One Maintainer, Twice the Output – Improving Efficiency at Mesa A Mine with TED

Rio Tinto’s Mesa A mine sought to improve the safety and efficiency of its heavy machinery maintenance processes. Daily tasks such as belly guard removal and routine undercarriage servicing required multiple maintainers, added operational delays and carried significant manual-handling risks. By implementing Nivek Industries’ TED (Tracked Elevating Device), Mesa A has reduced physical strain on maintainers, cut job completion times and enabled more work to be completed with fewer personnel.

The Client

Mesa A Mine (also referred to as Waramboo mine), operated by Rio Tinto, is an iron ore mine located in Western Australia. With demanding production schedules and a large fleet of heavy equipment, the reliability of maintenance systems is essential to the mine’s effective operation. The site’s maintainers are responsible for servicing machinery efficiently and safely to minimise downtime and support continuous mining operations.

The Challenge – Bottleneck Beneath the Dozers

Mesa A was facing several maintenance hurdles that directly affected productivity and worker safety. Essential tasks, such as removing dozer belly guards, were proving labour-intensive and required two maintainers. This created efficiency issues, especially during high-volume days with “break-in” work. Delays in waiting for a second maintainer caused unnecessary downtime and slowed overall workflow. The physical strain associated with the manual lifting required for these jobs also increased the risk of fitters experiencing manual-handling injuries.

The Solution – Efficiency Meets Independence

By implementing TED as part of their maintenance operations, Mesa A achieved immediate safety and efficiency improvements. TED eliminated the majority of manual handling previously required, significantly reducing the risk of injury and making tasks safer. Jobs that once required two maintainers could now be completed by a single person, freeing up extra manpower and enabling the team to complete more tasks each day. This meant not only faster job execution, but also removed the need to coordinate additional personnel.

On busy days, when even simple tasks could cause delays, TED enabled the site’s fitters to work independently, reducing downtime and streamlining the response to unexpected maintenance events. As a result, Mesa A’s maintenance team now operates with greater speed, flexibility and safety.

View our full product range here. Want to know how Nivek Industries can increase the efficiency and safety at your mine? Get in touch with us.