“Our current system: Over recent years, our current system has been a challenging source of frustration and inefficiency. The system regularly experiences performance and reliability issues that consume valuable time which could otherwise be spent undertaking critical operational and field-based activities. Frequent system crashes require application restarts and, at times, complete reinstallation. Report generation is excessively delayed, with reports occasionally taking several hours to become available, forcing a fallback to manual report preparation and distribution. These issues create unnecessary administrative burden, increase pressure on personnel at the end of shifts, and ultimately reduce the time available for frontline hazard management activities.

Experience with the HazView trial: My experience using my phone with HazView throughout the trial has been positive. The system is fast, reliable, insightful, and clearly designed with the OCEs as the end user in mind. From installation through to day-to-day use, HazView has operated efficiently and has significantly improved the process of recording, managing and communicating hazards. The features I found most positive include excellent speed and responsiveness, the ability to import information from other data sources even when offline, offline functionality, accessibility across computers, phones and tablets, an intuitive interface that makes operational sense, and strong confidence in the responsiveness and support provided by the HazView development team.

The visual presentation of hazards is particularly valuable. A well-designed application encourages coal mine workers to engage with the information provided, increasing awareness of current hazards and contributing to safety controls and decision making. I also particularly liked the OCE functionality, including the ability to view OCE signage locations and coverage areas on the map. This feature provides excellent situational awareness and will be beneficial for both examiners and supervisors.

Through discussions with coal mine workers and supervisors during inspections, it has become apparent that many personnel are not always aware of current hazards within their work areas. A hazard management system is only effective if critical information can be easily communicated, understood, and acted upon by those exposed to the risk. HazView significantly improves this process through its accessibility, ease of use and clear visual representation of hazards in actual time.

Recommendation: Based on my experience during the trial to date, I strongly support the implementation of HazView. HazView provides substantial improvements in reliability, usability, hazard visibility, and operational efficiency when compared to our current system. It allows coal mine workers to spend more time undertaking field-based supervision and hazard management activities rather than troubleshooting system issues. I recommend that the business proceed with the implementation of HazView as the primary hazard management and reporting platform for Opencut Examiners, Geotechnical Engineers, Geology, Blast Crew, Supervisors and coal mine workers.”

“Over the past couple of years, our current system has resulted in a significant amount of wasted time and frustration. Frequent system failures, slow loading times and ongoing technical issues have required hours of troubleshooting just to keep the system operational. On numerous occasions the system has failed to generate the required OCE reports, forcing OCEs to manually prepare and distribute reports that may have information missing.

The early trial of HazView has demonstrated a significant improvement in every aspect of the process. From installation through to day-to-day operation, the system has been reliable, intuitive and user-friendly. It allows hazards to be recorded and communicated efficiently without the delays experienced with the current platform.

One of the greatest advantages of HazView is the accessibility it provides to frontline supervisors. Having hazard information readily available on mobile phones and tablets means supervisors can view current hazards while they are in the field, allowing them to make informed decisions in real time. This is a substantial improvement over the current system, where hazard information is difficult to access and navigate.

Based on my experience during the trial, I strongly recommend that the business proceed with implementing HazView. I believe it will improve hazard communication, increase workforce awareness, enhance operational efficiency, and ultimately contribute to a safer workplace.”

“How I’m finding our current system: I find our current system extremely frustrating and it wastes an inordinate amount of my time – that is valuable time that I am not doing important work. Almost every shift I have to re-boot, usually several times, and often re-download the app just to get it to work. Reports take an unacceptably long period of time to be issued – it can take up to half a shift for a report to come out, so we end up manually sending it out so oncoming crews can prepare pre-shift briefings. In short, it’s a basket case, and I have vented my frustrations with it for years.

How I’ve found HazView so far: Excellent. Interactive. Fast. Lots of features that save time and provide a lot of information to the user. The speed is excellent – it gives me back a lot of time to do my work. I like the ability to import data from other sources, the offline functionality, and that it can be accessed on any device. It’s intuitive – it just ‘makes sense’. It also ‘looks good’, and this is not a shallow comment: a well-presented app encourages personnel to use it and read the information, which leads to coal mine workers knowing more current safety information about their work areas, which makes the site safer. I’m also confident the helpdesk responsiveness from the HazView team will be excellent.

I hope this feedback is useful. Our current system drives us nuts. I hope we can implement HazView, it will be a significant improvement in site safety and efficiency.”

“Just wanted to put HazView forward as a better option. HazView’s been way more reliable and easier to use, and it rolls everything into one program instead of juggling a few different tools. Big one for me is being able to get the OCE report out immediately once finished and still tweak it afterward – stuff changes last minute or near end of shift all the time. Also worth noting if we get stuck in pit, the shift can be closed on the run and everything is available at your fingertips offline. Honestly, with our current system, the opening and closing of the report has been an ongoing saga for us OCE’s… pretty frustrating shift after shift. Also can’t get Geo tech report from it, limited to the number of photos per hazard. Our OCE report is statutory, so getting it out on time isn’t optional, and the info needs to be accurate, that integrity is critical for CMW. HazView is hands down a better program for our role.”

