Citic Pacific’s Cape Preston operation is the largest magnetite mining and processing operation in Australia and has a mine life of over 25 years. With a workforce of 3000 direct employees and contractors, staff safety and equipment protection are of paramount importance.
The Fabric Covered Structures supplied to the site by DomeShelter Australia use highly UV resistant fabric, capable of withstanding years of exposure to the harsh sun of Australia’s North West region and providing valuable sun protection to staff and contractors.
The Western Australian Government Department of Mines, Industry Regulation & Safety in conjunction with the Cancer Council WA expresses strong warnings on the risk of sun UV exposure. They say “Australia, particularly Western Australia, experiences high levels of UV radiation most of the year. Even on cool, cloudy days, UV radiation can be strong enough to damage the skin and cause cancer and eye damage.”
ARPANSA, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency warns “Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world. At least two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. The major cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.”
DomeShelter Australia’s Fabric Structures provide the essential sun protection companies like Citic Pacific are obliged to offer staff and contractors.
This DomeShelter™ Structure pictured above is just one of the 70+ on all the same mine site, each engineered to withstand Region D Cyclonic winds for which the Pilbara region is well known. The Bureau of Meteorology suggests that although there is a tendency for fewer cyclones in Australia’s North West, there will be a greater proportion of the high intensity storms (stronger wind speeds and heavier rainfall). The quality of built structures in this region and their ability to withstand cyclonic winds will be as important as ever.
Apart from the essential benefits of sun and cyclone protection, the key advantages to Citic Pacific of a DomeShelter™ Fabric Structures include;
1. Faster ; from design to installation is quick. DomeShelter™ Fabric Shelters are manufactured off-site, generally to standard sizes, so the speed from order to installation for Citic Pacific to get their shelter fully functional would have been far quicker than a conventional steel structure.
2. Transportable; Can be transported to their Cape Preston site with ease. DomeShelter™ Fabric Structures are packed down into kit form for transport, with everything required for installation included in the kit. Transport is done on flat bed trucks for delivery direct to site.
3. Installation; easily and quickly installed by on-site teams. DomeShelter™ Fabric Structures are specifically designed to be installed by Citics Pacific’s own teams with no previous experience. Instructions provided in both electronic and hard copy are easy to follow with feedback via surveys regularly sought to be sure they are up to date and accurate
4. Relocatable; Can be dismantled just as easily to shift across site or off site. One of the key features of DomeShelter™ Fabric Structures is the ease with which they can be installed. Dismantling, moving across or off site and reassembling to adapt to changing work conditions or the end of a project is one of the attractions of these structures.
5. Brighter, Lighter, Quieter; Although the fabric covering is highly UV resistant it is also translucent and allows a natural light throughout to provide a lit area that is easy for Citic Pacific staff and contractors to work in. Artificial lighting is kept to a minimum.
The use of Fabric Covered Structures in the mining sector has accelerated in the past decade as the industry sees the proven benefits. DomeShelter Australia’s Structures are now trusted by some of the world’s largest mining and industrial companies in Australia and across the world with exports to 41+ countries, including those in Africa, Asia, Middle East and Europe.
