A PC based ergonomic analysis software package for underground mining equipment

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:525973

Unger, R L ^[1]

---

1. Pittsburgh Research Center, PA (United States)

Restricted fields of vision are a common problem with underground mining equipment. Also, when designers provide lighting systems underground, they often position them where they cause excessive glare. This restricts the visibility around the machines even further. To help address these problems, the U.S. Bureau of Mines has developed the Crewstation Analysis Programs (CAP), a DOS package of computer programs with a graphic user interface to help in analyzing selected human engineering aspects of underground mobile mining machine design. The Bureau created CAP as part of the Health and Safety Technology program at the Pittsburgh Research Center, Pittsburgh, PA. The idea behind CAP is that the user builds a virtual environment containing objects typically found in an underground mine. The user can then do different types of analyses within this environment. CAP currently contains two analysis programs: the STE Illumination model and the VAL Visibility model. The CAP STE Illumination model provides mining equipment manufacturers, mine operators, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, and the Bureau with a computerized method for evaluating mine illumination systems. Designers can make modifications to lighting designs without using the time-consuming method of building physical mockups and taking light readings manually. The VAL Visibility model can assess visibility from the operator`s compartment for three classes of mining machinery: shuttle cars, scoops, and continuous miners. This analysis program is based on research that determined the visual requirements associated with the operation of these types of equipment. In the future, the Bureau may enhance CAP with additional capabilities. Work is already underway to automatically generate the path network composed of the mine entries and crosscuts derived from a scanned mine map. This will allow computerized timing studies to be done, such as the time needed for personnel to escape from a mine section.

• OSTI ID: 525973
• Report Number(s): CONF-960664--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
C CODES
HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING
LIGHTING SYSTEMS
MACHINERY
MINING EQUIPMENT
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
UNDERGROUND MINING
VISIBILITY