Technology
Round-the-clock sounds fall silent HUMMINGBIRD PROVES THAT BEING SERIOUS ABOUT SAFETY DOESN’T MEAN MAKING NOISE ABOUT IT. THE SILENT HORN REPLACES THE BLARING NOISE OF MINING VEHICLES.
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he Hunter Valley region in New South Wales is not only known for its concentration of mining projects. It also has a vast spread of lush wineries, animal farms and townships. This is the backdrop for mining activities that operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day all-year round to produce coal. It has also become the area that has experienced the largest uptake of Hummingbird’s Silent Horn, with Queensland’s Bowen Basin following closely behind. As urban populations and mine sites move closer to each other and further away from established settlements, the pressure on mining companies to become good neighbours and reduce the problems commonly associated with noise pollution increases. A Hunter Valley mine has enabled Hummingbird to develop a simple way to install a reliable silent horn system for trucks, diggers and loaders. Loud horn blasts no longer need to be a way of communication among machine operators. With a simple press of a button, truck drivers receive a visual and audio alert within their cabin. They are able to identify which machine is contacting them – all without any external noise. The silent horn system uses wireless GPS and radio frequency (RF) technologies to allow vehicles that are
Only vehicles that are located within pre-set perimeters or paired with each other can receive the horn signals.
only paired with each other, or located within pre-set perimeters, to receive the horn signals. The silent horn system can connect up to 20 satellites at one time, making its positioning very accurate. “One part of the silent horn system goes into the excavator, and the other goes into the haul trucks. It automatically detects the closest truck by GPS location so it only communicates with trucks that are in proximity,” Hummingbird mining and industrial sales manager Scott Montgomery tells Safe to Work. “Operators receive both audio and
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visual signals inside the cabin. This gives you an indication on the screen, and a buzzer that would go off. “Haul trucks can drive away when it’s alright to go, but it’ll only go off in the first driver’s cabin.” This reduces operator distraction when they also have to respond to reverse alarms and collision avoidance signals. Operators can grow more sensitive to other alarms, creating safer work sites. “We have enabled mining operators to continue with their night time activities, in particular. It allows them to work day and night with less
