BHP Billiton has installed the ImPact Tracking solution at its Crinum East Coal Mine to monitor machinery and personnel in longwall panels.
Access to the underground mine is controlled to monitor ventilation quality and ensure health and safety standards are maintained. The available ventilation quality governs how much diesel equipment can operate at any one time.
Access control features in the system count machinery and personnel entering the mine. The system automatically triggers stop signs at the mine entrance if numbers exceed the allowable limit.
BHP says the system has allowed the company to better manage the general movement of machines, equipment and personnel at the site, and improve productivity during longwall moves.
The tracking solution consists of 12 wireless access points (WAPs), 140 vehicle tags and 140 Integrated Communications Cap Lamp (ICCL) tags which may be integrated to existing communications systems.
According to the manufacturer, the software is flexible and requires little need for IT intervention and web browser capabilities.
BHP is extending the technology to non-hazardous areas and incorporating additional access points at the site over the following 12 months.
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