Geographe’s BSBIRT wins Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S at 2026 Australian Mining Prospect Awards
Geographe is celebrating a major industry achievement after its Ball Stud Bearing Installation and Removal Tool (BSBIRT) won the Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S award at the 2026 Australian Mining Prospect Awards.
The award recognises the BSBIRT’s contribution to reducing risk associated with the removal and installation of ball stud bearings on heavy mining equipment. Developed, engineered and manufactured by Geographe, the specialised tooling solution is designed to improve safety, reduce manual handling and support more efficient maintenance outcomes in demanding mine-site environments.
The win follows a finalist nomination for the BSBIRT in the Exceptional Innovation in Mining category at the 2026 Global Resources Innovation Expo (GRX) Awards. Geographe has also been named a finalist in the Best Solution to a Work Health and Safety Risk category at the 2026 Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards in Western Australia, with winners to be announced in October.
“Winning the Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S award is a significant achievement for everyone involved in the development of the BSBIRT,” said Nick Pyper, Product Development Manager.
“This recognition reinforces our belief that practical engineering innovation can make a measurable difference to safety, productivity and reliability in mining. The BSBIRT was developed to address a real maintenance challenge, and I am delighted to see the solution recognised by the industry.”
Unlike conventional approaches that can expose maintenance personnel to significant physical and operational risks, the BSBIRT provides a purpose-designed method for ball stud bearing removal and installation. Its development reflects Geographe’s focus on engineering solutions that help mining operations challenge established processes and improve the safety of critical maintenance activities.
The BSBIRT was listed among finalists in the 2026 Australian Mining Prospect Awards’ Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S category alongside other leading safety and operational initiatives from across the resources sector. Geographe was subsequently announced as the category winner at the awards ceremony held at Frasers Kings Park in Perth on 16 September 2026.
The award adds to the growing industry recognition of Geographe’s specialised tooling portfolio, which includes the Ball Stud Removal Tool, or BSRT. The company’s specialised tooling solutions are developed to support safer, more reliable and more productive maintenance across mining fleets.
“Recognition through the GRX Awards, the Australian Mining Prospect Awards and the Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards finalist program demonstrates the importance of collaboration between engineering, manufacturing and mine-site personnel,” said Nick
“Most importantly, it acknowledges the people at companies such as FMG, Rio Tinto and BHP who identified the challenge, contributed their knowledge and helped us turn an operational need into a practical safety solution for their sites.”
Geographe will now look ahead to the 2026 Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards, where the BSBIRT is a finalist in the Best Solution to a Work Health and Safety Risk — 199 employees or less category. The winners will be announced at Optus Stadium on 27 October 2026.
About Geographe
Geographe is an Australian engineering and manufacturing company supplying replacement and enhanced performance parts, specialised tooling and solutions to the mining industry. Geographe works with customers to improve fleet productivity, safety and reliability through practical innovation and engineered solutions. We solve mine machinery challenges.
For more information about Geographe and the BSBIRT, visit geographe.com.au/bsbirt
