Caterpillar looks to install fatigue-monitoring devices in mining machines

The Cat 789D Mining Truck. If the driver of this monster fell asleep... many will suffer (via CAT)

If there were two things that should not go together it would be drowsiness and operating a mining machine. It’s not hard to imagine the destruction a dump truck the size of a small apartment complex could do if the driver is distracted, or worse, asleep at the wheel. Most mining operations being conducted all over the globe has employees working shifts that can get close to the 24-hour mark in order to save on costs. This practice can have disastrous results that can, and has, resulted in fatalities and millions of dollars in damaged equipment, which is why Caterpillar is collaborating with Australia-based Seeing Machines to curb the problem of drowsiness and distraction of equipment operators. Seeing Machines has developed a system that alerts the driver through an alarm and seat vibration when the operator starts to doze or gets distracted. Known as the DSS-IVS Fatigue Monitoring System, the devices continuously tracks both eye and head positions inside the work vehicle/machine for the tale tell signs the operator is nodding off. Seeing Machines DSS-IVS system employs a small dash-mounted camera that is capable of tracking eye behavior (or rather eyelid openness) such as blinking rates and duration, even if the operator is wearing sunglasses, in real-time. The camera transmits the tracking data to a console inside the machines cab where the data is processed at which point the information is sent to an on-site control room where the data is monitored by dispatchers.

This is the point where a bit of controversy comes in to play, as the dispatchers are capable of watching small pieces of video transmitted by the in-cab console. Even though video is only sent when a distracted or drowsiness state event has been detected some workers may find the system to be nothing more than workplace surveillance. Initial testing of the DSS will quickly refute that notion, as the system was able to reduce fatigue-related accidents by 72% at certain mining facilities. The data collected triggered after the sleep event is used by the dispatchers as a learning tool to help identify potential problems as well as to help those with ‘chronic’ incidents remedy the situation by either getting enough rest or suffering a ‘redeployment’ to a potentially less catastrophic area of the facility. The Newmont Mining Company has already adopted the DSS-IVS system at their Nevada facility and has found that distracted or sleep related accidents were reduced by an astounding 90% over previous years (makes you wonder what work related accidents were like beforehand). Caterpillar recently announced that they plan to deploy Seeing Machines $10,000 US DSS system to its dealers worldwide starting with those supplying mining machines in key regions first in the coming months. Perhaps they should focus on those mining areas that produce the most fatigue related accidents and then focus on those generating the largest profits.

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