Danellie Lynas

Human Factor Issues with Automated Mining Equipment

This paper presents an extended literature review of the human factors impacts of current and future automation in the minerals industry. It begins by defining what is automation and stating why it is being developed and deployed. It then outlines why it is important to consider operators and maintainers when designing and deploying mining automation. To put mining automation into context, lessons learnt from automation in other industries and past problems with automation from a human-element perspective is then presented before specific issues in mining automation are discussed; these include ‘degrees of automation’, automation trends and the deployment issues. Conclusions about the human-element impacts of mining automation are made; these include the likely problems and some potential ways of reducing such problems.

An iOS Application for Evaluating Whole-body Vibration Within a Workplace Risk Management Process

Workplace management of whole-body vibration exposure requires systematic collection of whole-body vibration data in conjunction with the numerous variables which influence vibration amplitudes. The cost and complexity of commercially available measurement devices is an impediment to the routine collection of such data by workplaces. An iOS application (WBV) has been developed which allows an iPod Touch to be used to measure whole-body vibration exposures. The utility of the application was demonstrated by simultaneously obtaining 98 pairs of whole-body vibration measurements from both the iPod Touch application and a commercially available whole-body vibration device during the operation of a variety of vehicles and mobile plant in operation at a surface coal mine. The iOS application installed on a fifth-generation iPod Touch was shown to provide a 95% confidence of +/− 0.077 m/s2 r.m.s. constant error for the vertical direction. Situations in which vibration levels lay within the ISO2631.1 health guidance caution zone were accurately identified, and the qualitative features of the frequency spectra were reproduced. The low cost and relative simplicity of the application has potential to facilitate its use as a screening tool to identify situations in which musculoskeletal disorders may arise as a consequence of exposure to whole-body vibration.

Whole-Body Vibration Exposures in Undeground Coal Mining Operations:

Studies conducted on surface coal mining equipment have identified whole-body vibration as a significant hazard. Operators of underground mobile equipment, particularly shuttle cars and transport vehicles, are likely to be exposed to significant levels of whole-body vibration. To date, measuring whole-body vibration from underground mining mobile equipment has been difficult due to the strict guidelines governing the use of electrical equipment in underground mines. This paper presents data obtained from two low-methane coal mines using an iOS application installed on iPod Touch devices. The majority of measurements taken from a range of mobile plant and equipment in use at the underground coal mines exceeded the ISO2631.1 Health Guidance Caution Zone. Further investigations are being undertaken to develop a thorough understanding of whole-body vibration exposures to which operators of mobile equipment used in underground coal mines are exposed and the opportunities for application of this information to assist mine site safety, health and risk management processes.