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Simtars New Mining Safety & Research Strategy

13 March 2018

Simtars has launched its new five year research strategy to help improve safety and health outcomes for Queensland’s mining industry. 

Dr Gareth Kennedy, Director of Simtars’ Mine Safety Technology Research Centre said the research strategy focuses on four key areas including health, safety, emergency response and emergency preparedness.

“We’ve consulted with industry and other stakeholders to develop a strategy that will see more research focused around respirable dust, human-machine interactions, emergency preparedness, spontaneous combustion and explosion survivability.

“The new research strategy provides a consolidated and focused approach that better aligns to the current and future needs of industry.

Simtars is currently undertaking research and testing of proximity detection systems, spontaneous combustion characteristics, chemical exposure risks, mine fire inertisation, tyre inflation safety and a mine escape vehicle.

“We are collaborating with both industry and research based institutions to deliver technology and service improvements for better safety and health outcomes for the mining industry into the future,” said Dr Kennedy.

“For example, we are currently collaborating with CSIRO to develop a prototype mine machine radar navigation system and user interface. The system we are designing will be used in hazardous environments and can be retrofitted to existing mine vehicles.”

*This story was first published in the March 2018 edition of the Queensland Government Mining Journal.

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Last updated: 13 Mar 2018