Improving Mineworker Safety Using a Mineworker Administration Shell

Abstract

Mining remains a key economic driver worldwide, yet the sector faces substantial challenges in improving mineworker safety and operational efficiency amidst growing technological adoption. While various Industry 4.0 technologies, such as wearable sensors and IoT monitoring, have been introduced, these solutions often function as stand-alone applications that are not effectively integrated with mine information and control systems. This paper introduces the Mineworker Administration Shell, a digital integration mechanism to improve the monitoring and coordination of mineworkers in underground mines. Through an analysis of current mining operations, the functional requirements of the Mineworker Administration Shell are defined. An implementation is performed for a case study based on a replicated underground mining scenario. The results indicate that the Mineworker Administration Shell successfully meets the defined functional requirements and shows promise for improving mineworker safety and human-system integration in mining operations and environments. Specifically, the Mineworker Administration Shell demonstrates the ability to detect hazardous conditions and update the worker’s “Activity Readiness” status with low latency – effectively preventing unsafe work allocation within the safety-critical conditions of an underground mine. This research underscores the Mineworker Administration Shell’s potential to transform mining operations through improved digital representation and integration of mineworkers.