side of the cradle, where that bolt also failed. The bolts were concealed within the mechanism and could not be inspected without a thorough disassembly. It was found that both bolts showed signs of fatigue cracking which weakened them and led to the sudden failure. This would not have been apparent from any external signs, but could have been prevented if an annual inspection had been carried out.

In light of this, the State Government reminded BMU owners of their responsibility to:

• identify critical components in BMUs or scaffold cradles – e.g. where failure of a component would risk the safety of anyone in the vicinity of the BMU or suspended scaffold
• assess whether the current inspection and maintenance program adequately deals with these critical components, especially any components that need disassembly to inspect
• upgrade the inspection and maintenance program if necessary
• include non-destructive testing or regular replacement of components as part of the program where visual inspection alone is not adequate to detect potential developing defects, such as fatigue cracks
• carry out a major inspection on any BMU that is over 10 years old and has not yet had a major inspection
• carry out a major inspection on any BMU that has had a major inspection:
  • but is overdue for its next recommended major inspection, or
  • five years after the last major inspection where no recommendation was given.

As the global leader and the designers and manufacturers of more than 6000 BMUs, we have been maintaining all types of machines for over 60 years. CoxGomyl are the experts in this specialised field.  With our Service Inspector Program we can carry out a full inspection of equipment and deliver a report on the status of your equipment, whether it is safe to use and compliant to the Australian Standards.

For any facade access system, whether it is produced by us or not, we have a range of maintenance services to help ensure you are meeting the requirements for ongoing inspection, safety checks and, most importantly, avoiding the risk of sudden, unexpected accidents. We offer a comprehensive maintenance service which covers service, breakdown, and limited repairs under normal working conditions. Alternatively, our standard maintenance agreement also offers a preventative maintenance programme to protect against wear, damage and malfunction. Our impromptu service is provided as requested for one-off inspection reports, servicing or repairs.

Our expertise and years of experience in the industry mean we can often step in to identify and find solutions for worn or damaged equipment that was produced by other manufacturers. Our mechanical, electrical and structural design teams can work with you and your existing machinery to ensure the highest possible level of safety.

Don’t risk safety, reach out to us today to discuss a safety inspection!