IMPALA PLATINUM

4 ROPE KOEPE WINDER

ROPE--UP SAFETY
ROPE
PREPARATION

PATRICK DE LA HUNT

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INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION
Impala Platinum has recently successfully and safely
roped up 2 newly installed, 4 rope, man and rock, tower
mounted Koepe Winders on the 16# project.
This was the first of Koepe winders installed on Impala
Platinum.
This presentation will discuss some safety related
matters that were dealt with upfront and during the actual
rope up. A detailed rope-up procedure will be presented
at this forum at a later stage.
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PRESENTATION CONTENTS

Presentation contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Back ground, winder and rope-up equipment details

Upfront safety preparation
On site safety considerations
Photos
Video clips
Conclusion

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IMPALA 16 SHAFT HEADGEAR LAYOUT

On top, Cooling towers for the water cooled drives
7) Koepe Upper level
6) Koepe Lower level, brake hydraulics
5) Transformer level and Drives
4) Deflection sheave level
3) Service winder sheave Level
2) Tipping level
1) Conveyor level

Bank Level
Personnel Loading level (Sub Bank)

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IMPALA 16 SHAFT KOEPE WINDERS ROPE-UP

1. Back Ground
This new complex was started in October 2004 and the first
stoping and mining operations are expected to start in
September 2013 (nine years). This is the second of the new
generation shafts that will secure jobs for around 4500
people.
Hoisting 226 ktpm of reef out of a 10 metre diameter shaft.
The vent shaft is 6.8 metre in diameter. The skip payload is
25 ton.
The shaft depth is 1675 metres below collar, hoisting 2300
persons per hour with a two deck 300 persons cage (150
persons per deck).
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IMPALA 16 SHAFT KOEPE WINDERS ROPE-UP

Back Ground contd.

Considering all the effort over the past nine years and also
the future of the shaft, the rope up of the Koepe winders was
on the critical path and of utmost importance to be completed
on schedule and SAFELY
The initial rope up was planned at 13 days per winder

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IMPALA 16#, 4 ROPE KOEPE WINDERS

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DETAILS OF WINDING SYSTEM

Winding Distance
Motor Detail
Drum Diameter
Brakes

Conveyance Mass
Payload
Rope Details 4 Head
Ropes and 4 Tail Ropes
Rope Speed

Man Winder Koepe

Rock Winder Koepe

1601m

1640m

4300kW @ 57.3 rpm

4300kW @ 57.3 rpm

6.5m

6.5m

4 Channel Disc Brake,

Escort Controlled

4 Channel Disc Brake

Escort, Controlled

Cage: 26,5 ton

Skips: 26,5 ton

CW: 42,25 ton

22.5 ton

25 ton

Head Ropes: 54 mm Full

Lock

Head Ropes: 54 mm Full

Lock

Tail Ropes: 59mm Non-spin

Tail Ropes: 59mm Non-spin

16 m/s

16 m/s

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IMPALA 16 SHAFT CROSS SECTION

South
Skip
25t

Skip
25t

Cage 26.5t. Payload 22.5t

East

West

Service
Cage

Counter
Weight
42.25t

Service
Cage

North
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IMPALA 16 SHAFT KOEPE WINDERS ROPE-UP

The rope handling equipment used during the rope-up was

selected to ensure safe handling whilst installing the ropes.
The 4 head ropes installed simultaneously and the four tail
rope ropes were also installed simultaneously from surface.
The following slides will be showing the actual rope up
equipment used for the rope-up:

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FRICTION WINCH
A mobile 1700 kN Friction winch, designed to handle 6
ropes simultaneously. It will also be used on Impala 17 shaft

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DEFLECTION SHEAVES AND COMPRESSION BEAMS

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CLAMP AND LFTING DEVICE (CLD)

1700 kN Double sided, four rope clamp and lifting devices (CLD),
one for the rock and one for the man winder

CLIP

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MESSENGER WINCHES AND DEFLECTOR SHEAVES

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ROPE REELERS

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RELIANCE CLAMPS AND ACCESSORIES

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LAY OUT OF ROPE UP EQUIPMENT TO ROPE-UP SAFE!!

Koepe Winder (free-wheeling)
Koepe Rope Reelers

Permanent Deflection Sheaves

CLDs

Friction Winch

Temporary Deflection Sheaves

Compression Beams & Deflection Sheaves

Messenger Winches

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2. PRIOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Co-ordination (Several different contactors on board)
Contractors involved including Impala:
- RSV
- FLSmidth
- ABB, Local and overseas partners
- Murray and Roberts
- Shaft Sinkers
- Winder Controls/Siemag, Local and German partners
- DRATS and WORLEY PARSONSTWP, Involved on the
17# project, use same rope up equipment
- (Local and international visitors)
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PRIOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

EPCM, Contractor selection and adjudication
Very important to select the correct EPCM contractors to manage
the project. Ensure the correct quality controls are in place and are
adhered to. Generally you have to demand quality. If you do not
have quality your system is not safe.
Designs and Reviews
Ensure the scope of work and specifications are properly detailed
and reviewed. It is much easier to rectify matters during reviews
than at implementation phase.
Greater frontal engineering will ensure better implementation
success.
Regulations and SANS codes applied.
Hazards identification / Risk Assessment
Combined Risk assessments through out the process was carried
out to identify hazards (EPCM, OEM, Mine)
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PRIOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

Training

Winding engine drivers

Friction winch operators

Messenger winch operators

Clamp and lifting device operators

Rope capping

Tow vehicle, tractor driver

Initial rope-up procedure
Very important, a combined effort amongst the OEM, EPCM and the
Mine were put in to compile a detailed rope-up procedure. (Animated
Procedure) This was reviewed many times
Hazards were identified with in the procedure and a risk assessment
was carried out to mitigate and control the risks.
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PRIOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

Quality Control
Several inspections were conducted locally and
internationally to ensure quality products.
The rope-up equipment was inspected and factory tested by
EPCM and the Owners team.
Rope Cutting Procedure
Procedures were developed to ensure the ropes were cut
accurately and safely.
Platforms and life lines were installed in the shaft to safely
access the ropes and attachments.

