FATIGUE AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Predictive Safety’ s new FMS solution both monitors and predicts worker fatigue, here showing the highest fatigue risk time zones
fatigue risk zones near the end of the morning( 5am to 2pm) and night( 10pm to 5am) shifts, especially as workers increase their consecutive shifts. The bubble graphics represent each incident and their damage rates. The graph shows that the large majority of incidents are occurring within high or severe fatigue zones.
“ Now that we have a solid measurement for these fatigue damages we can begin to manage the risk. Another interesting insight that emerged from our data involves incident damage rates. While the morning shift saw the largest number of incidents, the night shift saw damage rates nearly ten times greater than the other shifts. When incidents occurred at night, the problems are clearly more serious.”
Hexagon Mining VIS and FatigueMonitor
Hexagon Mining previewed new and improved safety technology at MINExpo 2016, including a first look at the company’ s Vehicle Intervention System( VIS), which adds a powerful layer of protection to its highly popular Collision Avoidance System( CAS). Also in the spotlight was the next generation of FatigueMonitor, a computer vision technology that monitors operators while they drive to prevent fatiguerelated incidents.
“ Our safety solutions minimise two major causes of accidents in a mine – blind spots and fatigue,” said Hexagon Mining President, Hélio Samora.“ This integrated technology is essential to our mission of helping companies run safer, more productive mines.”
VIS assists the operator and takes control of a machine in certain situations when the operator does not react appropriately to a CAS alert. FatigueMonitor prevents incidents by alerting drivers for distractions and fatigue so as to keep their attention focused on the road. Both identified, the operator hears a unique alert. Simultaneously, the recorded image sequence is sent to the control room for review. Video review not only helps to trigger the mine’ s fatigue procedures but it can also be used for training and prevention by reviewing the videos with the operator after the shift.
Fabien Kritter, VIS Product Manager at Hexagon Mining says that VIS is known in the mining industry as a level 9 system according to EMESRT guidelines.“ Level 7 covers proximity detection using cameras, radar etc, and the ability to see what is around you,” explains Kritter.“ A level 8 system is one that allows you to predict the future and provide a collision avoidance alarm to the operator. A level 9 system solutions are significant additions to SAFEmine builds on this by intervening in a hazard CAS, which is installed in more than 25,000 situation. On the truck, VIS allows for different vehicles in over 55 mines worldwide. actions from cutting propulsion up to activating“ FatigueMonitor helps protect operators and the service brake.” assets in several ways,” explains Barbara Hirtz, Kritter describes VIS as the next level up from Product Manager at Hexagon Mining. the SAFEmine CAS.“ VIS is doing what is also
Computer vision algorithms are only activated being developed for high-end automobile when the operator is actually driving and thus, systems in that it assists the driver when when there is a potential risk for an accident. appropriate. A typical example is forgetting to Furthermore, FatigueMonitor presents rolling apply the brakes of the truck when queuing which fatigue risk estimations for each operator which may have dramatic consequences depending on includes factors such as the time of day, shift the situation if you are on an incline.” counts, shift changes, driving hours, and
VIS is an additional layer of safety to guard computer vision alerts generated by the system. against human error. It will further mitigate the“ The tool shows the operator with highest consequences of incidents that impede safe fatigue risk always on top which makes it really production in operations. There are many easy to use” says Hirtz. situations where this system can be applied to
Operators are continuously and transparently assist operators in their daily tasks, lowering the informed via the dashboard-mounted display in risk of an accident and allowing for smoother and the truck and so are the supervisors via a control more productive operations. room application showing all active operators at In terms of industry use and testing, Hexagon a glance. Once a fatigue or distraction event is Mining was approached over two years ago by
VIS testing at the Anglo Kumba Iron Ore Sishen mine
60 International Mining | JANUARY 2017