A team of employees from Raw Material Handling Plant (RMHP) of SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has taken a proactive step in improving the safety and efficiency of its Wagon Tippler-6 operations by installing new rail wheel chocker. Notably, the innovative solution has been conceived, designed and fabricated by the enterprising team. The critical addition aims to prevent empty wagons from rolling back onto the tippler platform, eliminating a potential safety and operational hazard.
In the earlier practice, workers were required to manually place wooden wedges on the track to secure wagons in place which posed several potential risks. In the event of a misjudged placement or unexpected shift of the wagon, workers were at risk of injury, and operation delays were common due to this manual process. Also, foggy conditions, poor lighting, and uneven ground complicated the wedge placement used to increase the likelihood of accidents.
The newly installed rail wheel chocker is designed to engage automatically once a wagon is pushed to the outhaul side, effectively preventing it from rolling backward onto the tippler platform. This system eliminates the need for manual wedge placement and brings several safety and operational advantages. The effort has not only enhanced safety and operational efficiency, but also is a cost-effective solution with minimal maintenance and no complex parts thus increasing dependability.
