Maintenance workshops represent an essential part of the mining process, as they ensure continuity for miners. The better the workshop is equipped, the higher the team’s productivity will be, as it can easily handle improvement and inspection repair.
If you are designing a maintenance workshop for your mining team, here are a few things that you should consider.
1. Future Fleet Growth
Your mining project may be small today, and the equipment that you require for your work and maintenance may not be able to take up an entire room, but you should look at the big picture. If you have a long-term project on your hands, you may need to use the same workshop for several years. Moreover, in the future, your project might evolve, and the workshop should be able to accommodate that growth.
2. Current Setups
If you already have a setup of your own, take a look and see what you can still use. What part of it works for you and your team? Also, what doesn’t? Consider how you get along with your current layout and determine what changes could make the flow much smoother.
3. Working Space
You may want to save as much space as possible and pay for a smaller workshop, investing the rest of the budget in other aspects of your mining project. However, a cramped workshop will not be efficient, as the employees will continue bumping into each other.
Many will even prefer doing the work later to avoid the cramped space. Set up ample workspaces for every bay, leaving enough room between stations for miners to do their maintenance.
4. Personal Space
Miners need their own personal space, which is why you should not assign every inch of the room for work-related tasks. Perhaps they have certain tools that they need to put aside or personal items that they should store. A good idea would be to install some lockers in the area or perhaps some benches where the miners can rest for a few minutes after a long day of standing.
5. Teamwork
Mining is a team effort, and this applies to the maintenance workshop. Consider talking with your team about what their needs are. They may be able to provide some insight into some aspects you never thought about.
The Bottom Line
Designing a maintenance workshop for your mining crew should not be that difficult. You just need to design with the future in mind and put your employees’ needs first. If they are met, you will likely see increased productivity in the long run.
