Work Health & Safety Policy

Hamilton By Design – Work Health & Safety Policy

Hamilton By Design is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees, contractors, clients, and visitors. We recognise that effective work health and safety management is fundamental to professional engineering practice and the successful delivery of our services.

This policy outlines our commitment to preventing injury and illness, managing workplace risks, and complying with all applicable work health and safety legislation.


Scope

This policy applies to all Hamilton By Design activities, including:

  • Mechanical and structural engineering services
  • 3D LiDAR scanning and site data capture
  • CAD modelling, drafting, and engineering analysis
  • Office-based work, workshops, and client sites
  • Interaction with clients, suppliers, and contractors

Our Commitment

Hamilton By Design is committed to:

  • Complying with all applicable Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation, regulations, and codes of practice
  • Providing and maintaining a safe working environment and safe systems of work
  • Identifying hazards and implementing effective risk control measures
  • Preventing work-related injury, illness, and incidents
  • Consulting with workers on health and safety matters that affect them
  • Continually improving our WHS performance

Hazard Identification and Risk Management

Hamilton By Design applies a risk-based approach to health and safety by:

  • Identifying hazards associated with office-based and site-based activities
  • Assessing risks and implementing controls using the hierarchy of controls
  • Preparing and following Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) and risk assessments where required
  • Reviewing risk controls to ensure they remain effective

Roles and Responsibilities

Management

Management is responsible for:

  • Implementing this policy and providing adequate resources to support WHS objectives
  • Ensuring risks are identified and controlled
  • Providing appropriate training, supervision, and instruction

Employees and Contractors

All employees and contractors are responsible for:

  • Taking reasonable care for their own health and safety
  • Ensuring their actions do not adversely affect others
  • Following WHS procedures, site rules, and client requirements
  • Reporting hazards, incidents, and near misses

Training and Competency

Hamilton By Design ensures that:

  • Personnel are appropriately trained and competent for the tasks they perform
  • Site-specific inductions are completed where required
  • WHS awareness is maintained through ongoing communication and engagement

Incident Reporting and Investigation

All incidents, injuries, and near misses must be reported promptly. Incidents are investigated to identify root causes and to implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.


Site and Client Safety

When working on client or construction sites, Hamilton By Design will:

  • Comply with site-specific WHS requirements and permit systems
  • Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Coordinate with clients and contractors to manage shared risks

Consultation and Communication

Hamilton By Design is committed to consulting with employees and contractors on WHS matters and encourages active participation in identifying hazards and improving safety outcomes.


Review and Continuous Improvement

This Work Health & Safety Policy is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains current, effective, and aligned with legislative requirements and industry best practice.


Approved by:
Hamilton By Design Management

Effective Date: 07/12/2006

Hamilton By Design logo displayed on a blue tilted rectangle with a grey gradient background
3D LiDAR scanning and 3D modelling service button โ€” laser scanner capturing a point cloud for engineering and CAD modelling
Mechanical engineering services
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) engineering simulation button
Mechanical engineering services

Environmental Policy

Hamilton By Design – Environmental Policy

Hamilton By Design is committed to conducting its engineering and design services in a responsible and environmentally conscious manner. We recognise that our work can influence environmental outcomes through the design decisions we make, the technologies we use, and the advice we provide to our clients.

This Environmental Policy outlines our commitment to minimising environmental impacts, complying with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and supporting sustainable engineering outcomes across all areas of our business.


Scope

This policy applies to all Hamilton By Design operations, including:

  • Mechanical and structural engineering services
  • 3D LiDAR scanning and digital data capture
  • CAD modelling, drafting, and design development
  • Engineering analysis and project support
  • Office-based and site-based activities
  • Engagement with clients, suppliers, and contractors

Our Commitment

Hamilton By Design is committed to:

  • Complying with all applicable environmental legislation, regulations, and client requirements
  • Minimising the environmental impact of our operations and services
  • Incorporating environmental considerations into engineering and design decisions where feasible
  • Promoting environmental awareness and responsibility among employees and contractors
  • Continually improving our environmental performance

Operational Environmental Management

To reduce environmental impact in our day-to-day operations, Hamilton By Design will:

  • Minimise waste generation and promote recycling where practicable
  • Use resources, energy, and consumables efficiently
  • Reduce unnecessary travel through effective planning and use of digital collaboration tools
  • Maintain equipment to maximise service life and reduce premature replacement
  • Consider environmental impacts when selecting suppliers and subcontractors

Sustainable Design Influence

Hamilton By Design integrates environmental considerations into engineering and design decisions wherever feasible and appropriate to the project scope.

