SAFETY
Tom Baldwin explains how intrinsically safe technology is paving the way for digital transformation in the mining sector
DESIGN SAFER BY
n recent years, the push for digital transformation has seen more and more mobile devices being deployed at mining sites around the world. For many organisations, the benefits of going digital are now simply too big to ignore – ranging from improved workflows and asset management to faster, more accurate reporting. But perhaps most importantly, it helps pave the way for greater uptake of IoT technology, allowing organisations to capitalise on big data analytics and boost operational efficiency across the board. Of course, the path to digital transformation isn’t always straightforward. Not least because a considerable number of mining operations weren’t originally constructed with digitisation in mind. What’s more, many active mines contain numerous restricted zones with dangerous explosive atmospheres, where a single stray spark from an electrical device has the
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potential to cause a catastrophic accident. Consequently, many of these areas remain ‘pen and paper only’, meaning routine tasks such as mine shaft inspections must still be conducted manually. However, as more organisations look to achieve true digital transformation, they must find a way to accommodate devices in such locations without jeopardising worker safety in any way. Te question is, how?
NO TWO EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERES ARE THE SAME According to the UK’s Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR), an explosive atmosphere is defined as: “A mixture of dangerous substances with air, under atmospheric conditions, in the form of gases, vapours, mist or dust in which, after ignition has occurred, combustion spreads to the entire unburned mixture.”
The drive for digtial transformation is gathering pace in hte mining sector
In reality, no two explosive atmospheres
are the same, meaning the level of device safety measures required will also differ from case to case. For instance, the above definition could be applied to a petrol station forecourt just as much as an industrial mining facility or gas wellhead, despite clear differences in the level of danger posed. For this reason, organisations are
Getac recently launched a rugged tablet designed for hazardous and potentially explosive environments
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required to closely assess all aspects of their facilities/operations and classify each area based on the true level of risk present. Within the EU, the classification system used is known as ATEX (short for Atmospheres Explosible), which combines two European Directives for controlling explosive atmospheres: Directive 99/92/ EC (also known as ‘ATEX 137’ or the ‘ATEX Workplace Directive’) on minimum requirements for improving the health and safety protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres; and Directive 94/9/EC (also known as ‘ATEX 95’ or ‘the ATEX Equipment Directive’) on the approximation of the laws of Members States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.
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