Risk Assessment and Regulatory Compliance of the world’s first fuelcell-powered mining Equipment
Doug Eastick, Chris Graves, David Sprott, Marc Betournay, Gaetan Desrivieres, Pierre Laliberte,
The implementation of new technology in underground environments can pose new challenges in risks and hazards to the safety of mining personnel as well as affect the success of implementation. The approach used to manage these challenges must be appropriate and thorough.
Existing regulations and standards for underground mines do not usually specify requirements for these types new equipment. In these cases significant effort must be undertaken with respect to hazard identification, risk assessments, reviewing pertinent legislative requirements, available industry standards and codes, and ensuring good engineering practice. These investigations, reviews, and consultations include input from a wide range of people in fields including research and development, manufacturing, mining operations, regulatory bodies, and engineering consulting. Through this multi-discipline approach all aspects of design, safety and operations of the equipment can be addressed or developed.
This paper will outline the approach used to address these new challenges and ensure a successful implementation.
