Towable Shelters

Towable Shelters are something that has been developed over the last decade. Initially they were of a lighter construction, but this resulted in higher maintenance costs, especially when ground conditions deteriorated after wet weather or heavy equipment movement.

Allshelter now has 12m, 15m and 20m wide models that are very robust and have stood the test of time. They come with an A Frame tow bar and can be moved with site equipment of a 4WD easily. The wheels can rotate as to direction allowing them to be manoeuvred into position with ease.

Once in position they have to be anchored down, as with any shelter the wind will generate uplift and side forces on them. Concrete blocks can be used as ballast along each side, and anchor points on the frame make this simple.

In laydown areas a series of piers or buried ballast can be used as permanent anchors. This allows the equipment to be worked on to be laid down in the designated areas between the tiedown points.

Typically on a mine the slow task of hardfacing truck tubs or excavator buckets can be carried out in the laydown area, with the operators protected from the elements. Otherwise they have to work in the open or utilise one of the existing workshops for the task. This takes double handling of the item using a mobile crane in the confined workshop space, introducing unnecessary potential safety issues.

The last photos are of the towable shelters built for the Boddington bauxite conveyor which moves product from the mine to the coast, 42km away at 25km/h. There are 2 seperate conveyors which meet in the middle and they use the mobile shelters during maintenance when they are splicing new sections into the belt. The temperature range from extreme heat in the summer to heavy frosts in the winter. Removable sides were used to enable a level of comfort for the operators and maximum productivity during repairs.