PRODUCT & TECH
MineWare ’ s Optical Character recognition system ( OCR ) takes human error out of the safety equation
Optical Character Recognition
( OCR ) is the recognition of printed or written characters by a computer . The process of using OCR on a mine or business involves creating check sheets using management data and relevant exploratory questions . These sheets can range from information pertaining to safety , production or just general employee feedback questions .
Information is captured on physical sheets and collected at a central point for digital scanning . The system reads , populates and actions data in less than 30 seconds per sheet , so that all data is available digitally . By linking predefined answers to certain questions defined in the risk model , called mapped questions , the system can automatically trigger predefined actions by utilizing the action manager .
Mobile device capability allows data to be captured immediately and onsite , while data is fresh and visually available . The use of OCR systems eliminates the need for data to be read and captured by humans , negating the possibility of human error .
To date the OCR system has been used to scan and check operational and SHEQ capture sheets , which would then populate relevant databases , all as part of the Syncromine software suite . In response to the Covid-19 crisis , this technology is now being used to scan health checklists that have to be filled in by all visitors to the mines . This data is then seamlessly converted to digital information and analyzed . MineWare ’ s OCR software feature is working around the clock to scan and verify the avalanche of Covid-19 health assessment forms that the mines have instated , in an effort to keep visitors and workers safe , while ensuring compliance with national guidelines . Two new installations of this functionality are currently taking place at Gold Fields Limited and Impala Platinum in South Africa .
This system will benefit any business that wishes to streamline operational safety , improve efficiency and eliminate the factor of human error in data gathering .
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