Where relevant, we may recommend design solutions that:

  • Reduce energy consumption across the life of an asset
  • Reduce material usage and fabrication waste
  • Support life-of-asset efficiency, durability, and maintainability
  • Improve overall resource efficiency for clients

To support informed and transparent decision-making, Hamilton By Design utilises engineering design platforms that include environmental assessment capabilities. This includes the use of SOLIDWORKS Sustainability and SustainabilityXpress tools, which allow environmental impacts to be evaluated and compared during the design process, including:

  • Material selection and environmental impact
  • Manufacturing and transportation considerations
  • Energy use over the asset life cycle
  • End-of-life and recyclability factors

These tools support life-cycle-based engineering assessment and are used to inform โ€” not replace โ€” professional engineering judgement. Environmental considerations are balanced alongside safety, performance, constructability, cost, and compliance with applicable Australian Standards.


Responsibilities

  • Leadership is responsible for implementing this policy and ensuring appropriate resources are available.
  • Employees and Contractors are responsible for working in accordance with this policy and for identifying opportunities to reduce environmental impact within their areas of control.

Communication and Awareness

This Environmental Policy is communicated to employees, contractors, and relevant stakeholders and is made publicly available through the Hamilton By Design website. Environmental awareness is promoted through ongoing engagement and appropriate training.


Review and Continuous Improvement

Hamilton By Design will review this Environmental Policy periodically to ensure it remains relevant, effective, and aligned with business activities, regulatory requirements, and best-practice engineering principles.


Approved by:
Hamilton By Design Management

Effective Date: 06/12/2006

Hamilton By Design logo displayed on a blue tilted rectangle with a grey gradient background
3D LiDAR scanning and 3D modelling service button โ€” laser scanner capturing a point cloud for engineering and CAD modelling
Mechanical engineering services
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) engineering simulation button
Mechanical engineering services

AS 3774 Loads in Hopper Design

Cutaway view of an industrial mining hopper showing bulk material flow with AS 3774 load paths and FEA stress distribution on hopper walls.

AS 3774 Hopper Design Loads โ€“ Bulk Solids Handling Engineering

In bulk materials handling, the ultimate operational goal is steady-state production โ€” consistent throughput, predictable equipment loading, and minimal process disruption.

Hoppers play a critical role in achieving this outcome. However, the benefits they provide come with structural and load complexities that must be correctly understood and engineered. This is where AS 3774 โ€“ Loads on Bulk Solids Containers becomes essential.


Mining hopper in a transfer station shown in cutaway, illustrating steady-state material flow, structural load distribution, and engineered hopper design.

Why Do You Want a Hopper in Your Process?

In simple terms, having a hopper in your system allows you to maintain constant production.

Most industrial plants aim to operate in a steady-state condition, where material flow remains as uniform as possible. In reality, upstream and downstream equipment rarely operate at the same rate, and bulk materials themselves are inherently variable.

A hopper acts as a buffer.

By decoupling one part of the process from another, a hopper allows fluctuations in feed rate, equipment performance, or material behaviour to be absorbed without immediately impacting the rest of the plant.

As a general principle:

The more hoppers you have in the right locations, the more steady-state your operation becomes.


Buffering Variability and Increasing Capacity

Hoppers contribute to steady-state operation in two key ways:

1. Stabilising Flow

Hoppers smooth out:

  • Surging feed rates
  • Short interruptions upstream
  • Variations in material size and moisture

This allows downstream equipmentโ€”such as feeders, conveyors, screens, and millsโ€”to operate closer to their design point.

2. Providing Extra Capacity

Hoppers also introduce process capacitance.

This additional capacity:

  • Buys time during plant upsets
  • Reduces nuisance trips and shutdowns
  • Improves overall plant availability

From a production perspective, hoppers are one of the most effective tools available for improving consistency and utilisation.


The Engineering Reality: Hoppers Are Load-Critical Structures

While hoppers improve process stability, they also introduce complex structural load cases.

