Hazard Prevention & Control are they Key to Workers Safety
The mining and mineral processing industry are decisively among the most dangerous industries to work in. Ever since mining explorations started, thousands of workers have been injured or lost their lives globally to this industry. Mine sites are often based in harsh and potentially dangerous work environments. From surface mining to underground mining, mine workers are faced with difficult situations with potentially dangerous outcomes on a day-to-day basis.
Common Challenges
Some of the main challenges faced while working in the mining and minerals processing industry include:
Vehicle accidents
- Vehicle collision and heavy machinery operations
- Machinery misuse due to heat stress/fatigue
Struck-by, caught-in & caught-between equipment
- Injury due to getting stuck in moving machinery or falling equipment
Explosions and fires
- Presence of highly combustible hydrocarbons
- Presence of oxygen/ignition source
- Burns, electrical shocks, hazardous electrical activity
Noise
- Potential sources of noise emissions include compressors, drilling machines, pick-hammers, or other mechanical equipment used at a mine
Thermal stress
- Overexposure to heat and humidity can:
- cause the body to become fatigued and distressed
- result in heat stroke or more serious ongoing health problems
Heat stress
- Drilling, blasting, and welding add to heat load imposed on miners
- Powered equipment (engines, motors, compressors) also increases the amount of heat found in work areas
Toxic gas/dust inhalation
- Inhalation of asphyxiant gas or dust particles leading to lung damage and severe long-term effects
Our Solutions
The mining and minerals processing industry has many potential health and safety threats, but with the right worker safety management and monitoring capabilities, these threats can be mitigated.
Universal Site Monitoring (USM) design and develop Australian-made advanced connected worker safety monitoring solutions: an integrated system of wearable personal safety monitoring devices, mobile apps, communications hubs, reporting, and management software, plus ancillary products, providing essential safety data accessible from anywhere, at any time.
Our Personal Safety Monitors & Mobile Apps collect live data and feed it into the fully integrated Universal Data Interface smart alert and navigation system. This live data enables proactive decision making, prevention of rising emergencies, and can save lives in case of an emergency.
These are some of the connected worker solution highlights that address the common challenges of the mineral processing industry:
Real-time Data Streaming and Communication
- Live data allows proactive decision making from facility controllers
- Live and automatic emergency call & text messages (cellular)
- Push-to-talk & text messages (mesh)
Continuous Connectivity & Communication
GSM – Mesh – Satellite
- Ability for the control room operator to continuously monitor workers during their journey driving to a remote pipeline, thanks to proprietary Mesh Access Point technology linked to the Personal Safety Monitors and the connectivity to Iridium Satellite
- Ability to monitor and communicate with the workers even when they leave the car in a no GSM environment
- This video shows a 28-hour car drive journey in the remote Betaloo region of Australia and how the Universal Site Monitoring technology has been keeping the driver connected throughout the journey with the Personal Safety Monitor switching from a GSM connection to MESH, to Iridium.
Geo-Fencing
- Ability to restrict areas where dangerous machinery is operating, where hazardous chemicals are stored, or high temperature zones
- Ability to geo-fence areas to indicate the journey progress of lone workers driving to remote areas through check-in points that trigger alerts to the Personal Safety Monitors and to the control room operator
- This image shows an example of a check-in entry point geo-fence alert
Location & Motion Sensing
- Find a worker’s location indoor, outdoor and underground
- Monitor a no motion event, speed over ground of the worker and/or the vehicle and changing elevation
- Monitor workers as they drive to their destination even remotely, even when they leave the car
- Example of continuous remote connective in the Australian remote Betaloo region.
Slips, Trips & Falls
Monitoring & Alarm Capability
- Reporting G-Force events thanks through an in-built accelerometer in the Personal Safety Monitor PSM Hero 825 & 715
Biometric Monitoring
- Detecting early signs of heat stress/fatigue: heart rate monitoring & alarm capability
- Detecting early signs of infection: body temperature monitoring & alarm capability
- Ambient air temperature & atmospheric data monitoring & alarm capability
Gas Detection Capability
- Carbon Monoxide (CO)
- Oxygen (O2)
- Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S)
- Explosive Gases (LEL)
- This image shows an example of LEL reading at fuel-up point
