Preventing vehicle-related incidents is a critical part of Teck’s health & safety program. As part of this work, in 2019 Teck developed a Vehicle Safety Strategy (VSS) to improve control standards and adopt innovative technologies to improve performance.
The Vehicle Safety Strategy
According to the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), vehicle-related incidents are one of the main causes of occupational fatalities among its member companies . Hazards posed by vehicles are common across the industry, independent of the jurisdiction of operation or the commodity being produced. To address this widespread challenge, Teck has been working to enhance control standards for vehicles and contribute to the overall safety of our employees.
Adopting Innovative Technology for Vehicle Safety
Vehicle-related incidents result from factors related to the driver, vehicle, or road environment. Teck’s VSS team has been working on programs that consider all three factors. An important element to improving our strategy includes the assessment and adoption of technology, which reduces reliance on individual performance, including:
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Proximity Detection: An in-vehicle system that sends a warning signal when it detects a person or vehicle within its surroundings.
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In-Vehicle Monitoring System (IVMS): A device which records details such as the driver’s identity, time of operation, vehicle position, and rate of speeding or acceleration. This system captures data that allows us to better understand driving behaviors and develop key performance indicators for safety objectives and identify areas for improvements.
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Galileo Truck Allocation Optimizer: An application that uses machine learning and optimization to safely allocate trucks to routes on a mine site.
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Automated Haulage Systems (AHS): A fleet management system that automates haulage operations and reduces the risk of injuries.
Improving Our Safety Standards
Another key part of reducing vehicle-related injuries at work is improving our standards such as our critical controls and road environment guidelines. Critical controls provide clear definitions of requirements that are essential for managing practices or equipment which can lead to serious injuries or fatalities. In 2021, we completed major updates on our five vehicle critical control standards that will reduce the risk of vehicle related incidents. This includes revised standards for mobile equipment, light-duty vehicles, transportation, tire management, and IVMS.
Teck is also completing the Traffic Management Plan and Road Design Guidelines, which will improve the overall safety of the roads themselves.
Going forward, we continue to enhance our standards in combination with adopting technologies that will prevent serious injuries and fatalities.
We continue to monitor and evaluate our performance towards our goal of eliminating serious injuries and fatalities. Read more about our approach to Health and Safety
