An award-winning safety lock for water valves invented by Logan City Council is set to be rolled out nationally after Council secured a distribution deal for the innovative device.
The lock was developed by Logan Water – a business unit of Logan City Council – and its partner, Downer, to prevent ‘stored energy’ from being released while repairs are carried out on water networks, Council said in a statement.
It said trench collapses caused by stored energy incidents have taken lives overseas.
The locally-developed valve lock recently received the Australian Water Association’s Water Industry Safety Excellence Award.
The device comprises a steel plate which is placed inside a valve box. The plate is locked in place with an individually keyed lock and a warning tag to make it clear to workers when water infrastructure is, or is not, isolated.
Council says a deal has been reached with distributor Mass Products to sell the product online.
Infrastructure Chair Councillor, Teresa Lane said Council relinquished all intellectual property rights to ensure that the device can be used as widely as possible.
“This is our way of making the Australian water industry safer for workers,” Cr Lane said.
“This economical device provides operators with confidence that hazardous stored energy is controlled while repairs and maintenance are carried out on a water network.
“In addition to its safety aspect there’ll be benefits from fewer network isolations that can disrupt supply and lead to lost productivity.”
She said the valve lock was inspired by a Logan Water and Downer ‘Learning Team’ brainstorming session.