“Our current system report generation is extremely poor, more often than not I will have multiple attempts generating the report, it can be very frustrating. At times we have to manually adjust the previous day’s report because it wont generate at all, leading to the OCE report not going out on time. I have found HazView very user friendly and endless possibilities to help with the role and very quick in all aspects. Examples: exclusion zones for blasting including blast guard position, blocklines and latest Geo reports at our finger tips. The ability to put the application on any device so supervisors, blast controllers and other CMW have live updates on the run. Overall it’s a fantastic tool – like comparing a horse and cart to a fighter jet.”

“Software interface is fantastic, extremely easy to use, screen stays clean and simple but all the information needed is readily available. Useability as a phone app completely changes the game and far exceeds our current capabilities – seeing operational and Geotech hazards, blast exclusion zones, lease boundaries and road networks as they update while you are in the field, creating a safer work place. Adding comments and photos is very easy and the time stamping makes it easy to see when photos were taken. The timeline reporting adds great value for auditing inspections and actions. The live sync provides a way to communicate in-pit observations in real time… saving previously lost time and ambiguity. The system far exceeds our current capability… Anything less than a full roll out would be inadequate.”

I was impressed by the software and the potential to improve the way we work in geology. At the moment our process involves visiting the dig area, taking photos, speaking with supervisors and operators, then returning to the office to manually transfer photos and notes into an Excel-based inspection report… extra admin work and a risk details can be forgotten. Using HazView allowed me to capture inspection information directly in the field. Taking and storing photos within the app significantly reduced the time to complete a pit inspection. The structured workflow prompted me to work through each requirement, ensuring nothing was missed.

This is amazing!! Everyone can see exactly the area effected for a blast or lightning zone.

“This is definitely something that will benefit the blast controllers and affected work areas with lightning and blast guard positions. I have used it again today to set up a lightning exclusion zone for a dump misfire area and found it to be very user friendly out in the field. Loving this idea.”

Thanks for helping us out adding the Blast Guard locations and Lightning Exclusion Zones, great work. We’re finding the system very useful. Blast Supervisors, Step-Ups and Blast Controllers are all best suited for using it for quick access via both phone and desktop. Our Blast Controller is already actively using it and is really happy with how it’s working. It’s going to reduce those ‘am I in or out of the zone?’ calls and improve overall awareness.

“I believe it’s a lot better version to use and a lot more user friendly with having a copy of report to sign off on at end of shift. For years we as OCE’s have had to wait for a copy of report to come back from server, or change an old copy to word and then do it to sign off shift as per regulation 106. The new version is easy to use, and you are guaranteed a version to sign off and put on notice boards. I am very happy with the whole process and it’s obviously a living product with changes always being available.”

“With a bit of training on me, I reckon this will be a far better system than we are using now. More features and live and no waiting for downtime which we have now. A real game changer. Great work mate.”

“I found it easy to use so it shouldn’t be too much of a drama when it comes online. I like the OCE function where you can see the OCE cones around the place. I find all the hazards with the ring around them to be a little busy when I use them on the tablet, but on the computer they are much better. Look forward to using this program.”

Purpose-built for Opencut Examiner/Geotechnical hazard identification and management. Provides a more streamlined workflow, reducing the time required to record hazards. Improved visibility of hazards through layer or map-based location plotting. Better integration with site mapping and operational data. Allows hazards to be tracked more effectively from identification through to close-out. Reduces duplication of information across multiple systems. Easier for supervisors and thus the crews to visualise hazard locations and associated controls. Improved reporting capability and trend analysis for recurring hazards. Supports a more consistent approach to hazard management across the operation. Potential to improve communication between OCEs, Supervisors and other stakeholders through a single, shared hazard platform.

The current system is a general hazard reporting tool used across the site which requires synchronisation and system loading data. It is less tailored to the day-to-day operational requirements of the OCE role. Limited visual representation of hazards compared to HazView (photos). Can require additional manual follow-up to communicate exact hazard locations and current status with Supervisors and even other panel of OCEs.

Overall, the HazView OCE Hazard Tool appears to provide a more operationally focused solution for managing field hazards, with improved visibility, tracking and efficiency compared to the current system.

How you find the software / user experience. Excellent! The interface is friendly and the functions feel intuitive. Simple and efficient!

If you see value in the system and would benefit from a full rollout. Yes, for sure! I think the software can bring so much value here, no doubt about it.

“No worries at all. It was good to get a bit more of a run down of the system. It seems unreal and pretty easy to navigate. I think it would be very beneficial once rolled out and we all have access to the other things you touched on with the drive around tonight.”

I have found the hazView system to be very user friendly and quite easy to navigate. I would approve of running the app full time and find value in its use.

No problems at all I think its great and next level technology.

The software and user experience is great, it’s easy to use, quick and I have never had a problem or glitch with it. I do see value in it, especially to be able to remove the paper and excel system we are currently using and use this technology to take it to the next level of having live data in your hands in the pit, being able to complete our inspections in pit in real time, not having to come back to an office to fill out an excel spreadsheet, time stamp the inspections, add photos, comments and actions etc.