The University if Queensland’s Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre have begun developing an online system that will assist in reducing the risks of vehicle collisions on minesites.
Called COLLISONgate, the program is aimed predominately at reducing collision risks for involving heavy earthmoving equipment in open-cut mining, quarrying and underground mining operations, the system will be a database of publically available vehicle collision incidents in the mining industry from which hazard checklists can be printed.
This information will help equipment operators; equipment manufacturers and mine operators better assess the risk factors associated with vehicles on site and fine tune their risk management.
COLLISIONgate system users can find the major risk factors for particular equipment or situation, the causes of these factors and why specific accidents occurred and can then print out reports, graphs, images and checklists on how to minimise these risks and help improve safety at their work site.
To date the program has received a research grant of around $100,000 from the Australian Coal Association Research Program and industry.
COLLISIONgate will provide the Australian and international mining industry with a unique, up-to-date information resource on vehicle collisions, their causes and recommendations for the prevention of such incidents.
These could include safer work practices, changes in design of vehicles and advancements in early warning, and collision avoidance and proximity detection technologies.
COLLISIONgate will follow two similar risk management decision support tools.
The TYREgate system for incidents associated with earthmover tyres and rims is already used by the mining and heavy vehicle industry.
The ISOgate system for electrical and other isolation related incidents is being completed in Queensland for release in mid 2010.
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