FATIGUE MONITORING
enables us to continually assess and address the fatigue risk of our underground truck operators objectively , in real time . Hexagon ’ s collaboration with MMG in deploying OAS at Rosebery exemplifies a successful partnership that prioritises a shared belief : that investing in safety need not be at the expense of productivity .”
He adds : “ In fact , it ’ s the most valuable investment a mine can make . The integration of leading technology to address the challenges of fatigue and distraction demonstrates the commitment of both MMG and Hexagon to advancing safety standards and ensuring that everyone gets home safely . Our partnership with Hexagon underscores the transformative potential of employing technology to revolutionise safety protocols and operational excellence in underground mining operations .”
Wenco and SmartCap – a powerful combination
The acquisition of SmartCap by Wenco International Mining Systems in 2021 has taken the globally used and respected preventative fatigue management system to new heights , for various reasons – both in terms of the option to combine it with the Wencomine fleet management system offering , along with other synergies .
Ben Sparrow , Product Manager , Wenco International Mining Systems : “ A major progress area in the development space with SmartCap over the past year is its integration into Wencomine . Now we ’ ve got one screen and one
As SmartCap relies on the LifeBand which is effectively an electroencephalogram ( EEG ) monitoring operator brain activity , it does not use a camera
point of reference – so SmartCap doesn ’ t need a separate screen when it ’ s in a Wencomine FMS deployed site . That enables the user to have their
A new deployment with Torex Gold
In terms of SmartCap deployments , major users include BHP-operated Escondida , MMG ’ s Las Bambas , AGA operations in Ghana and Oyu Tolgoi ’ s surface operations in Mongolia , to name a few . A major new rollout is now also underway following initial pilots with Torex Gold . SmartCap is being deployed across its surface fleet in the El Limón , Guajes and El Limón Sur open pits of its El Limón Guajes Mine Complex ( ELG ) in Mexico , which is primarily made up of Komatsu HD785-5 trucks .
Wenco ’ s Alston : “ Torex Gold worked closely with Emily Tetzlaff , who is both a health and safety analyst for them but also PhD candidate at Laurentian University in Sudbury , Ontario , and a student member of the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health ( CROSH ), to help them run a study on the effectiveness of SmartCap at their site during the pilot stage . She has emphasised SmartCap ’ s advantages as a predictive solution and one that helps operators manage their own fatigue .”
Alexis Cabral , Supervisor of Operations at Torex Gold Resources stated recently : “ Fatigue can affect you at work , mainly in terms of reaction time . I had an incident a few years ago while driving , a quick blink ( microsleep ) caused me to veer off the road , and I managed to puncture a tyre but nothing major happened , it was just that . But it could have been fatal ; I was very close to a cliff .”
Hugo Castaneda , Torex Gold Superintendent of Safety & Health added : “ We try to overcome the fatigue , maybe we turn up the air conditioning and turn up the radio , but we don ' t make the decision to stop and rest .”
Dr Bruno Rios , Torex ’ s Director of Health and Safety : “ As a physician , what I see with SmartCap is that the physiological aspect , so to speak , or the part of being able to review the cerebral aspect , is something that sets it apart from other options on the market .”
Cabral adds : “ SmartCap helps us manage our fatigue because of the early alerts it provides . It alerts us so we can manage it and never reach such a high level of fatigue that we could fall asleep .”
Castaneda continues : “ Unlike other fatigue management systems in the market that are reactive and require action after experiencing a microsleep , SmartCap gives us a 10-minute window before a microsleep
occurs , even with eyes open . The operator takes responsibility for their fatigue and doesn ’ t depend on others to manage it .”
Truck operator Joel Flores Cervantes : “ It notifies me when it ' s increasing from , let ’ s say , level 2 to 3 . And when it ’ s already at level 3 or higher , it means I ' m feeling fatigued . So , it ’ s like telling me to wake up . You don ' t feel uncomfortable , nothing at all . In fact , sometimes when my fellow driver takes over , I get out of the cabin to clean the truck . I didn ' t even realise I had it on .” SmartCap is not only a proactive fatigue monitoring technology , but also a comfortable wearable technology .
Bertha Gonzalez Morales , another truck operator stated : “ The band doesn ' t bother me at all , it ’ s excellent for me . Very comfortable , the colour as well . For me , the alarms help me rest better , and they also help my colleagues rest better because many come to site fatigued and wouldn ' t say anything , but now with this , they do .”
Castaneda adds : “ The data obtained from SmartCap are used for improvement . We , as the medical team , had only laboratory tests , and physical exams , and we had a subjective questionnaire , where we tried to identify both mental and physical fatigue , but we couldn ' t measure it . So , what ' s not measured can ’ t be improved . And now , the data not only allow us to say that someone has high cholesterol and high triglycerides and that ' s why they get fatigued . Now we know that maybe they slept poorly , maybe the truck ' s ergonomics , the seat , might be contributing to the personnel feeling fatigued .”
Cabral continues : “ We ’ ve learned that not every hour of the shift or the entire shift has the same capacity to resist fatigue . However , there are times when fatigue increases , and there are times when we have a bit more energy . We need to learn to manage it to maintain high energy levels throughout the shift .”
Castaneda says the scope is also widening : “ We also intend to use SmartCap for personnel transportation . The primary asset of Torex Gold is its personnel . The main benefit from the start until now is that fatiguerelated accidents , accidents involving trucks , have decreased . Sleep hygiene or fatigue management among the personnel has also improved significantly .”
16 International Mining | JANUARY 2024