Ergonomics of mining machinery and transport in the South African mining industry.

Abstract

As a practice, ergonomics applies human-system interface technology to the analysis, design, standardisation and control of systems to improve safety, health, comfort and productivity. A major goal of ergonomics is to minimize design-induced human error. Local and international safety statistics indicate that ergonomic factors underlie many of the accidents occurring in mines, and could impact negatively on the effective and efficient operation of mining machinery and transport systems. Against this background, a study was conducted to assess the ergonomics of a number of mining machines and transport systems to identify the ergonomics-related hazards that could impact on the operators’ ability to work safely and efficiently.