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PRIOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

Friction Rollers
Friction rollers were incorporated on the friction winch as the
main source of friction between the rope and the coiling
sleeves of the friction winch.
In addition the rope reelers were designed to pull through a
brake generating a 2 ton rope pull (T2) as backup to the
friction rollers if they had to fail preventing the rope from
slipping

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1700kN FRICTION WINCH & FRICTION ROLLERS

Friction
Rollers

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ROPE REELER BRAKES

CLIP

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3.

SITE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Below a list of items taken into consideration on site

- Review of the rope-up procedure with all parties
involved, twice a day
- Rope-up concurrently with other construction
work. Co-ordination of eight different contractors
involved i.e. Work in head gear and in the shaft and
plan to put the shift down
- Communication at all times, leaky feeder / two way
radio, 6 channels
- Worked two shifts, handover and briefing sessions
took place 06h00 to 07h00 and the again 18h00 to
19h00
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ON SITE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

Cleaning solvents, no diesel to be used to clean

the head ropes (Slip could occur at reliance
clamps and CLD)
Barricading all the equipment to prevent
unauthorised access
PPE, grinding, cutting etc.

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ON SITE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

Daily task risk assessments

Heavy lifts
Load testing of cranes
Lifting and lowering of platforms
Tools with thongs used when working at heights and in
the shaft
Potential energy, tension in ropes and snatching areas
Moving equipment and machinery
Interface between the equipment i.e. either CLD or
Friction winch operational one at a time, not both.

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ON SITE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

In order to prevent tension in ropes between the

messengers winch and friction winch, the rope of the
messenger winch was paid out and coiled in a figure
eight before pulling with the friction winch
Positioning and securing of equipment
Reeving of main rope, spotters with radios at critical
positions
Piloting of the bridles, conveyances and crossheads
through the shaft. The service winder was used in
this instance

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ON SITE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

In addition on each shift an engineer was legally

appointed
Supervisors were appointed for each task
All the equipment was tested to ensure proper control
and protection before the rope-up commenced
Emergency controls were put in place i.e. remote alarms
and stops

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ON SITE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

Koepe winder free wheel through out the duration of the

rope-up i.e. brakes hydraulically locked in the off
position and motor torque disabled (Critical). Winder
Brake off indication installed at friction winch driver.
Working at heights, harnesses inspected and life lines
installed and used
Access control i.e. hard barricading & colour-coded hard
hats
At all times the T1/T2 tension in combination with the
clamping and releasing of the ropes were taken in
to account ensuring that no slip of the rope occurs
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ON SITE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS contd

12 Hours shifts continuously for 13 days were worked.

Fatigue of personnel were taken into consideration.
Lunch packs, soft drinks, tea and coffee were provided.
Portable toilets were positioned in close vicinity.
Containers with tools and equipment were also
positioned close to the activities.
GOOD HOUSE KEEPING WAS OF THE ORDER FOR
THE DURATION OF THE ROPE-UP

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PPE: COLOR CODED HARD HATS

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POSITIONING OF FRICTION WINCH (150 TON)

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PREPARATION FOR SOCKETING AND FITTING OF

ATTACHMENTS

Good housekeeping

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ROPE REELERS BARRICADED

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PROPER CONNECTIONS TO REEVE THE MAIN ROPE

CLIP

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LIFTING HEAVY LOADS

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CLEANING SOLVENTS (NO DIESEL ALLOWED)

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CLOSING SHAFT AND INSTALL LIFE LINES

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PROTECTION WHERE SNATCHING WAS DONE

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TAIL ROPE CROSS HEAD AND LIFTING BEAM

Head Ropes

Tail Ropes

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COMPRESSION BEAMS

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MARKING, PREPARE AND ROPE CUTTING

MARKING

FINAL CUT

FINAL CUTTING MARK

ROUGH CUT
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TAIL ROPE CLAMPING PLATFORMS INSTALLED

CLIP

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HYDRAULIC JACKS TO BALANCE TENSION IN HEAD ROPES

PUMP

JACKS

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MESSENGER WINCH CONTROL AND SAFETY

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DEFLECTOR SHEAVE ROPE RETAINER

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CRANES INSTALLED

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CONVEYANCE INSTALLATION FLAT CAR

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TESTING CLD AND FRICTION WINCH FULL LOAD

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TESTING CLD AND FRICTION WINCH FULL LOAD

Koepe Winder (free-wheeling)
Koepe Rope Reelers

Permanent Deflection Sheaves

CLDs (1700kN Rope Pull)
CLD PULLING FORCE TEST
1700 kN
FRICTION WINCH
BRAKES ON

Friction Winch

Temporary Deflection Sheaves

Compression Beams & Deflection Sheaves

Messenger Winches
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1700 kN FRICTION WINCH SUPPLY CABLES & EARTH

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KEY LESSONS LEARNT

Being a project some activities fall behind and hence need

to be accelerated or activities need to run concurrently not
planned for in the schedule in order to meet deadlines.
Additional planning is then required to ensure safe
completion
A lot of patience and a good team spirit is required

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CONCLUSION

The process followed, the rope-up equipment obtained,

together with the dedication from top management and all
parties involved the rope-up was completed safely with out
any incident.
THANK YOU!
QUESTIONS?
CLIP

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