Bulk solids do not behave like liquids or static dead loads. As material is filled, stored, and discharged, the loads acting on hopper walls and supporting steelwork change significantly.

AS 3774 exists to address this exact problem.

The standard defines load cases associated with:

  • Filling conditions
  • Static storage
  • Flow and discharge
  • Eccentric and asymmetric draw-down

These load cases are often higher and more uneven than designers expect, particularly during discharge.


What Happens When AS 3774 Is Not Properly Applied?

When hopper loads are underestimated or simplified, common outcomes include:

  • Buckled or permanently deformed hopper walls
  • Cracking at welds and transitions
  • Fatigue issues in supporting structures
  • Excessive vibration during operation
  • Premature failure during throughput increases

Ironically, the very hoppers intended to stabilise production can become the source of downtime if not correctly designed or assessed.


Geometry Matters: Why As-Built Conditions Are Critical

AS 3774 calculations are highly sensitive to geometry.

In brownfield plants, hopper drawings are often:

  • Out of date
  • Incomplete
  • No longer representative of site conditions

Modifications, liner additions, repairs, and wear can all change how loads are transferred into the structure.

This is why engineering-grade as-built data is critical when assessing existing hoppers.


  • SolidWorks Simulation von Mises stress plot of an internally pressurised pressure vessel, viewed from above, showing colour-mapped stress distribution from low (blue) to high (red) with pressure arrows applied to the internal surfaces and deformation exaggerated for visualisation

Engineering-Led AS 3774 Assessment

At Hamilton By Design, hopper assessments are approached as a combined process and structural problem, not just a compliance exercise.

Our workflow typically integrates:

  • High-accuracy 3D LiDAR scanning to capture true geometry
  • SolidWorks 3D modelling of hoppers and support steelwork
  • Structural FEA with AS 3774 load cases applied
  • Targeted strengthening or upgrade design where required

This allows clients to:

  • Increase throughput with confidence
  • Extend asset life
  • Avoid unnecessary replacement
  • Maintain steady-state operation safely

Hamilton By Design logo displayed on a blue tilted rectangle with a grey gradient background
3D LiDAR scanning and 3D modelling service button โ€” laser scanner capturing a point cloud for engineering and CAD modelling
Mechanical engineering services

Bringing It All Together

Hoppers are fundamental to stable, high-availability bulk materials processing.

They:

  • Enable steady-state production
  • Buffer variability
  • Provide valuable process capacity

But they also:

  • Introduce complex, non-intuitive loads
  • Demand careful application of AS 3774
  • Require accurate geometry and engineering verification

When hopper design and assessment are done correctly, they support production.
When they are not, they quietly become one of the highest structural risks in the plant.


Name
Would you like us to arrange a phone consultation for you?
Address

Our clients:


3D CAD Modelling Australia service banner for Hamilton By Design


CHPP Engineering title graphic featuring bold white text reading "CHPP Engineering" centred on a blue rounded rectangle background.
Pipework Drafting title graphic featuring bold white text reading "Pipework Drafting" centred on a blue rounded rectangle background.
3D LiDAR Scanning for Engineering Projects title graphic featuring bold white text on a blue rounded rectangle background.


Finite Element Analysis (FEA) engineering simulation button
Structural drafting services button
Mechanical drafting services button


Australian Drafting logo featuring bold white text reading "Australian Drafting" centred on a blue rounded rectangle background.
Engineering Governance title graphic featuring bold white text reading "Engineering Governance" centred on a blue rounded rectangle background.
Engineering-Grade LiDAR Scanning title graphic featuring bold white text on a blue rounded rectangle background.


Mechanical drafting services button
Structural drafting services button


Fabrication and product design services
3D CAD Modelling Australia service banner for Hamilton By Design
Mechanical, Structural & Pipework Drafting service banner by Hamilton By Design featuring white text on a blue background.


3D LiDAR scanning and 3D modelling service button โ€” laser scanner capturing a point cloud for engineering and CAD modelling
Mechanical engineering services

Mechanical Engineering | Structural Engineering


3D Lidar Scanning Services in Darwin

3D Scanning Services Darwin | Industrial LiDAR for Mining, Ports & Gas

Blue 3D LiDAR scanner icon on a tripod with scanning waves

Hamilton By Design delivers engineering-grade 3D scanning services in Darwin and the broader Northern Territory for mining operations, heavy construction projects, port facilities, and oil & gas infrastructure. Our services are engineered to support complex, high-risk environments where accuracy, reliability, and downstream usability of captured data directly influence project outcomes.

