Mining Automation Human-Systems Integration – CMOC-Northparkes Case Study: Automation Offers the Resources Sector Great Potential for Improvements in Productivity and Safety

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burgess-Limerick, Robin ; Cronin J ; Horberry T ; Steiner L
• Description:
  Automation offers the mining industry great potential for improvements in productivity and safety. However, the experience of introducing automation in other industries has been that the full potential of new technology is not always realised. Designers are surprised, for example, to find that automation does not eliminate human errors. Unwanted and unexpected consequences also arise if the introduction of automation fails to consider how people will adapt to the new technology. A focus on the technical aspects of automation is necessary but not sufficient for success. The potential for improvements in productivity and safety promised by automation will only be achieved if the joint cognitive system that emerges from the combination of humans and automation is designed to perform the functions required for system success. This case study describes the human factors issues associated with the introduction of automation generally, and describes a case study of the successful implementation of loader automation at Northparkes mine. Information obtained through a site visit and interviews with operators, safety staff and the project manager revealed the following strategies for successful design and implementation of the automation system: 1. involve the people who will be impacted 2. encourage constant communication between operators and designers 3. provide operators with essential information 4. avoid providing non-essential information 5. provide the operators with flexibility 6. empower operators to take action 7. take advantage of the new possibilities automation provides. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Automation Coal Coal Mining Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Coal Mining Continuous Mining Haulage Vehicles Humans Longwall Mining Machinery Mining Engineering Mining Equipment Mining Industry Proximity Detection Surface Mining Underground Mining

  More +
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISBN:
  9781925100709
• Publisher:
  The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  93-97
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20059324
• Citation:
  13th AusIMM Underground Operators' Conference 2017: Proceedings, capturing the opportunities, communication, collaboration, and innovation, 16-18 October 2017, Gold Coast, Australia. Carlton VIC 3053 Australia: The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2017 Oct; :93-97
• Contact Point Address:
  R Burgess-Limerick, Professorial Research Fellow, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Qld 4072
• Email:
  r.burgesslimerick@uq.edu.au
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  13th AusIMM Underground Operators' Conference 2017: Proceedings, capturing the opportunities, communication, collaboration, and innovation, 16-18 October 2017, Gold Coast, Australia
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:affb50e1740fa843f1c2ffb5618663a925e40bcf0e78c247850f7f02f831c75bb31e6394462a7e20d3ac3d2a0754ca7eaedcf9bbb1d3dd88ca51864ad5ec760b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/215229/cdc_215229_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.12 MB ]