Today we observe World Sleep Day, an annual event which celebrates the benefits of good and healthy sleep to draw society’s attention to the burden of sleep problems and their medical, educational and social aspects, and to promote the prevention and management of sleep disorders.

Fatigue increases the risk of injuries and other accidents, more so in industrial sectors such as mining. Worldwide innovators and leader in safe mining practises, Anglo American, and its subsidiary, Kumba Iron Ore have invested in a fatigue centre at Kumba’s Kolomela mine.

The fatigue centre has technology and resources to predict, monitor and manage fatigue in the workplace.

Kolomela Mine is an open pit mine and haul truck drivers are at particular risk of fatigue. Essentially, they drive very large trucks around in circles repeatedly, very slowly, for long periods of time without any variation in scenery or distraction.

Driver fatigue is inevitable, and is, in fact, implicated in around 69% of mining accidents involving haul trucks. With the adopted mission statement of becoming one of the safest mines in the world, Kolomela has invested in fatigue management technology, as one of it’s measures.

The system, called Predictive Risk Intelligence Safety Module (PRISM), links human fatigue risk prediction software and validated alertness technology to reduce schedule-specific risk.

Attached is an infographic on the stats on how the centre and its PRISM systems have aided the mine in managing fatigue-related risks.