Collision detection and proximity warning systems for mobile mining equipment: A human factors exploration

The relatively high number of collisions between mining vehicles is the primary reason why collision detection and proximity warning systems are being increasingly introduced in this domain. This work presents a series of studies undertaken in underground mining where a prototype proximity warning system has recently been introduced. These studies encompassed a review of the system constraints (detection distances), an ergonomic audit of the system interface, Cognitive Tasks Analyses and other structured interview methods, a naturalistic field study, and a human factors risk assessment. All combined, the studies reviewed, from a user-centred perspective, the effectiveness of a system being trialled. Preliminarily results emerging to date and provisional recommendations for future system development or additional research are briefly outlined in this paper