HEALTH & safety
Collision Warning Systems in mining
An average of 13 mine workers are killed each year by being run over or pinned by mobile mining equipment. At surface mines, these accidents commonly involve large dump trucks that drive over a smaller vehicle or a person that is in the dump truck ' s blind spot. A collision warning system consists of some type of sensor that detects the presence of an object, an interface that provides an audible and / or visual alarm to the equipment operator, and wiring between the two. Potential sensor technologies include ultrasonic echo detection, infrared re ection, radar( radio detection and ranging), video cameras, and radio-frequency identi cation( RFID) systems.
Radar Systems Radar technology is one of the most established methods of obstacle detection. Many types of radar are used in collision warning systems, including pulsed or ultrawide-band, Doppler, and frequencymodulated continuous wave( FMCW). Some of the newer systems for highway applications operate at even higher frequencies. A radar system operates by emitting electromagnetic energy and detecting this energy when it is re ected from an object or target. Information about the target, such as range and direction of movement, can be acquired by analysing this re ected energy. �e technology is well suited to collision avoidance applications because it is not affected by rain, snow, dust, or even a moderate buildup of mud on the antennas. Many collision warning systems are based on radar technology. �e systems consist of a radar antenna( s), processing electronics, and an operator interface or alarm display. �e radar unit is mounted on the vehicle and directed toward the area to be monitored. If an object of sufficient cross sectional area is within the beam pattern of the radar antenna, the signal is re ected to the unit and is processed. If certain criteria are met, an alarm
Page24 | Jan- Feb 2016
| FMDZ