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Virtual Reality as a Training Tool
Published in Andrzej Grabowski, Virtual Reality and Virtual Environments, 2020
Implementing the use of a training system in a virtual environment will enable new workers to obtain high levels of competence before they start working in real conditions. This is particularly important due to the fact that approximately 20% of mining accidents (in Poland according to data from the Central Statistical Office of 2017) involve young workers (with less than one year of experience), while in the case of workers with more than four to five years of experience, the number of accidents significantly decreases to around 5%. An improved training process will increase awareness among miners regarding the hazards of a mine. The knowledge acquired and improved worker skills will lead to a reduction of fatal accidents and injuries resulting from mining accidents. This is particularly important because working conditions in this sector are among the most dangerous, which is indicated by the relatively high rates of workplace accidents when compared to other sectors of industry or services.
Differentiating between fatal and non-fatal mining accidents using artificial intelligence techniques
Published in International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 2020
Saki Gerassis, Ángeles Saavedra, Javier Taboada, Elena Alonso, Fernando G. Bastante
In mining industry research, a main problem is the gap when dealing with these two issues separately. Health risks have been widely identified and are now under control in most developed countries [4]. Examples are occupational diseases such as silicosis and asbestosis, whose incidence has been drastically reduced due to improvements in mining ventilation systems, the widespread use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the definition of regulations regarding occupational exposure limits (OELs) for hazardous substances [5–7]. In contrast, the situation regarding mining accidents and safety is erratic. Although human behaviour is often an important factor when studying occupational accidents, there are many other factors to consider that may indicate a higher accident risk probability. Identifying the main causes of mining accidents is the main focus of the problem, with rockfalls, falls from height, entrapment in machinery and between objects, fire, explosions and overexertion as the main elements to take into account in risk management in mines [8,9].