Another South African mine has turned to Hexagon Mining for a safer, more productive operation. Exxaro’s Grootegeluk coal mine will implement SAFEmine, Hexagon Mining’s collision avoidance and fatigue monitoring technology. The SAFEmine Collision Avoidance System, (CAS) which includes SafetyCentre, TrackingRadar, and FatigueMonitor, is a complete safety package for Grootegeluk. CAS will be installed in Grootegeluk’s entire fleet, which comprises more than 60 haul trucks and over 180 other vehicles.
SafetyCentre will provide Grootegeluk’s haul truck operators with a single touch screen, showing surrounding vehicles and untagged objects, such as ground personnel. SafetyCentre uses TrackingRadar, up to three cameras, and includes alerts from CAS. Operators will also benefit from FatigueMonitor, which integrates data from fatigue detection and collision avoidance units to minimize accidents involving mining vehicles.
The mining industry is paying increasing attention to developing systems that can protect drivers and operators from collisions in busy surface mines, particularly where large haul trucks are interacting with smaller personnel vehicles. Earlier this year, South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources introduced regulations compelling surface mines to enhance safety for all trackless mobile machinery, such as trucks.
SAFEmine CAS is proven to drastically reduce mining accidents and save millions by reducing the risk of business disruption and maintenance costs. The system is installed in over 20,000 vehicles in more than 50 mines worldwide. In South Africa, more than 9,000 mining vehicles, including many operated by mine contractors, use SAFEmine CAS. More highlights of the system:
- 360 ̊ protection around trucks and shovels, can increase productivity
- Radar technology to protect pedestrians
- Integrated operator fatigue monitoring system
- Technology to slow down and stop equipment, such as trucks
- Driving behaviour tracking, viewable on smart phone, computer, or tablet.