Epiroc Expands Live Work Elimination Products to Boost Mining Safety

Epiroc has set long-term 2030 sustainability targets within the areas of people and planet, in line with the Paris Agreement and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The target under “People – Health and Safety” is to have no work-related injuries.

To contribute to this, Epiroc has established a “Live Work Elimination” program, which is wider than the product offering.

“The goal of our LWE program is to make sure that when people work on our equipment, they are not exposed to any energy that would put them in harm’s way and cause injury.

Our product portfolio is part of this, but it’s also about change management and reinforcing the safety culture in our industry,” says Lori-Anne Fleming, Epiroc Live Work Elimination Program Manager.

There are 3 key perspectives in the Live Work Elimination product portfolio. TheThe first is to prolong the product life and reduce the frequency of risk exposure, which means less chance of encountering hazards.

The second is remote diagnostic tools that reduce the potential for injury. Thirdly, the constantly evolving technology offers new opportunities to remotely complete tasks that otherwise could expose people to potentially harmful energy. This is where automated solutions are key as are new developments in equipment design.

A product portfolio that contributes to safe productivity

Epiroc has throughout the years released a variety of products that enhance safety while ensuring productivity.

The earlier released Hydraulic Operated Bit Basket System (HOBBS) for the Pit Viper 270 series is a notable example of technology that removes people from being in harm’s way.

“The solution takes away the need of having an operator working under a suspended load, a rotary head, while changing a drill bit on the deck,” says Kajol Singh, Global Product Manager – Live Work Elimination, “We are constantly developing new products and tools to ensure safety by combining innovative technology with our culture of safety and continuous improvement. Based on this, we have now launched HOBBS for DML machines.”

The latest additions to the LWE portfolio are the Boom isolation kit and the Spool valve guard kit. They are both retrofit kits that can upgrade the corresponding machines for safer operations.

The Boom isolation kit for Direct Control System (DCS) rigs isolates feed, boom, and rock drill functions without impacting operational cycle time.

A machine can continue to run on electrical or diesel engine mode while all boom functions are isolated. “The solution makes it safer for an operator to enter the drilling area for maintenance work,” says Singh.

The Spool valve guard kit is developed for blast hole drill rigs. The kit helps to lock out the 2, 7, 8, and 11 spool valve manual actuation points and reduces risk exposure for personnel working on the machine.

Singh adds, “By leveraging automation, remote operation, and other advanced technologies, we are enabling safer operations in mining and construction.”