Vehicle Fitouts
MOTOR accidents in commercial vehicles are an unfortunate reality for any mine operator.
While sound safety policy can drastically minimise the possibility of vehicle roll over, it can never stamp it out completely.
A 5-Star ANCAP rating is very effective if a vehicle is impacted from the front or from the side, with airbags designed to minimise injury from collisions.
However, airbags are ineffective in the case of vehicle rollovers.
Airbags will not stop the cabin from collapsing and crushing the occupants, and they will rapidly deflate if punctured.
Roy McEwen from vehicle modifiers Jaram Australia says that this message is something that has been driven home time and again.
“Every time that I hear about a motor vehicle accident, especially involving a roll-over that has ended in a serious injury, or even worse, a fatality; it sends a shudder down my spine,” he said.
“Not every serious accident ends in fatality, people do walk away unscathed, but the odds aren’t in your favour.
“This is not meant to be scare-mongering, it is simply a fact of life.
“After all, we should always consider duty of care.
“Of course the ANCAP Rating of vehicles is important and the corresponding increase in safety and design has contributed to saving lives, but where an accidents involves a single or multiple roll over, there has been negligible improvement.”
Statistically speaking, commercial vehicles – 4WDs, vans, busses, trucks and SUVs – tend to be at a higher risk of roll-over due to a higher centre of gravity.
The installation of an Internal Roll-Over Protection System (ROPS) can be customised for each vehicle and is certified and tested to conform to the relevant Australian standards VSB14-LK9/10 or ECE324R29 Add28
While a ROPS is not a 100pc guarantee of a safe outcome in an accident, it does give the occupants of a vehicle a fighting chance should the worst happen.
“Jaram offers the addition of a steel rollover system to complement the factory safety equipment,” Mr McEwen said.
“Each and every internal ROPS design is engineer certified and where required, registered by the Department of Transport for your vehicle.”
Jaram Australia Pty Ltd is licensed by the Department of Transport as an authorised and approved vehicle modification facility.
As an alternative, the company also offers a supply-only service and you can have the ROPS fitted by a qualified mechanic.