Strata’s HazardAvert electromagnetic proximity detection system is designed to prevent machinery-to-person crushing and pinning-type accidents in underground mining.
Designed to increase safety awareness, its audible and visual alarms alert miners of potential danger due to their proximity to operating machinery. HazardAvert also features autonomous braking for emergency situations.
The system generates electromagnetic marker zones around machinery and alarms when these zones are breached, either when a person approaches operating machinery or when the machinery approaches a person. The individual wearing the PAD and the machine operator are simultaneously warned. Multiple people and multiple machines in a working section can be detected at any time using the system.
The HazardAvert system for underground coal mines is built to be robust and durable, with all system components enclosed in explosion-proof (XP) enclosures.
HazardAvert can and has been used on any mobile machinery
- Continuous Miners
- Shuttle Cars
- Scoops
- Haulers
- Loaders
- Roof Bolters
- Feeder Breakers
- Ram Cars
- Continuous Haulage
HazardAvert system components
- Generators
- Controller box
- Display pod
- Personal alarm device (PAD)
The system Generators are installed onto machinery and create highly stable electromagnetic zones to delineate the edges of dangerous work areas. Electromagnetic zones are designated as the outer ‘WARNING ZONE’ and the inner ‘HAZARD ZONE’. They can encompass the whole machine or be specific to certain areas. Generators placed on the continuous miner boom ensure that the zones remain constant as the boom articulates.
Up to four generators can be installed on the same piece of equipment to provide greater control of coverage and shaping. A WARNING ZONE breach triggers alarms, a HAZARD ZONE breach triggers alarms and an optional equipment override to slow, stop or disable the hydraulics of the equipment.
The Controller Box monitors the proximity system’s status and coordinating the interaction between multiple Generators. It interfaces with select control devices of the machinery to enable automatic slowing or stopping in the event of an emergency.
The Display Tracking Pod is mounted in the operator’s compartment of haulage vehicles and at the rear operator’s side of a continuous miner. With the use of LED lights, it alerts operators of triggered alarms and informs them of the system’s status. All activities are logged and stored in the Pod, and data can be downloaded on demand using Wi-Fi or by wireless streaming over Strata’s wireless communication networks to the surface.
Miners wear PADs, which detect and measure the zones to determine their distance from the machine. The PAD emits audible and visual warning alarms when a zone is breached.
Zones for mine-specific applications
The size of zones for the system is set according to customer specifications at the time of installation. They are then standardized for the mine and repeatable across all machinery. This simplifies training and optimizes productivity. If needed, adjustments can be made once in place.
Zones on haulage vehicles can be temporarily reduced by the continuous miner operator to allow the equipment to interact as necessary.
Silent zones on haulage equipment enable machine operators to sit in the operator’s compartment or work in specified areas without activating the alarm or disabling the machine. As soon as the operator exits this silent zone, however, he will trigger alarms.
Key features and functionality
- Stable, reliable and repeatable
- Every person wearing a PAD is detected by every piece of equipped machinery
- Fallen and elevated workers will be detected
- System can be interlocked with equipment to automatically slow, stop and/or disable hydraulics
- Any PAD can remotely stop any equipment in the worker’s line of sight by using the Remote Stop function
- Zones penetrate almost anything – coal, rock, dust and water –working around corners and through ventilation curtains and barriers
- No line of sight is required
- Unaffected by light/darkness
- Does not negatively affect production and enables workers to operate safely
Data recording and reports
HazardAvert tracks and records all interactions between workers and machinery. Data can be downloaded via Wi-Fi or wirelessly streamed over Strata’s wireless communication networks to a graphical user interface (GUI) at the surface.
Data reports provide essential information about work practices, safety behaviours, productivity measurements and even as documentation for incident investigations.