Modern Quarrying Q3 2020

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In December 2014, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy promulgated the mandatory use by mines of collision avoidance systems and proximity detection systems on trackless mobile machines, based on their own risk assessments

In 2017, 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

Letisha van den Berg, health and safety manager, Afrimat.

PDS suppliers were required to undergo simulation testing at the University of Pretoria, as well as a trial at the mine to demonstrate their solutions in a live environment, before submitting their technical files to the DMRE

“There were some uncertainties in the original published requirements,” says Van den Berg. “For instance,

in terms of the mine itself, its equipment and liability, or in

terms of ownership of the TMMs: the mine doesn’t necessarily own these machines as they are leased or purchased under guarantee and warranty. This implies, in turn, that mines are unable to modify their TMMs to accommodate the CAS and PDS units. Before this process, we didn’t even know what to expect from the suppliers of these units.” Risk evaluation The mines who participated in the compliance process performed a risk evaluation in cooperation with Mitacom and Aspasa. This pro- cess recorded previous incidents involving TMMs between 2005 and 2017. Van den Berg says some 2 000 incidents of TMM-related collisions with structures, other vehicles and pedestrians were recorded. “We also considered all DMRE TMM-related data, so we didn’t only record isolated problems on small- scale mines but included the DMRE’s statistics as well.” The risks involved with about 230 incidents were evaluated and an industry outcome obtained. “This process helped us identify the vehicles most at risk: articulated dump trucks, front-end loaders and light-duty vehicles (bakkies). That enabled us to approach PDS unit suppliers for quotes on units that would warn of possible collisions

During a 2020 meeting between PDS suppliers, movable machine OEMs, the Mineral Council of South Africa and Mitacom, it was agreed to extend the December 2020 deadline for compliance, as the TMM manufacturers were not ready for the transition to CAS units

SLOW SPEED

GREEN ZONE

REAR RED ZONE

AMBER ZONE

RED ZONE

Amber Zone De-rate Trigger *Level 9

Red Zone Stop Trigger *Level 9

HIGH SPEED

GREEN ZONE

REAR RED ZONE

AMBER ZONE

RED ZONE

Green Zone General Awareness and no warnings

Amber Zone Visual and audible warning at 1 beep per second

Red Zone Visual and audible warning at continous beeb

Graphics supplied by Afrimat

Traffic management planning has come under the spotlight recently as requirements for Proximity Detection Systems and effective risk management interventions become enforceable under the provisions of the Mine Health and Safety Chapter 8 MHSA Act 29 of 1996.

29

QUARTER 3 - 2020 MODERN QUARRYING