How lone worker solutions from Bell support safety in mines
Mining is hazardous work. For lone workers, the hazards can be greater if they face delays in receiving assistance in the event of an emergency. Fortunately, a range of solutions are now available to improve worker safety and help mining companies comply with evolving federal and provincial work-alone legislation. Bell’s lone worker solution lets you monitor, locate and respond to your workers anywhere, anytime and on any device, allowing you to protect employees and comply with work-alone legislation.
Protecting your most valuable assets
Protecting the safety and well-being of workers is vital in every industry. Many federal, provincial and territorial health and safety laws have specific requirements for protecting employees who are working alone or in isolation; this can include equipping those field operatives with effective communication and check-in systems.
The hazardous nature of mining environments presents unique challenges to worker safety. Workers can operate in proximity to harmful chemicals and gases, extreme temperatures, heavy machinery and other dangers. They may even need to operate in parts of the site where communication is unreliable and immediate assistance is not available.
Five ways lone worker solutions keep miners safe
Lone worker solutions are tailored for scenarios where dependable communication is essential in the event an isolated employee needs help. These solutions are designed to satisfy work-alone legislation and provide peace of mind for workers and employers alike.
Many solutions work best with a private mobile network, which can deliver fast, reliable wireless connectivity wherever mining companies need it. While a solution can also work over a public cellular network or by satellite, a private mobile network ensures mine staff stay connected wherever they are, even deep underground.
Together with Internet of Things (IoT) solutions like wearable vital sign monitors and environment monitoring systems, Bell’s lone worker solution can help mining companies maximize worker safety across their operations.
Below, we provide an overview of five features that keep mineworkers safe.
- Mandatory check-ins
Isolated workers can check in with supervisors through a simplified process on their mobile or satellite device. Check-ins include status and location reports, and workers can leave text and voice messages to provide more information about potential hazards or challenges. The solution reminds workers when they are due for a check-in based on a regular interval that can be customized depending on hazard assessments and workers’ roles. For example, if a miner is tasked with extraction in an area deemed especially hazardous, supervisors can set the solution to prompt more frequently for a check-in to confirm their well-being and to make the supervisor aware of any difficulties as they develop.
If a check-in is missed, a supervisor is immediately alerted so they can investigate and act if needed, leveraging the worker’s location history and user profile to support a swift response. - Location monitoring
Bell’s lone worker solution uses GPS to locate workers. This capability is invaluable in large-scale mining environments, especially if workers are in distress. Automated alerts based on real-time tracking data can also help workers stay away from areas of the mine with known hazards. A worker’s last location is included with every mandatory check-in, and Bell’s solution offers a convenient online portal that shows each worker’s location at any time. - Panic alerts
Workers can trigger an emergency notification at any time with their mobile or satellite device. Alternatively, they can use a panic button that works over Bluetooth, which can be clipped to a lanyard, wristband or belt for easy access. When a worker triggers a panic alert, the solution automatically provides their GPS location to a supervisor, and the worker can send a voice message with more details.
With Bell’s lone worker solution, users can activate alerts simply by shaking their mobile device. This can be lifesaving for miners trapped by a cave-in, injured by equipment or otherwise unable to trigger a panic alert through the screen. - Motion detection
Bell’s lone worker solution uses the motion-detection capabilities built into many smartphones to identify potential trouble. If a worker falls down, the solution can detect the sudden descent and request help if needed. Alerts can also be configured to trigger if no movement is detected over a set amount of time, which could indicate a worker is incapacitated due to falling debris, harmful gases or other hazards. - On-demand reports
Reports generated by our lone worker solution not only help mining companies prove compliance with work-alone legislation. They can also serve as sources of insights to strengthen worker safety programs and protocols.
Partner with Bell for lone worker solutions
Help protect your most valuable assets with location and status monitoring to support rapid responses, should someone need assistance. This is a crucial capability in mine sites, where workers must sometimes carry out tasks by themselves.
Bell can bring that capability to your mining operations with a full-featured lone worker solution, backed by a private mobile network for broad, reliable coverage. Our dedicated solution specialists help you every step of the way, from planning to deployment to ongoing support.
Visit our lone worker solution page to learn more about how a partnership with Bell can enhance safety on your mine site.