Automation is increasingly important in the mining industry, improving productivity and reducing maintenance costs. However, the complexity of the technology and the speed of development make it difficult to set standard safety regulations.

Marcus Punch, functional safety expert.

“Automation is relatively new to the mining industry, whereas it has been around for a long time for car manufacturers,” says functional safety expert Marcus Punch.

Mining can be much more complex than other industries, Punch says. “Therefore, a generic approach is better suited to it,” he says. “There are different techniques for coal, copper and gold, for example. There are also cultural differences that come into play. A mining company needs to work out what works for each organization.”

Evolution of standards
Each application needs its own safety requirements, rather than a solution for all automation. Punch believes that the standards will evolve as mining automation technology becomes more developed.

As a functional safety expert, Punch works closely with a range of mining companies. “I guide system integrators and people using equipment through the terminology and the myriad requirements of the various machinery safety and functional safety standards,” he says.

Standardized frameworks
Functional safety dictates the process whereby hazards are identified and controls, which rely on an electronic system, are put in place. There are a number of standards, but Punch says none of them provide a stand-alone safety framework for every industrial application. For complex projects, automation in particular, a mix of standards may need to be applied.

Because of the increasing use of automation in mines in Western Australia and the lack of regulation around this relatively new technology, a working group has been formed, facilitated by the Western Australia Mines Department. In a report, the group says that since automation is not regulated, incidents have gone unreported through the process that governs normal equipment or mine-related incidents. To get better regulation, the group has collected these incidents in one place.

Punch’s advice is to use frameworks while standard safety regulations are being developed. “Functional safety provides a framework in a risk-based manner,” he says. “Mining automation is still a fairly new technology, and there are also big differences between countries and individual mines. Therefore, it is easier to work with a framework, and each mine can work out the details. A general framework can be developed and then tweaked for each application.”

Knowledge is key
The main focus when safety regulations are developed is knowledge. “The project managers and engineers are very knowledgeable and know what needs to be in place,” Punch says. “However, that knowledge needs to be shared with senior management. Otherwise it is hard to get the right budget and order of priority. Important stuff will be neglected in the development process if the decision makers are not sure what is needed. You can’t create standards that don’t work for the people actually operating the automated systems.”