By continuously capturing critical data, Nome’s automated monitoring system reduces fatigue risk underground.
The link between managing fatigue-related risks and automating operations can’t be ignored, particularly in underground mining, where tasks that once relied on constant human intervention are increasingly being performed remotely.
It isn’t a question of whether workers can do the job; rather, it’s about eliminating situations in which fatigue can influence judgment.
Strata monitoring is one such task, where repeated manual checks can be physically demanding and cognitively draining. By capturing continuous data without relying on routine inspections, Nome’s RockMonitor XR system helps to reduce some of those risks.
Harnessing its digitalisation and automation capabilities, the system provides real-time insights that cut down the need for frequent human inspections while enabling faster and accurate data-driven responses. Nome’s solution directly addresses one of the key issues in underground operations: fatigue-led errors in monitoring critical conditions.
Traditional monitoring has relied on periodic manual inspections and standalone instruments that only capture snapshots of rock movement. While these methods have long contributed to safety, they are inherently limited in detecting subtle trends or providing a continuous flow of information.
In contrast, RockMonitor XR captures strata displacement without interruption and triggers automated alerts, allowing risks to be mitigated before they escalate.
At the centre of this system are telltales – fail-safe devices that detect rock movement – installed directly into mine roofs. Each telltale uses two or four spring anchors set at varying strata depths, allowing measurement across multiple layers rather than at a single point.
The telltales provide two outputs simultaneously. A highly visible physical indicator allows underground personnel to confirm movement manually when required, while the same sub-millimetre data is captured digitally and transmitted in real-time to a central system. This dual approach is designed to ensure critical information is not compromised by fatigue or human error.
Data from each telltale is managed by an underground RockMonitor XR controller, with a single unit able to oversee up to 150 telltales across a 10km monitoring distance. Information is then transmitted to Nome’s CORE software platform, which logs all events, generates automated alarms when pre-set thresholds are exceeded, and provides detailed graphs and historical records.
The system is also designed to integrate seamlessly with a mine’s smart centre, allowing strata conditions to be viewed alongside other operational data, all from a single control room. This integration reduces the need for personnel to travel underground for routine checks, removing them from potentially hazardous areas and from repetitive, potentially fatigue-inducing tasks.
Continuous monitoring also provides clear operational benefits that come with reduced reliance on manual readings, allowing teams to focus on analysing trends and planning interventions rather than collecting repetitive measurements. This helps to improve production efficiency and overall reliability of ground control practices.
Nome in action
RockMonitor XR has delivered real-world results that kept mine workers safe.
Manual inspections at a Tier 1 underground mine had previously left safety teams vulnerable to missing early indicators of roof movement. But after installing RockMonitor XR, automated alerts began to be delivered directly to the surface control room.
This subsequently proved to be lifesaving. On one occasion, a warning prompted the evacuation of an area that later experienced a significant roof collapse, and the fact personnel were not present meant the risk of injury or fatality was avoided. This kind of example shows how vital continuous monitoring is in mitigating risk, influenced by fatigue or otherwise.
Workers remain responsible for interpreting data and making operational decisions, but the accuracy and timeliness of information no longer depend solely on alertness at a specific moment.
Fatigue may still be present, but its potential influence on critical decisions is reduced.
By delivering continuous, real-time data, the RockMonitor XR allows mines to move from reactive safety measures to proactive risk management. The system provides decision-makers with the information they need to act early and safely maintain stable underground operations, all while reducing dependence on tasks that are vulnerable to fatigue.
Nome – bolstered by its motto to save lives and revolutionise industries – ultimately demonstrates that automation and fatigue management are not separate priorities. When applied together, they help to create safer, more predictable mining environments.
This feature appeared in the March-April edition of Safe to Work.