Boneham Engineering Consultants

Something different but very cool.

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13 years strong — keeping people safe and businesses moving.

Rolling into May will mark 13 years of Boneham Engineering Consultants specialising in plant and machinery safety.

Over that time, I’ve supported businesses across multiple industries with risk assessments, compliance audits, machine guarding, safety system reviews, and practical upgrades — all aligned with relevant Australian Standards and workplace safety requirements.

My focus is simple: protect people, reduce risk, and keep operations running efficiently. No overcomplication — just clear, practical solutions that work in the real world.

Whether you need help with:
• Machinery risk assessments
• Guarding and safety upgrades
• Compliance with Australian Standards
• Pre-purchase or modification reviews
• Ongoing safety improvements

I’m always happy to have a conversation.

A big thank you to everyone who has trusted and supported Boneham Engineering Consultants over the past 13 years.

If you’ve got a project coming up or want to make sure your equipment is safe and compliant, get in touch.

Here’s to the next chapter.

Cheers 🍻
Brett

It’s been a busy few days undertaking internal inspections of air receivers and verifying pressure relief valves.

Yesterday I was accompanied by an apprentice who shadowed me through an inspection.

This is some thing I really enjoy. I was once an apprentice and it was an old inspector who got me interested in this kind of work.

In the late 1970's specially fitted HZ Holden Utilities were shipped to Caltex Pacific for use in the developing oil refinery and port complex at Dumai, Sumatra in the oil rich Indonesian Hinterland.

The shipment of 314 HZ Holden Utes were manufactured at the Holden Elizabeth assembly plant in South Australia.

All of the HZ Utes fitted with limited slip differentials, full instrumentation and special oil resistant tyres to help cope with the extreme conditions of the equatorial jungle.

At the time it was GMH's largest single export, and the Utes joined a fleet of a further 320 Holden Utilities, Sedans and Station Wagons already operating in Dumai.

Another busy week has commenced, with a mix of external and internal pressure vessel inspections, as well as verifying and documenting the fitting of a number of pressure relief valves.

Something a little different. The issue of not indelibly identifying pressure relief devices, and other key safety devices associated with pressure equipment is such an easy fix, yet despite that many workplaces do not have indelible ID tags for pressure relief devices. The lack of indelible identification continues to create confusion for maintainers who all too often incorrectly fit devices to the plant. What follows generally results in more confusion and loss of integrity in the site’s pressure equipment management. To address this issue, I now offer the supply of ID tags as part of my services to customers. The below photo is the latest batch to be attached to pressure equipment at a mine after Christmas. Stainless Steel tags will be secured with 2mm wire rope and crimped ferrules.

At Boneham Engineering Consultants, we emphasise the critical importance of clear and durable identification for pressure equipment. Properly labelling pressure vessels, piping, and relief devices is not just a best practice but a vital component for effective plant operation and maintenance.

We are pleased to announce our new service offering for the procurement of stainless steel and various tag materials. These materials are designed to align with Australian Standards and WHS regulations, ensuring compliance for both new installations and existing assets. Our services include:

- Sourcing and specifying appropriate tags
- Ensuring alignment with AS/NZS standards
- Seamlessly integrating tags into inspection and audit processes

Accurate identification plays a key role in ensuring safety, traceability, and regulatory adherence. If your facility requires compliant tagging solutions, we are here to provide the necessary support.

Feel free to reach out to us to discuss your specific requirements or to incorporate tag procurement seamlessly into your upcoming inspection procedures.

Something a little different. Here are a few photos I took of last night's full moon from my backyard.

🔧 Why Every Workplace Needs a Pressure Relief Device Management System

In my 30+ years work experience inspecting plant and equipment across mining and industrial sites and investigating incidents, I continue to encounter a troubling trend: pressure relief devices (PRDs) are often poorly managed, inadequately documented/ recorded, or incorrectly fitted/ maintained. These oversights aren’t just technical, they’re safety and compliance risks usually resulting from systemic deficiencies. We need to keep in mind PRDs are safety devices.

Common Issues I See in the Field:
❌ No unique site identification for PRVs/PSVs (the same goes for the pressure equipment they are fitted to)
📋 Missing certification, incomplete, or inaccurate registers
⚠️ Incorrect devices fitted, eg. wrong size, thread type, set pressure, or flow capacity
🛠️ Deficient standards of fitting and maintenance
📅 Recertification periods expired

These issues can compromise asset integrity, regulatory compliance, and ultimately, workplace safety.

Why a Management System Matters:
A robust PRD management system ensures:
✅ Traceability of every device through unique ID and register
🔍 Verification of correct sizing, pressure ratings, and installation
📆 Scheduled inspections and audits to maintain compliance

At Boneham Engineering Consultants, our mission is simple, "We provide our clients with the best service we can to help them achieve compliance and assist them in ensuring their plant is safe". We offer inspection, auditing, and system reviews and sound advice. Whether it’s field inspections, reconciling registers, verifying device specs, or aligning with AS/NZS standards, our goal is to make compliance practical and reliable.

If you're unsure about the state of your pressure equipment and relief systems, know they need attention, let’s talk. A small fix today can prevent a major failure tomorrow. Let my 30+ years of deep regulatory insight, technical expertise and experience help you to support safe, compliant operations.

https://youtu.be/nvQuFBMUko4?si=OqRYItBHth00NZd3

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