Darwin and the Northern Territoryโ€™s economy are underpinned by strategic investment in resources, energy, construction, and export infrastructure, including mineral extraction, liquefied natural gas projects, major port facilities, and associated heavy industry developments. nteconomy.nt.gov.au+1 Our 3D scanning services are tailored to meet the demands of these sectors, providing certified capture workflows that support planning, design, modification, fabrication, and compliance deliverables.


Why Darwin Projects Need an Engineering-Grade 3D Scanning Approach

Darwin projects commonly involve live industrial environments, large-scale equipment, and brownfield upgrades where assumptions cost time and money. Our engineering-led 3D scanning services provide precise digital representations of complex assets, enabling safer and faster decision-making on heavy industry projects.

Mining and resources infrastructure
The Northern Territoryโ€™s mining and resources sector contributes significantly to regional economic output, with mineral extraction, petroleum and natural gas operations, and associated processing facilities forming core project drivers. nteconomy.nt.gov.au+1 High-accuracy capture of pits, processing plants, stockpiles, conveyors, and infrastructure improves planning, risk reduction, and asset management.

Heavy construction and site coordination
Darwin is a hub for major construction and industrial projects, where detailed spatial knowledge is essential for avoiding clashes, verifying clearances, and supporting installation sequencing. nteconomy.nt.gov.au

Port and export infrastructure
Facilities such as Darwin Port require detailed asset capture for maintenance planning, structural verification, and integration of new systems within operational environments.

Oil, gas and energy facilities
Onshore and near-shore gas processing facilities, pipelines, and connected energy infrastructure demand detailed capture for retrofit, upgrade, and compliance work. The regionโ€™s ongoing energy projects, including export-oriented gas facilities, benefit from high-resolution site data for engineering assessment. Wikipedia


Our 3D Scanning Services in Darwin

We provide a comprehensive suite of industrial 3D scanning services built around engineering workflows and practical project outcomes:

  • Engineering-Grade LiDAR Scanning for Heavy Industry
    Accurate capture of plant, equipment, civil structures, stockpiles, and infrastructure.
  • Brownfield Retrofit & Upgrade Scanning
    Reliable, measurable site data to support modification, expansion, and construction.
  • Construction Coordination & Clash Avoidance
    High-precision datasets for clash detection, sequencing, and design validation.
  • Scan-to-CAD Modelling
    Converting point clouds into usable 3D CAD models for mechanical, structural, and fabrication workflows.
  • Verified Geometry for Compliance & Design
    Deliverables suitable for engineering verification, documentation, and approvals.
  • Precision Scanning for Fabrication & Installation Planning
    Supporting fit-first-time outcomes and reducing onsite rework.

Each capture is conducted with an understanding of how the data will be used by engineers, designers, and project teams โ€” not as standalone visuals but as actionable digital deliverables.


Our clients:

Industrial Use Cases Common in Darwin

Our Darwin 3D scanning projects frequently support:

  • Mining processing plants and material handling infrastructure
  • LNG and gas processing facilities
  • Heavy civil works and structural upgrades
  • Port infrastructure modifications and maintenance planning
  • Mechanical plant retrofit and replacement interfaces
  • Construction set-out and spatial verification

This focus ensures that scan data supports real engineering workflows โ€” from design and clash detection through to fabrication and installation.


Supporting Engineering Services for Darwin Projects

3D scanning in heavy industry rarely stands alone. Most projects require integrated engineering and documentation workflows, including:

  • 3D CAD Modelling (Scan-to-CAD)
    Translating site capture into engineering models ready for analysis and design.
  • As-Built Drawings for Compliance and Procedural Use
    Detailed documentation suitable for regulatory, contractor, and stakeholder use.
  • Emergency Exit & Egress Drawing Development
    Based on reliable scan data to support safety planning and compliance documentation.
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
    Engineering verification where structure or component behaviour must be assessed under load.
  • 3D Rendering & Virtual Models
    Communicating complex spatial data to stakeholders during planning, approvals, or reviews.
  • Precision Scanning for Fabrication, Renovation & Upgrades
    Reducing risk and onsite uncertainty for installation and manufacturing.

