Carryback Deflectors

What’s hanging over your head?

In the busy mining industry, we are focussed on the job at hand, not always considering the danger of what is hanging above your head. With each hour the conveyors are operational, carryback is settling in heavy clumps on steel members and can fall without notice.

Carryback is material that adheres to the belt beyond the discharge point of the head pulley, accounting for most of the loose material present in conveyor systems. The fine material becomes dislodged along the return run of the conveyor and builds-up beneath the belt. Although the particles are generally small, it’s when they settle into hard piles on the steel members that problems arise.

The piles weighing up to 100kg are often referred to as “widow makers” They often go unnoticed until they fall but the damage they can cause is frightening. Anyone who has worked on mine sites, particularly wet plants, would have seen the damage they can do to plant, vehicles, and workers underneath.

After calculating carryback’s angle of repose, we developed a lightweight, cyclone proof clip-on system that sheds the material from steel members. The carryback slides off the innovative design so it cannot build into deadly clumps.

Benefits of Carryback Deflectors

Improved Site Safety

Mine sites do everything they can to reduce the risk of serious injury and fatalities, however, carry back clumps are unseen killers due to their obscure locations. Preventing the clumps from occurring is the only way of eliminating the risk.

Less Inspection Time

The only way to locate the piles of carryback is regular inspections but with the clips there is no need for workers to check steel members as often for signs of clumps.
No Site Shutdowns to Remove Carryback Clumps

When dangerous clumps are discovered, the only way to remove them is to shut down the section of site, bring in an Elevated Work Platform (EWP) and push the clump off with a stick. The clips eliminate any need for shutdowns and use of an EWP.

Workers’ Peace of Mind

No one wants to work with the threat of a deadly clump falling on them at any time. Workers will be relieved to know there is now a solution for widow makers.

Cut-to-size Ordering

Our galvanised clips come in easy-to-handle lengths of up to 3 metres. Simply measure the length of your steel members, and we will supply cut-to-size segments.