Remote Bulldozer Operation Enhances Operator Safety
Challenge
A remote controlled bulldozer at our Escondida mine in Chile.
Across the globe, bulldozers working on ore stockpiles within the mining industry expose their operators to major safety challenges. Poor visibility, unstable ground and material falling from conveyors have led to numerous injuries and fatalities among bulldozer operators.
The Escondida mine in Chile, which is the world’s largest copper producer, has addressed this safety challenge by implementing technology to allow bulldozers to be operated remotely. Such innovation protects personnel from the dangers involved in operating bulldozers within stockpiles, while continuing to provide the benefits to mine operation of using such machinery.
Action
Located in the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile, Minera Escondida produces copper from two open-pit mines, one at Escondida and the other five kilometres away at Escondida Norte. BHP Billiton holds a 57.5 per cent interest in Minera Escondida.
Annually, the mine moves some 400 million tonnes of material to ensure a continuous flow of ore to its concentrators at Laguna Seca and Los Colorados, oxide and sulphide leaching facilities. Three stockpiles support ore feed to the plants with bulldozers used to move material within these stockpiles to ensure a continuous supply of feedstock to the plants. Using bulldozers within stockpiles has strong positive impacts on plant performance by eliminating prolonged interruption to feedstock supply and so maximising the volume of ore processed and economic benefits from that processing.
During 2006, the global mining industry experienced several fatal accidents involving bulldozers operating on stockpiles. Between 2001 and 2006, there were several incidents involving bulldozers on the Escondida stockpiles. In an incident in March 2006, where the operator eventually escaped with minor injuries, one of our bulldozers was buried for five hours.
Our challenge was to develop an approach that allowed us to continue to gain the economic benefits of operating bulldozers within our stockpiles while reducing risk to the safety of our operators.
Analysis showed that the only sure way of addressing such risk was to remove the bulldozer operators from their cabs. We would need to have them operate their machines from a safe, remote, location. The steps to achieving remote operation included:
- Evaluating past accidents
- Working with companies that supply remote operation technology
- Undertaking pilot tests
- Training the operators to use remote control equipment
- Implementing the new operating method
The project involved adapting state-of-the-art technology used in other mining processes and applying it to bulldozers operating within ore stockpiles. Challenges included sourcing the best equipment for our needs, ensuring it was appropriate to our conditions and operation and that it could be adapted effectively, and then training our operators in a new way of working.
We undertook our first site test and completed equipment installation in early 2007 and, after operator training, began full operation in mid 2007. The remote control bulldozers have performed well, assisting us in maintaining operational continuity and improving safety.
Future
Implementing remote operation for bulldozers within ore stockpiles at Escondida is another example of our commitment to the safety of those who work in our company. We believe the technology we have selected represents leading practice, is sustainable and can be supported globally. There is potential to apply this technology in other operations where operating a bulldozer involves a safety risk to the operator. Potential situations where the technology could be used include operations on unstable or soggy ground, or on drilling platforms with limited access.