Our clients

Engineering-Led 3D Scanning You Can Rely On

Hamilton By Designโ€™s 3D scanning services in Darwin are rooted in engineering fundamentals, not just capture. We prioritise data accuracy, usability, and integration with existing workflows, ensuring that point cloud data becomes a reliable foundation for design, construction, compliance, and verification in demanding industrial environments.


Hamilton By Design logo displayed on a blue tilted rectangle with a grey gradient background
3D LiDAR scanning and 3D modelling service button โ€” laser scanner capturing a point cloud for engineering and CAD modelling
Mechanical engineering services

Get in Touch About a Darwin 3D Scanning Project

Whether you are planning a mining plant retrofit, infrastructure upgrade, or heavy construction project in Darwin or the Northern Territory, contact Hamilton By Design to discuss your requirements and ensure your project benefits from high-precision, engineering-grade 3D scanning.

Name
Would you like us to arrange a phone consultation for you?
Address

AS ISO 10816 / 20816 โ€“ Mechanical Vibration

AS ISO 10816 & 20816 โ€“ Mechanical Vibration | Hamilton By Design

Mechanical vibration is one of the earliest indicators that rotating equipment is developing a fault. Standards such as AS ISO 10816 and AS ISO 20816 provide a consistent framework for measuring, evaluating, and managing vibration in industrial machinery.

At Hamilton By Design, we help clients apply these standards in a practical, engineering-led way by connecting vibration data with mechanical design, asset condition, and real-world site conditions.


What Are AS ISO 10816 and AS ISO 20816?

The AS ISO 10816 / 20816 standards define:

  • How mechanical vibration should be measured on machines
  • How vibration severity should be evaluated
  • What vibration levels are considered acceptable, marginal, or unacceptable

These standards are commonly applied to motors, pumps, gearboxes, compressors, fans, conveyors, and other rotating equipment where vibration provides an early warning of mechanical or structural issues.


Why Mechanical Vibration Standards Matter

Using vibration data without a recognised standard often leads to inconsistent interpretation and delayed action. Applying AS ISO 10816 / 20816 helps organisations to:

  • Identify mechanical problems early
  • Reduce unplanned downtime and breakdowns
  • Prevent secondary damage to bearings, shafts, and foundations
  • Improve overall equipment reliability
  • Support condition-based and predictive maintenance strategies

When vibration is assessed against an accepted standard, maintenance decisions become clearer and more defensible.


The Common Gap: Vibration Data Without Engineering Context

Many sites collect vibration data but struggle to connect it to:

  • As-installed geometry and alignment
  • Structural stiffness and support conditions
  • Design intent versus site reality
  • Maintenance and modification history

Vibration issues are often symptoms of broader mechanical or structural problems. Without engineering context, vibration data alone can be misleading.

This is where vibration assessment benefits from being connected to engineering-grade site information.

Engineering-Grade 3D LiDAR Scanning
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/home/engineering-services/engineering-grade-lidar-scanning/


How Hamilton By Design Helps

Hamilton By Design connects vibration standards with practical engineering outcomes through a coordinated service offering.

Engineering-Led Vibration Interpretation

We assess vibration results against AS ISO 10816 / 20816 using engineering judgement rather than relying solely on alarm limits. Machine type, operating duty, and site conditions are all considered.

Understanding the Physical Asset

By linking vibration data with mechanical layouts, drawings, and 3D models, we help identify whether vibration is driven by alignment issues, inadequate stiffness, foundation behaviour, or design constraints.

Mechanical Engineering Services
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/home/mechanical-engineering-consulting/mechanical-engineering/

SolidWorks & Mechanical CAD Services
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/home/engineering-services/solidworks/

Analysis Where Required

Where vibration levels indicate potential resonance, flexibility, or dynamic response issues, we support deeper investigation using structural and mechanical analysis tools.

SolidWorks FEA & Simulation
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/home/engineering-services/solidworks/solidworks-fea-simulation/

FEA Capabilities
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/home/engineering-services/fea-capabilities/

Clear, Usable Reporting

Our reporting focuses on:

  • What the vibration levels indicate
  • Why the issue matters to the asset
  • What actions are recommended

This ensures vibration results directly support maintenance and engineering decisions.


