Human-systems integration for the safe implementation of automation in mining

摘要

The introduction of automation to mining has great potential to reduce safety and health risks by removing people from hazardous situations. However, automation does not remove people from the system — it just changes the tasks they undertake. For the system to function safely, these new tasks must be designed to take human abilities and limitations into account. This includes maintenance tasks as well as operational tasks. Automation can also introduce new types of errors and, potentially, new hazards. An overriding focus on safety has been identified as a critical aspect of the successful introduction of automation (McGagh, 2014).