Steel Construction Vol 40 No 3 - Mining, Industrial, Import/ Export | Page 34

INDUSTRY NEWS: in brief
stair treads, providing a durable, corrosion
resistant and aesthetically pleasing solution
for its customers. Under the brand name
Vitagrid®,
Vital Engineering’s fully serrated gratings
have been used extensively in large and
small mining projects over many years.
“We receive positive feedback from
these installations in terms of significant
reductions in the number of accidents
caused by slippage. This equates to a
reduction in the number of employee
compensation claims and the resultant
downtime,” Pringle notes.

ABOVE: Vital Engineering’s stair tread and gratings.

of the pipes will be completed in May
2016. The company is also tasked with
supplying flanges, bends, intersections and
other key pieces for the project.
According to Maine, Rio-Carb’s overlay
pipes are made using a unique method.
“The pipes are cut into two halves and
bonded together through a specialised AWS
(American Welding Standards) welding
procedure. Our clients appreciate the
superior quality of the pipes and Rio-Carb’s
manufacturing techniques that fit in with
their delivery schedule and requirements.”
The custom-made welding machine,
which can do horizontal welding and
joints, complements the company’s plasma
cutting machine, which is high definition
and works within 1mm of accuracy, and
boasts an innovative database program for
all diameters.

Mine walkway safety assured
with ‘Vital’ floor gratings and
handrails
“When it comes to safety in mining
operations, there is no room for guesswork.
That is why we ensure strict material
controls for our products, which results
in the benefits not only of minimising lost
time injuries (LTIs), but of long life-cycle
or LoM (life of mine) and low maintenance
costs,” says Dodds Pringle, Managing
Director at Vital Engineering and Angus
McLeod. The company, established in 1939,
specialises in a range of fully serrated,
multi-directional non-slip floor gratings and
32 Steel Construction Vol. 40 No. 3 2016

As a systems-driven and solutions-based
company, Vital is not merely product-driven,
or just a manufacturer or supplier. Rather,
the company’s decades of experience and
innovation have led to the production
of products which constantly meet the
changing requirements of industry. A
case in point is its exemplary top fixing
patented grating panel clips, designed for
light, medium and heavy applications.
Informed by systems design which
meets specific customer requirements,
Vital Engineering also prides itself on the
provision of a full consultation service.
Being closely involved in the design phase
of a mining or construction project, the
company is able to offer expert advice
when it comes to material choice and
design parameters, ensuring fit-for-purpose
performance and maximum safety. The
company cautions its customers against
making ill-advised choices of material
which could be solely based on price and
which may compromise human safety.
“Contractors and customers need to be
aware of the dangers of cutting corners
with respect to quality of materials used.
When engineers design walkways they do
so with specific performance in mind. By
replacing this with unspecified material, or
sub-standard workmanship, one is courting
disaster,” Pringle advises.
Vital Engineering’s precision-made
pressure-forged gratings are manufactured
to international standards, using the only
the highest grade steel. Floor gratings are
manufactured in mild steel, aluminium
and fibreglass, with galvanised mild steel a
popular choice because of its resilient and
hardy finish, according to Pringle. Vital’s
Maclock® range of handrails has also been
developed for safety in applications such as

mine walkways, using mild steel, galvanised
mild steel and stainless steel.
In addition, Vital Engineering has, in
response to the general demand for ease
of fitment and versatility, introduced
moulded fibreglass gratings and handrails to
industry, and has seen a significant uptake,
particularly on mining operations.
“Fibreglass is anti-corrosive, fire-retardant,
non-conductive, non-slip – and virtually
maintenance free,” notes Pringle. “As a
viable alternative to steel, our fibreglass
stair treads, walkways and gratings – under
the Vitaglass® brand name – are gaining
wide acceptance due to their long-term
cost-saving implications and improved
safety. They are particularly suitable
in harsh, outdoor or highly corrosive
conditions.
Vital Engineering’s Vitex® range of
expanded metal products is manufactured
in mild steel, stainless steel and, if
requested, more exotic materials. The
company also recently launched its nonslip, serrated expanded metal walkways for
conveyors and narrow, low walkways (of
up to 800mm wide).
In addition to its many decades of
successful supply of handrails, stair treads
and gratings to the local and pan-African
mining sector, Vital Engineering has
also been closely involved in supplying
these products to numerous local and
international high-profile power generation
projects.
This includes the recent supply of bespoke
components to Medupi and Kusile local
power generation projects, comprising of
8 000 tons of grating panels, approximately
70km of hand railing and over 9 000 stair
treads. This effectively makes it the largest
gratings, handrail and stair tread supply
contract to be undertaken in Africa.
“Vital Engineering is not a new contender
to the power generation market and
has supplied many other local power
station projects such as Arnot, Komati,
Koeberg, Kendal, Matimba, Majuba and
many others. Our accurate fabrication and
fitment systems ensure high quality work
associated with world-class suppliers,
reducing downtime, on-site costs and
delays,” says Pringle.