Where This Approach Adds Value

A connected vibration and engineering approach is particularly valuable in:

  • Mining and mineral processing plants
  • Heavy industrial facilities
  • Energy and utilities infrastructure
  • Brownfield upgrades and asset life-extension projects

Vibration issues are frequently linked to steelwork design, support conditions, or historical modifications that were not fully engineered.

Challenges of Not Consulting AS 3990 โ€“ Mechanical Equipment Steelwork
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/challenges-of-not-consulting-as-3990-mechanical-equipment-steelwork/

AS 1755 โ€“ Conveyor Safety
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/as-1755-conveyor-safety/


Summary

AS ISO 10816 and AS ISO 20816 provide the benchmark for assessing mechanical vibration.
Hamilton By Design provides the engineering connection that turns those benchmarks into practical action.

By linking vibration data with 3D scanning, mechanical design, and engineering analysis, vibration assessments become clearer, more accurate, and far more useful across the asset lifecycle.


Hamilton By Design logo displayed on a blue tilted rectangle with a grey gradient background
3D LiDAR scanning and 3D modelling service button โ€” laser scanner capturing a point cloud for engineering and CAD modelling
Mechanical engineering services

Related Engineering Services

3D Laser Scanning & Mechanical Design
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/3d-laser-scanning-mechanical-design-australia/

Mining Engineering Services
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/home/engineering-services/mining-engineering-services-australia/

3D LiDAR scanning and 3D modelling service button โ€” laser scanner capturing a point cloud for engineering and CAD modelling
Mechanical engineering services
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) engineering simulation button
Mechanical engineering services

AS 1657 Access Compliance | Fixed Platforms, Walkways, Stairs & Ladders

Engineer using LiDAR scanner to assess a stairway with missing handrails, transitioning to AS 1657-compliant walkways and stairs in an operating plant

AS 1657 โ€“ Fixed Platforms, Walkways, Stairways & Ladders

One of the Most Enforced Standards on Mine Sites

Safe access is fundamental to operating plant. If people are required to inspect, operate, isolate, maintain, or repair equipment, they must be able to access it safely. This is why AS 1657 โ€“ Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways & ladders is one of the most actively enforced Australian Standards across mine sites, processing plants, and heavy industry.

Unlike many structural standards, AS 1657 compliance is highly visible, directly linked to injury risk, and simple for regulators to assess during inspections. As a result, access systems are often one of the first areas reviewed following incidents, audits, or site modifications.

Hamilton By Design supports asset owners by converting real as-built access steelwork into verified, engineering-grade digital records that can be assessed, upgraded, and documented with confidence.


Why AS 1657 Is Enforced So Frequently

AS 1657 governs how people physically move around plant. Regulators do not need detailed calculations to identify non-compliance โ€” they can see it immediately.

AS 1657 enforcement is commonly driven by:

  • Slips, trips and falls remaining a leading cause of mine-site injuries
  • Direct links to working-at-heights risk
  • Clear dimensional and geometric requirements
  • Strong alignment with WHS duty-of-care obligations

In practice, AS 1657 is enforced not because it is complex, but because non-compliance is visible and consequential.


LiDAR scanning of industrial stair and walkway access showing non-compliant handrails and the upgraded AS 1657-compliant access solution

Where AS 1657 Compliance Breaks Down in Operating Plant

Most access systems are originally designed with good intent. Problems develop over time as plant is modified, upgraded, or repurposed โ€” while access arrangements are not re-verified.

Common real-world scenarios include:

  • Walkways designed for inspection now used for routine maintenance
  • Increased personnel traffic driven by reliability or production demands
  • Temporary access becoming permanent
  • New guarding, chutes, pipework or services reducing clearances
  • Access steelwork modified during shutdowns with no formal review

The standard did not change โ€” the way the plant is used did.


