Modern Mining May 2025

HEALTH AND SAFETY

“A n operational readiness assessment process conducted up front highlights all potential impacts on operations and pedestrian safety, giving the mine the opportunity to achieve seamless Level 9 integration with both the PDS and yellow fleet OEMs,” he says. It is over two years since the South African Department of Minerals and Energy’s Level 9 intervention made it law to install PDS on all trackless mobile machines (TMMs). This is the latest step in the country’s journey as a global pioneer in this field. The advanced pace of regulation has also spawned a vibrant local economy of PDS developers and suppliers, in which Booyco Electronics has been a prominent player since 2006. Wolfaardt highlights that there is well-proven Level 9 PDS technology available to mines, and it has been shown to significantly mitigate safety risk. However, the best results require more than technical installation; they require a systematic process of change management by all involved. “Integrating a Level 9 PDS into a mining operation is not merely a technical upgrade; it fundamentally alters the way mines operate,” he explains. “Change management is the bridge that closes the disconnect between technology and people.” He notes that the change process impacts safety culture, production and operator behaviour. Without structured change management, resistance to new protocols can undermine the system’s effectiveness. “In our experience, a lack of change management often leads to a mine experiencing undue production stoppages, miscommunication and frustration among operators and managers,” he says. By fostering better understanding and acceptance, change management ensures that safety improvements translate into long term shifts in behaviour – going beyond basic compliance to support a stronger culture of safety. He explains that Apex, as the training service provider of choice to Booyco Electronics, addresses these challenges by ensuring that all stakeholders are involved and committed to the process. A vital starting point is a mine steering committee, ideally chaired by the

Beyond compliance - driving behavioural change with level 9 PDS Applying a Level 9 Proximity Detection System (PDS) to a mining operation is as much about changes in behaviour as it is about technical solutions, according to Pieter Wolfaardt from Apex, Booyco Electronics’ training partner of choice.

Change management initiatives address behaviour shifts required for the successful adoption of Level 9 proximity detection systems.

Successful PDS implementation relies on a combination of advanced technology, structured training, and behavioural change.

28  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | MAY 2025