The memory of motion
Redefining the modern operator station
It is well-known that an ergonomically designed workspace can reduce fatigue, enhance comfort and promote a safer, more productive working environment.
For decades modern offices have built their workstations around this concept. Now, the importance of user comfort is being realised beyond the corporate office by Australia’s heavy industrial sectors.
Leveltec Engineering is leading this transformation.
Having evolved from its origins as a bulk material handling tilt switch manufacturer into a comprehensive heavy industry solutions provider, Leveltec has recognized improvements in ergonomics, usability and operator experience can deliver measurable gains in productivity, safety and asset performance.
While mining equipment continues to become more sophisticated, the industry’s competitive advantage increasingly depends on designing machinery around the people who operate it.
“Businesses want to provide their staff with a nice work environment and one that they feel happy to work in every day,” Leveltec managing director Ben Stokes says.
“When you have a workforce that can actually all work together and feels like the company that they’re working for is actually taking care of their equipment, you get better productivity, happier people and less lost time injuries and workers’ claims.”
For decades, operators have worked with legacy equipment. While robust, these systems were designed for a workforce that looked very different from today’s.
“We’re now seeing a much more diverse workforce, and what that brings is a need for a bigger level of adjustability to actually have a safe and ergonomic workstation,” Mr Stokes said.
As mining companies modernise their fleets, operator comfort and usability are becoming central considerations rather than secondary features.
“We provide operator control stations that have electronic control functions that allow operators to preset and save their comfortable working positions. The operator console automatically adjusts back to their previous settings,” Mr Stokes said.
“Now that doesn’t sound like a big feat, but when we’re talking the speed of being able to have the machines operating faster over a year, it has a massive impact on production.
“When you’re going from operator console changes taking 10 minutes to two minutes, there’s a massive saving there in terms of production uptime.”
As industrial technology continues to advance, the role of console engineers is expanding beyond individual components.
“Imported products from Europe and standard products that come from other parts of the world are only the first piece,” Mr Stokes said.
“When it comes to Leveltec, that’s when we customise it for local conditions and make sure that the equipment that we’re sending out is fit for purpose in our region.
“What’s acceptable into Australian mining would be overkill for the rest of the world.”
Over the past three years, Leveltec has led five major operator console installations across the Bowen Basin for Tier 1 operators, replacing ageing control stations with modern ergonomic systems. The upgrades have addressed maintenance challenges while providing operators with more comfortable and adaptable work environments.
“The product quality is only 10 – 20 % of it. The rest is making sure that it’s integrated, fit for purpose, can deliver on what it says it does, and can be supported into the future.”
With new facilities in QLD and WA, as well as its NSW base, Leveltec Engineering is extending its capabilities into complete turnkey operator cabins, ensuring that as industrial technology advances, the human element remains at the centre of the story.
