AI ON THE ROADS

AI CAN SAVE LIVES ON THE ROADS

Technology is a game-changer, but can it be used effectively to make road travel safer? By SIMON FOULDS

Advanced driver assistance systems installed into long-distance trucks are revolutionising road safety in many ways, but what safety options do they offer?

“Technology can enhance risk identifi cation and offer the ability to provide insights that may not be traditionally available,” says Clay Colegate, business development and strategic accounts manager at DriveRisk.

Technology has advanced signifi cantly over the past fi ve years. But, without a solid foundation or platform to work off, artifi cial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT) or camera technologies can only offer a limited amount of value.

“Technology can provide comprehensive driver safety programmes: encompassing driver behaviour, fatigue management and collision-avoidance technologies. The ability to provide drivers with real-time feedback on risky driving incidents in conjunction with audible and visual alerts could signifi cantly reduce the likelihood of incidents and accidents occurring,” Colegate explains.

Closing the loop on behavioural risk management through a driver coaching platform provides fl eet operators with the opportunity to engage with their drivers. This can enable operators to implement safety strategies that address current risks, proactively preventing repetition of collisioncausing incidents.

AI and the IoT are game-changers in improving road safety, but have, says Colegate, not yet fully been utilised to their maximum

“Technology can enhance risk identification and offer the ability to provide insights that may not be traditionally available.” – Clay Colegate, business

potential. “Providing these insights and real-time risk identifi cation of behaviour is only as powerful as how you interpret and apply the information. The true benefi t is through engagement with service providers who can analyse the data and put it into context so that operators can improve the overall safety of their drivers and, ultimately, the general driving public.”

IOT IS CHANGING DRIVER BEHAVIOUR

Insurance companies and eet operators use IoT sensors to monitor driver behaviour at a granular level. This includes tracking things like speeding, excessive braking and more. By actively monitoring and managing the behavioural risks that are the root cause of collisions, they can quickly implement measures to help change driver behaviour

development and strategic accounts manager, DriveRisk

in a positive manner. Source: McKinsey report on Digital ecosystems for insurers: Opportunities through the Internet of Things

SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES – ARE THEY REALLY SAFE?

Currently, SA laws essentially cater about their passengers: people may be for circumstances where only travelling to hospital and wish to keep such humans are licenced to drive vehicles visits private or journalists may be travelling on South African roads. However, if to meet a confi dential source. What happens provision was made for self-driving if the SDV’s systems are compromised cars, would they be safer? Can we trust a allowing people’s movements to be tracked computer to drive our car, especially if it runs or traced? the risk of being hacked? “The Protection of Personal Information

Lucien Pierce, a partner at Phukubje Pierce Act certainly provides broad privacy Masithela Attorneys, says that with cybercrime protections, but may need to be enhanced increasing daily, the risk of hacks affecting a to provide more specifi c protections or self-driving vehicle (SDV) network is very real. South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act guidance to address SDVs,” says Pierce.

“One piece of new, but little known, also provides legislated protection for product “We also need the Cybercrimes Bill to legislation is the Critical Infrastructure liability, but all those involved in the chain of be passed into law as soon as possible Protection Act. This may go some way to producing a product may need to consider how because, as we become more dependent help reduce vulnerabilities in the type of they protect themselves in the event of SDVs on communications and communications infrastructure that SDVs may rely on,” he experiencing catastrophic failures. infrastructure, we need to have laws in place explains. Telecommunications networks and that make it easier to prosecute those criminals the electricity grid would form part of this WHAT ABOUT PRIVACY? that use technology for nefarious purposes,” critical infrastructure. “SDVs will be collecting sensitive information he explains.

INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED

According to Lucien Pierce, a partner at Phukubje Pierce Masithela Attorneys, SDVs are highly dependent on communications networks. 5G technology is the best wireless communications for autonomous vehicles as the required signals are capable of being transmitted at much faster speeds than earlier types. This is critical because autonomous vehicles need to receive real-time updates on the status of the roads on which they are travelling.

SAFETY, THE Sibanye-Stillwater WAY

How Sibanye-Stillwater practises “Zero Harm” principles and measures every day

Zero Harm is very much the watchword in the mining industry today, focusing on the aspirational goal all mining operations strive for: enabling every employee to go home unharmed every day. This approach is vital in a dangerous industry. The goal is to limit fatalities and injuries as much as possible.

Shadwick Bessit, Executive Vice President for Gold Operations, Sibanye-Stillwater, explains that to achieve this goal, every employee and contractor must be empowered and enabled to act safely.

“In an enabled environment, risk exposure is reduced by consistent, constant attention to maintaining a safe workplace with the required equipment, tools, and material that empower every person to deliver sustainable, safe production. We are committed to ensuring that everyone working in our facilities has the appropriate resources, training and personal protective equipment to work safely,” he says.

Furthermore, he continues, the company also expects employees to take ownership of health and safety, to comply with standards and procedures, and to immediately withdraw and report any unhealthy or dangerous situation.

“There are three key pillars within our safety strategy: an enabling environment, empowered people, and fit-for-purpose systems. The first of these is focused on real risk reduction in the workplace. Risk exposure is reduced by providing a safe working environment. This, in turn, is achieved through the elimination of hazards and careful rockmass management – a large number of injuries are caused by falls of ground, either gravity operations or seismic-induced.

