Modern Quarrying Q3 2020

At any mine where there is significant risk collisions, measures need to be taken to mitigate them.

SAFETY – PROXIMITY DETECTION SYSTEMS

In December 2014, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy promulgated the use of proximity detection and collision avoidance systems at South African surface mines and quarries. After lengthy consultation, Afrimat health and safety manager Letisha van den Berg updated Modern Quarrying on the process in 2017. Now, three years later, she brings us up to speed once more. By Mark Botha PDS COMPLIANCE UPDATE

I n December 2014, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) promulgated the mandatory use by mines of collision avoidance systems (CASs) and proximity detection systems (PDSs) on trackless mobile machines (TMMs), based on their own risk assessments. The deadline for promulgation of collision avoidance systems was provisionally set for July this year but, by the time of her initial interview with Modern Quarrying in 2017, Afrimat health and safety manager Letisha van den Berg said no date had yet been approved by the DMRE. It had also been found, by 2017, that not all PDS units complied with the standards and specifications set for these and collision

avoidance systems on TMMs, and that very few suppliers provided surface-mine CAS solutions on multiple vehicles. In the same year, the quarrying industry engaged the Minerals Council, TMM OEMs and small-scale mines through industry association Aspasa to ensure proper risk evaluation through Australian technology consulting company Mitacom. The aim was to produce a user’s manual setting out industry’s PDS requirements. Afrimat is one of four industry members who volunteered to undergo the process of testing PDS units, and to guide other industry players through the testing process, which involved the Mineral Council, Aspasa, PDS suppliers and TMM OEMs. Feedback was passed on to the regulator.

28

MODERN QUARRYING QUARTER 3 - 2020