Reducing Suspended Load, Line-of-Fire and Hand Injury Hazards in Nickel Smelters

Why Nickel Smelter Safety Matters in Indonesia

Indonesia's nickel industry doesn't stop at mining. Its ecosystem spans ore haulage, crushing, screening, conveying, RKEF smelting, HPAL processing, and the production of ferronickel, nickel pig iron, stainless steel, battery materials, power generation and port facilities.

Industrial parks such as Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park connect nickel processing with metal production, energy infrastructure and port operations. PT Vale Indonesia's nickel development projects likewise span operations and processing projects in areas such as Sorowako, Morowali and Pomalaa.

That scale of operation generates a large volume of lifting and positioning work, including:

• Crusher component replacement
• Conveyor maintenance
• Motor and gearbox installation
• Pipe spool handling
• Pump and valve replacement
• Structural steel positioning
• Furnace component lifting
• Machinery skid handling
• Project cargo unloading
• Shutdown and turnaround maintenance

Therefore, nickel smelter occupational safety must cover the full task cycle — from lift planning through to the load being confirmed stable, all energy released, and the component fully supported.

High-Risk Activities in Nickel Smelter Operations

The five operating areas below account for most high-pressure lifting, positioning and material-handling activity.

Suspended Load Safety in Nickel Smelter Operations

What Is a Suspended Load?

A suspended load is any load being lifted, held or positioned by a crane, hoist or other lifting equipment that is not yet fully supported by a permanent surface or structure — motors, pumps, gearboxes, pipe spools, valves, conveyor assemblies, structural steel, furnace components, machinery skids, cargo baskets.

Even when a load is only a few centimetres above its foundation, it must still be treated as a suspended load until it is fully supported and its stability confirmed. Learn more about suspended load exposure and no-touch methods for heavy industrial operations.

Why Are Suspended Loads Dangerous?

A suspended load can move because of crane movement, changes in sling tension, an inaccurate centre of gravity, the load striking a structure, wind, the release of stored energy, unclear communication, a shift in hook position, or the load suddenly dropping or shifting.

A small movement can generate a large force. A worker standing between a load and a fixed structure can suffer a crush or caught-between injury even when the lift is being made at low speed.

Never Use Hands to Control a Load

A worker's hands must never be the primary tool for stopping a swing, pushing a load, pulling a load, controlling rotation, holding a pipe, performing alignment, or guiding a component onto its foundation.

Direct contact removes the safety margin. If a load moves faster, or differently, than expected, a worker may not have enough time to pull their hand away.

Control the load with a planned method — not with a worker's hands.

Safe Positioning During Lifting

Workers need to avoid standing under a load, being inside the load shadow, standing between a load and a fixed object, being in the swing path, standing on the side a pipe could roll toward, being in the load's direction of travel, or working without an escape route.

The control method must let the operator maintain control without moving their body into the hazard zone.

Controlling Line-of-Fire Hazards in Nickel Smelters

Line of fire is the area where a worker can be struck by a moving object, a swinging load, a shifting component or released energy. PSC covers this risk in detail in the line of fire exposure guide.

Line of Fire During Final Positioning

Final positioning often looks slow and controlled. But it's also the stage where workers tend to move in close to the load — to guide an anchor bolt, adjust a baseplate, connect a flange, set a support in place, hold a component, or signal the crane operator — just as the clearance to fixed objects is shrinking.

Use a method that allows alignment to be carried out without placing hands between mating surfaces. If control is lost, stop the work and reassess.

Controlling Worker Position

Every lift plan or task plan should define the zones workers are permitted in, the exclusion zone, the signal person's position, the load-control operator's position, the load's swing and travel path, workers' escape routes, the communication method, and the conditions that require the lift to be stopped — all covered in a toolbox talk before work begins.

Hand Injury and Pinch-Point Hazard Prevention

Hand injuries in smelter operations can occur when fingers are caught between two components, a hand is placed under a load, a worker holds suspended equipment, a pipe rolls, a flange moves during alignment, a hammer misses its mark, a sharp component is lifted manually, or a load shifts unexpectedly. Further guidance is available in the pinch point exposure guide.

Can the task be done without placing a hand near the point of contact?

If the answer is yes, the work method needs to change so the worker can control the component from a safer position.

Reducing Hand Exposure

• Eliminating the need to touch the load
• Increasing the distance between the worker and the hazard
• Using suitable positioning tools and taglines
• Retrieving taglines from outside the hazard zone
• Using pipe-handling tools
• Keeping hands clear of the hammer-impact zone
• Using a mechanical alignment aid
• Confirming the load is supported before approaching it

These approaches are explained further on the hand exposure reduction page. The goal isn't just fewer incidents — it's fewer opportunities for a hand to come into contact with the hazard in the first place.

Examples of Safety Risk in Nickel Smelter Work

This table is a starting point. The final method must be determined based on the load's shape, weight, centre of gravity, site conditions, rigging arrangement and the actual risk assessment.

Applying the Hierarchy of Controls in Smelter Operations

The hierarchy of controls helps safety teams prioritise more effective methods rather than relying only on worker behaviour or PPE.

Hands-Free Lifting Tools for Nickel Smelter Operations

Hands-free lifting tools give workers a way to control, guide and position a load without using their hands as the direct point of contact. PSC offers a full range of hands-free safety tools for lifting, rigging, material handling and industrial maintenance work.

Tools Are Selected Based On

• Load shape and surface, and the movement required
• Working distance and height, and the push or pull force needed
• Operator position, and the potential for the load to rotate or the tool to become trapped
• Site conditions and lifting procedure

A push-pull tool should never be treated as a one-size-fits-all solution. The engagement head, tool length, force required and operator position all need to be assessed for the actual application.

Don't select a tool based on length, shape or product name alone. The team needs to assess whether the load is still suspended or already supported, where the engagement point is, what type of control is needed, the potential for tool damage, whether an escape route is available, whether the tool suits site conditions, and whether the method is documented in the lift plan or SOP.

Pre-Lift Safety Checklist for Nickel Smelter Operations

Use the checklist below as the basis for a pre-lift review. It does not replace a lift plan, SOP, manufacturer's instructions, competent inspection or your company's risk assessment.

Applying Nickel Smelter Safety Across Indonesia's Industrial Regions

Safety needs differ across each region. Tool and method selection should follow the plant design, process type, company procedures and actual site conditions.

Common Mistakes in Smelter Load Control

Frequently Asked Questions About Nickel Smelter Safety