“In the second pillar, the focus is on empowering our people by both allowing and encouraging them to exercise their right to withdraw from a dangerous situation, and by ensuring they are properly informed, educated

“There are three key pillars within our safety strategy: an enabling environment, empowered people, and fit-for-purpose systems.” – Shadwick Bessit, Executive Vice President for Gold Operations, Sibanye-Stillwater.

and trained to recognise hazards and to take immediate action to mitigate these risks.”

Bessit says that this pillar ensures that the required number of trained employees are available in the workplace to apply the relevant standards and procedures related to safety, thereby creating a culture of making valuesbased decisions. These decisions, he adds, are based on the principles of Commitment, Accountability, Respect, Enabling and Safety (CARES), which reflects Sibanye-Stillwater’s approach to its work, its people and the communities around the mine.

“It also takes into account the rules and procedures required to safeguard employees and focuses on instilling a safety mindset – where individuals are encouraged to take responsibility for both their own and their colleagues’ safety.

“The third pillar is about international best practice principles and systems to support our drive aimed at inculcating safe production, leadership and culture. It also encompasses systems of continuous learning, risk assessment and risk reduction.”

SAFETY RECORD IMPROVES AND NEW COVID-19 PROTOCOLS INTRODUCED

Bessit points out that two years ago, Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold division did not have a particularly auspicious year around safety: losing 21 colleagues in what was the worst year since the company’s inception.

“This was a real wake-up call for us and ‘zero harm’ came to the fore as we prioritised saving both lives and jobs. We also pledged not to look the other way – if anyone sees something wrong or witnesses someone doing something wrong, they have pledged to speak up.

“Our Zero Harm Strategic Framework was developed and implemented in 2018, in collaboration with organised labour and the Department of Mineral Resources in South Africa. It emphasises our CARES values as the basis for decision-making.”

Bessit adds that the good news is that the journey after this was quite spectacular in terms of the company’s safety record. In June 2020, Sibanye-Stillwater’s Gold Segment recorded an unparalleled record for ultra-deep level mining – some 13 million fatality-free shifts over a close to two-year period. “This massive achievement is a direct result of the three pillars of our safety strategy,” he says.

Currently, there is a whole new threat facing the mining industry and every other industry around the globe – the COVID-19 virus. “In this regard, we have been very proactive, putting in place protocols to prevent contraction and spread, and paying particular attention to employees who are considered to be at higher risk – those over the age of 60 and those suffering from comorbidities.

In June 2020, Sibanye-Stillwater’s Gold Segment recorded an unparalleled record for ultra-deep level mining – some 13 million fatality-free shifts over a close to two-year period.

Shadwick Bessit

“There are three specifi c focuses we drive in the workplace concerning this disease: personal hygiene, wearing of masks and social distancing. The latter, especially, has led to us modifying our work practices.” He explains that this includes limiting the number of people in each bus when transporting workers to and from the mine hostels, limiting the numbers allowed to congregate in certain areas, and ensuring that reduced numbers are sent down in each cage with all who go down following rules such as, mask wearing and facing in the same direction to help minimise potential infection.

“Even underground, the transport ‘man carriages’ have spaced seating and masks have to be worn in all confi ned spaces. We have placed markers to highlight the correct social distancing measures and issued all employees with masks, sanitiser and antibacterial soap with which to wash their hands.

“The work environment has also been restructured to ensure compliance with these rules and we constantly communicate with staff about what is happening on the ground, the measures being taken to keep them safe and to encourage them to seek treatment if they display any symptoms,” explains Bessit.

Sibanye-Stillwater’s has primary healthcare facilities where staff can go for a consultation and symptom screening. Should they test positive, isolation facilities are available.

“We also have to inform the Department of Health if someone is infected, and then we work closely with the department to identify employees who have been in contact with the infected person. They too are then quarantined to ensure they aren’t infected and cannot infect anyone else.

“Psychologically speaking, the virus puts additional strain on all our employees, particularly in light of the stigma currently attached to infection,” says Bessit. There are other psychological challenges too, related to personal wellbeing and family health, plus the prospect of potential death – all of which can impact mental wellness. Therefore, we have implemented a psychological wellness programme and strongly encourage employees to make use of this system.”

Communication remains the key to success, Bessit indicates, and Sibanye-Stillwater’s has made a point of communicating with its people frankly, openly and regularly, so that they are aware of the dangers and the potential impact of infection.

“For example, we publish the number of positive cases and deaths caused by the virus weekly. We hope that this kind of reality check will encourage those with pre-existing conditions to inform management. We also hope it helps encourage them to participate in the wellness programme.

“Ultimately, communication of this nature remains critical in ensuring we understand that we are all in this together. No one is immune, so there should be no stigma. Information is the best way to drive a greater understanding of the virus and its impact on individuals.”

He suggests that Sibanye-Stillwater’s success in this arena is because the company has a history of caring for its employees and demonstrating this, so many employees are likely to listen. Furthermore, the company has plenty of experience with diseases like HIV/Aids and TB, where it has already demonstrated its caring side, so employees expect the same for COVID-19.

“I believe that the fact that our infection rate has been lower than the national or even the provincial average, and that we have recently even experienced zero positives for several weeks in a row is testament to our effective strategy, policies and communication around this issue,” concludes Bessit.

For more information:

www.sibanyestillwater.com