Common AS 1657 Non-Conformances on Mine Sites

Across brownfield assets, the same access issues appear repeatedly:

  • Walkways narrower than required for the task being performed
  • Missing, incomplete, or inconsistent handrails and toe boards
  • Stairways outside allowable pitch or geometry limits
  • Inconsistent riser heights and tread depths
  • Ladders used where stairs should be provided
  • Unsafe access around conveyors, tanks, hoppers, and transfer stations
  • Ad-hoc access steelwork added without drawings or verification

Individually these issues may appear minor. Collectively, they represent a significant safety, compliance, and governance risk.


โ€œLooks Safeโ€ Is Not the Same as Compliant

A common industry assumption is that if access appears safe, it must be compliant. In reality:

  • Dimensional non-compliance is often subtle
  • Incremental changes hide cumulative risk
  • Visual acceptability does not equal compliance
  • Documentation is frequently missing or outdated

Most access systems do not fail catastrophically.
They fail audits, inspections, and incident reviews.


AS 1657 Interfaces with Other Standards

AS 1657 rarely exists in isolation on mine sites. It typically interfaces with:

  • AS 3990 โ€“ Mechanical equipment steelwork supporting access systems
  • AS 1755 โ€“ Conveyors and associated access and guarding
  • AS 4100 โ€“ Steel structures
  • WHS legislation โ€“ Enforcement and duty-holder accountability

Many compliance gaps occur at the interfaces between standards rather than within a single document.


The Documentation Gap in Access Compliance

A recurring challenge on older or modified sites is not necessarily unsafe access โ€” it is unverified access.

Common documentation gaps include:

  • Missing or obsolete access drawings
  • Handrails, stairs, and platforms never updated in CAD
  • Legacy drawings that no longer reflect site conditions
  • Inability to demonstrate compliance during audits

If you cannot prove what exists, it becomes difficult to prove compliance, fitness-for-purpose, or due diligence.


The Role of LiDAR Scanning in AS 1657 Compliance

Engineering-grade 3D LiDAR scanning provides a practical solution to access compliance challenges by capturing accurate as-built geometry.

LiDAR scanning allows asset owners to:

  • Measure real walkway widths, clearances, stair geometry and ladder access
  • Verify existing access systems against AS 1657 requirements
  • Identify non-compliances before audits or incidents
  • Design access upgrades that fit existing plant first time
  • Create reliable digital records for governance and lifecycle management

This approach replaces assumptions with measured reality.

Related service:
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/3d-laser-scanning/


AS 1657 in Brownfield Upgrades and Shutdowns

Access compliance is most commonly compromised during:

  • Tight shutdown windows
  • Conveyor and guarding upgrades
  • Debottlenecking and plant modifications
  • โ€œLike-for-likeโ€ replacements that repeat legacy issues

Without accurate as-built data, access upgrades risk fabrication rework, site clashes, and reinstating non-compliant geometry. Digital verification prior to fabrication significantly reduces these risks.


Our clients:

AS 1657 as a Due Diligence Issue for Asset Owners

For officers and senior leaders, AS 1657 compliance is not just an engineering detail โ€” it is a governance and due-diligence issue.

Demonstrating due diligence increasingly requires:

  • Evidence-based decision making
  • Documented verification of access systems
  • Clear linkage between identified risks and controls
  • Audit-ready engineering records

AS 1657 compliance is often one of the most visible indicators of how seriously an organisation treats safety and asset stewardship.


Practical Triggers to Review AS 1657 Compliance

An AS 1657 review should be considered when:

  • A near-miss or fall incident occurs
  • Maintenance frequency increases
  • New guarding or conveyors are installed
  • Access is modified during shutdowns
  • An audit or regulator inspection is upcoming
  • Assets are being sold, leased, or handed over

Early verification is significantly more cost-effective than reactive remediation.


Hamilton By Design logo displayed on a blue tilted rectangle with a grey gradient background
3D LiDAR scanning and 3D modelling service button โ€” laser scanner capturing a point cloud for engineering and CAD modelling
Mechanical engineering services

How Hamilton By Design Supports AS 1657 Compliance

Hamilton By Design supports access compliance by combining:

  • Engineering-grade LiDAR scanning
  • Accurate as-built CAD models
  • Practical upgrade and retrofit design
  • Fabrication-ready documentation

This enables asset owners to move from assumed compliance to verified compliance, with confidence in safety, constructability, and governance.

Name
Would you like us to arrange a phone consultation for you?
Address
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) engineering simulation button
Mechanical engineering services