Achieve EMESRT Level 9 and autonomy with HxGN MineProtect solutions.
Published by Leah Jones,
Digital Administrator
Global Mining Review,
The Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table (EMESRT) is an organisation that works to promote best practices and safety in the mining industry. They have developed a set of guidelines known as the ‘Critical Control Management (CCM) framework’, which outlines nine levels of critical controls for managing risks in mining operations.
Level 9 of the EMESRT CCM framework focuses on incident controls, which are measures put in place to prevent and manage incidents that could result in harm to people, damage to equipment, or environmental impacts. Achieving Level 9 incident controls is a significant milestone for any mining operation, as it indicates that the site has implemented robust and effective measures to manage the risk of incidents.
One approach to achieving Level 9 incident controls is by deploying and utilising vehicle intervention systems (VIS) like the OEM-agnostic HxGN MineProtect Vehicle Intervention System (VIS) on haul truck fleets. MineProtect VIS is mining’s first Level 9 collision avoidance technology that automatically enables the system to take control of the vehicle and bring it to a safe stop in the event of an emergency.
MineProtect VIS is capable of automatically intervening and taking some degree of machine control to prevent or mitigate a collision or other unsafe situation, including reactive controls for non-operator intervention of equipment that works within milliseconds: interlocks for start or rollback, slow/stop, and retarder.
Hexagon’s VIS solution is the final layer of protection for vehicle operators and equipment, as it mitigates threats that are out of the operator’s control or field of awareness. Other HxGN MineProtect technologies enable mines to achieve EMESRT Level 7 (HxGN MineProtect Collision Avoidance System (CAS)) and Level 8 (HxGN MineProtect Operator Alertness System (OAS)) to reduce risk and incidents. These advanced systems bring together operator empowerment and autonomy to reach the highest safety standards. VIS utilises the HxGN MineProtect CAS to inform an autonomous onboard logic, taking accurate and safe intervention actions based on vehicle positioning and path predictions.
HxGN MineProtect VIS features SpeedAssist and RampAssist, which prevent trucks from over-speeding in designated areas; AssetProtect, which disables reverse functionality when the crusher is in maintenance and stops hoisting when the haul truck is under a powerline; and LaunchAssist, which prevents the vehicle from moving when a threat is detected in the travel path.
VIS data is collected from recorded vehicle interventions or near-misses and fed into the analytics component of the system, providing mine planners and operations with an overview of safety risks across the site. This overview data includes heat maps of areas with high incidents, visualisation of events, real-time equipment tracking, and information for incident reporting. This safety and analytic technology connects all aspects of the mine, crucially providing the data needed to enable smart changes and decision-making, in order to enhance the overall safety and profitability of a site’s operations.
Two mines in Australia recently reached Level 9 for the first time by working with Hexagon’s Mining division to integrate and successfully deploy HxGN MineProtect’s systems into their operations. To date, the MineProtect VIS has been deployed globally on more than 500 haul trucks.
The deployment of HxGN MineProtect solutions ensures that their mines are not involved in any destructive incidents, injuries, or fatalities – saving lives, reputations, and finances. Using the data provided by the system, mine operators are able to see when the HxGN MineProtect technologies intervene in incidents, and the data can help operations identify and address the causes of unsafe driving behaviour, conditions, or routes. For vehicle operators and other personnel on-site, the use of these technologies represents peace of mind.
When deploying HxGN MineProtect solutions, Hexagon works diligently with its clients to combine its innovative technology with an effective change management process. By working directly with mining companies, Hexagon ensures product development responds to customer needs. Hexagon has the right technology and processes to make help mines reach EMERST Level 9 incident controls.
Reaching Level 9 incident controls is not a linear process, but a cyclical, continuous process that relies on multiple layers of safety standards working together. By making technologies that enable mines to reach EMESRT Level 9, Hexagon’s Mining division is at the forefront of committing to this continuous process that uses innovative and autonomous solutions to reach high safety standards.
Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/special-reports/03042023/achieve-emesrt-level-9-and-autonomy-with-hxgn-mineprotect-solutions/
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