Safer Crusher Maintenance for Mining Operations
When a mining company approached Materials Handling Solutions (MHS), they weren’t looking for something off the shelf.
They had a very real, very physical problem inside one of the toughest environments you can imagine — a primary rock crusher.
The Challenge
In their processing plant, crushers break down large rocks into material small enough to move through the rest of the operation. Inside each crusher, the internal walls are lined with sacrificial wear plates.
These plates:
- Protect the crusher body
- Take the brunt of the impact
- Must be replaced regularly once worn
Each plate is bolted to the inside walls of the crusher.
Here’s where the issue began.
During shutdown maintenance, crews would:
- Enter the confined work space of the crusher
- Unbolt the worn plates
- Throw them as far as possible down the conveyor
- Climb through the tight space
- Lift and throw the plates further along
- Repeat the process until the plates reach the discharge point
This meant:
- Repeated manual handling of heavy steel plates
- Working in a confined space
- Climbing and lifting in awkward positions
- High fatigue levels
- Increased risk of injury
It was slow. It was hard work. And it wasn’t ideal from a safety perspective.
Our Approach
After discussing the workflow with their maintenance team, we focused on one key question:
How do we remove the plates in a single controlled movement — without repeated lifting and throwing?
The solution needed to:
- Fit inside the crusher
- Travel along the conveyor
- Handle heavy wear plates
- Be easily removed by crane or forklift
- Improve safety and reduce fatigue
The MHS Solution
We engineered a modified battery-powered trolley fitted with a crane bin.
Key Features
- Compact footprint – Small enough to drive up the conveyor and into the crusher
- Battery-powered drive – Eliminates pushing and manual strain
- Integrated tipping bin – Designed specifically for worn crusher plates
- Crane or forklift lift and tipping points – Can be removed safely using a jib or overhead crane
- Heavy-duty construction – Built for mining conditions
How It Works
- The trolley is driven directly up the conveyor into the crusher.
- Maintenance personnel load worn plates straight into the bin.
- The trolley is driven back out — no repeated lifting or throwing.
- The bin can then be tipped for controlled disposal.
- The entire unit can be lifted clear using a crane or forklift with a jib attachment.
The Outcome
This simple change to the workflow delivered major improvements:
✔ Reduced manual handling
✔ Fewer awkward lifts in confined spaces
✔ Less fatigue for maintenance crews
✔ Lower injury risk
✔ Faster shutdown turnaround
Instead of climbing, lifting and throwing plates multiple times, the team now loads once and drives out.
Safer. Cleaner. Smarter.
Why This Matters
In mining and heavy industry, injuries often occur not from complex machinery — but from repetitive, awkward manual tasks.
By rethinking the process and designing equipment around the real-world environment, we were able to eliminate unnecessary handling steps and make a demanding maintenance task significantly safer.
At Materials Handling Solutions (MHS), we don’t just sell equipment.
We solve site-specific problems.
If your operation has a workflow that feels harder than it should be — chances are there’s a better way.
Need a custom solution for your site?
Talk to our team about engineered materials handling systems designed for mining, processing plants and heavy industry across Perth and Western Australia.
📞 +61 8 9258 4011
🌐 materialhandlingequipment.com.au
✉ sales@mhsperth.com.au
