In the light of impending safety regulations governing South African mines, South African-based Booyco Electronics is well advanced in testing its proximity detection systems (PDS) to comply with Level 9 safety standards.<\/p>\n
The importance of this testing arises from recent changes in Chapter 8 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, which require mines to take \u2018reasonably practicable measures\u2019 to prevent collisions between trackless mobile machines (TMMs) \u2013 as well as between pedestrians and TMMs.<\/p>\n
Past measures implemented by mines have included systems that warn pedestrians of their proximity to TMMs (Level 7) and systems that deliver an advisory instruction to TMM operators (Level 8).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Level 9 standard raises the bar significantly, requiring electronic PDS systems to take mechanical control of the TMM and automatically bring it to a stop when a dangerous situation is detected,\u201d says Booyco Electronics CEO Anton Lourens. \u201cThis elevates what is traditionally called a PDS into what is really a collision avoidance \u2013 or collision management \u2013 system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Significantly, Booyco Electronics was the first to begin Level 9 testing in South Africa, which is conducted by the University of Pretoria\u2019s Vehicle Dynamics Group. The tests are aligned with the international standard ISO21815. It is expected that regulations regarding Level 9 compliance will be finalised by the end of 2020.<\/p>\n
Lourens says the company\u2019s strong relationships with TMM OEMs has allowed it to make good progress in testing its equipment on their machines in terms of Level 9 standards.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis ensures that our technology can assist to safely and effectively bring a vehicle to a standstill when required,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
He highlights that the parameters of Level 9 control have evolved over the past year or two. Beyond just stopping a vehicle, the Booyco Electronics PDS can also instruct the vehicle to reduce its speed to a specific level under given conditions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the light of impending safety regulations governing South African mines, South African-based Booyco Electronics is well advanced in testing its proximity detection systems (PDS) to comply with Level 9 safety standards. The importance of this testing arises from recent changes in Chapter 8 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, which require mines to … Continue reading BOOYCO ON TRACK WITH DEADLINE FOR PROVING LEVEL 9 SAFETY<\/span>