Mines sites need to ensure all hazards are clearly communicated to all mine site personnel. This is to ensure everyone is aware of the hazards in their area, and so that they can confirm the required controls are in place to keep them safe.

How Mine Site Hazards Are Normally Reported:

• Shift-based reports generated using a word or excel document.
• Shared hazard database layers (used in tools like Vulcan or Deswick) without permission based editing.
• Radio communications.
• Signage.
• Word of mouth.

More often than not, a hazard will also have a difficult to interpret description like “Pit X Block 123-127 instability maintain 15x2m bunded stand-off in areas of cracking” which is confusing for anyone, and for new people on site, essentially impossible to interpret. It is more often than not just a text based description and without photos, it can be very easy for personnel to get confused.

There are numerous reports on an inspectorate level where workers have been in unsafe areas due to a lack of understanding of the hazard and its required controls.

How Mine Site Hazard Should Be Reported:

In the modern day, mine sites should be using the latest technology to report and manage their hazards. It is the mines responsibility to ensure all workers are aware of the hazards in their area as per the acts and regulations.

This can be easily managed with hazard management software that includes:

• A geolocated hazard marker.
• Recent site imagery.
• Accessibility by all workers.
• Hazard metadata, descriptions and controls.
• Relevant photos, videos and documents.
• An inspection history and record of changes.

HazView was designed to improve how hazards are identified, reported and managed. HazView lets any verified role add new hazards and their appropriate controls when they are identified. This includes adding photos, videos, PDF reports and any other file. The hazard is identified with a marker and an area highlighted on the map. Any user with a web browser, phone or tablet can access this at any time. It syncs in real time, and the data is cached if the user goes offline.

Here is an example of how HazView’s interactive hazard map looks:

Reporting a Hazard with HazView:

To report a hazard, any verified role can simply click the “add new hazard” button, and mark the location or area on the map. They can then fill in the hazards properties (properties can be mandatory), add relevant controls, and then click publish. All users on the site will get an in-app notification that the hazard has been raised, and for serious hazards, emails can be sent as well.

If you would like a breakdown, here is a 3 minute video showing how the HazView software works on a practical level for identifying and managing hazards: