Utility safety invention

A group of United Water employees in South Australia has invented a device that could greatly reduce the risks of serious injury for water utility workers around the world.

The electric Ezee-Key valve turner is a much safer way for operators to open and close the valves which control the flow of water through underground pipelines and it could save millions of dollars worldwide in workplace injury costs.

United Water has manufactured 16 Ezee-Keys and put them to use on all its pipelines in Adelaide to avoid injury and fatigue amongst its workforce. It is also confident the tool will spark interest interstate and overseas, with many other water utilities still using the traditional manual approach to opening and closing valves.

The Ezee-Key has already attracted major attention and was nominated for the Best Engineering Solution to an Identified Hazard at the 2002 National Safety Council of Australia/Telstra Safety Awards.