Mining operations are some of the most hazardous in the world. With hundreds, if not thousands of employees and contractors on site at any one-time, heavy machinery, and an unrelenting natural environment, solutions that ensure the protection and safety of people and assets are critical.
In the mining industry where safety is paramount, traditional access control solutions often fall short. They might restrict unauthorized access but what about ensuring the right people are in the right place and equipped and prepared for all the hazards they’ll encounter.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of effective workforce management in the mining industry and how access control systems can streamline workforce management and enhance safety and security.
Challenges faced by the mining industry in workforce management
The mining industry faces a unique set of challenges when it comes to effective workforce management. According to McKinsey, the ‘financial carrot’ of remuneration is wearing thin and recent public failures of the industry relating to safety, as well as other factors, have adversely affected the mining sector’s ability to attract talent.
Mining operations also require a wide range of skilled professionals, from geologists and engineers to heavy equipment operators and maintenance technicians. Ensuring that the workforce has the necessary skills, training, and certifications can be a complex and ongoing process, particularly in an industry that is constantly evolving and adapting to new technologies and regulations.
The mining industry faces the challenge of managing a diverse and often transient workforce. Many mining companies rely on a mix of full-time employees, contractors, and temporary workers to meet their staffing needs. Coordinating and managing this diverse workforce can be a significant challenge.
Benefits of effective workforce management in mining
Implementing workforce management tools such as an access control solution not only supports mining sites to improve safety and security but also recruit and retain talent, monitor training requirements, and automate workforce management tasks.
One of the primary advantages of effective workforce management is improved safety and security. Mining operations are inherently hazardous. That is why it is critical to reduce the risks faced by mine workers and protect their safety. Access control workforce management solutions can improve safety by ensuring miners are properly trained, equipped for their tasks, and compliant with fatigue policies before entering the site.
Government regulations can be strict and vary significantly worldwide. Workforce management solutions can also help mines comply with various government regulations and licensing requirements for different roles and locations. By ensuring only qualified personnel can access the right areas, mines can adhere to competency, insurance, and legislative requirements.
Another key benefit of effective workforce management in the mining industry is increased efficiency. Mining site operations operate around the clock and have large and complex dispersed workforces. Effective workforce management solutions can automate processes such as onboarding, offboarding, access changes, and competency management of their workforce, streamlining operations and reducing the administrative burden on managers. This, in turn, allows for more effective utilization of resources, reduced downtime, and improved overall productivity.
At a time when financial incentives no longer suffice to attract and retain skilled workers, workforce management solutions can also support mining companies to attract and retain a skilled workforce. Safety, security, and continuous development are crucial to the emerging workforce. Training and talent development are often overlooked until a crisis occurs. Workforce management solutions can identify training needs and ensure compliance with health and safety standards. Implementing these solutions, demonstrates a company’s commitment to these principles.
Using your access control solution for workforce management in mining
To address the unique challenges of workforce management in the mining industry, many companies are turning to advanced access control solutions to streamline workforce management and enhance safety and security across mining operations.
One of the key aspects of site safety is to ensure that authorized and qualified personnel can access the right areas at the right time. Gallagher’s Competency Module enables workforce managers to verify a person’s suitability for access at the door, based on their training, certification, and fitness for work. If a certification is due for renewal, it can notify the person of the pending expiry and actions necessary to renew training.
Gallagher’s access control solutions also allow for random and mobile verification of cardholders’ details, to prevent unauthorized access to restricted areas. The Mobile Cardholder Challenge offers an additional layer of protection, allowing security personnel to badge a cardholder’s card against a mobile device to check if they are the legitimate owner and if they should have access to a specific area on site.
For high-security or exceptionally dangerous areas, Enhanced Dual Authorisation adds another layer of protection, requiring a cardholder to provide a second form of identification, such as a fingertip scan, before granting access.
Furthermore, Dynamic Exit Zoning simplifies the process of tracking cardholders’ locations, by associating them with the vehicle they are travelling in, without the need to badge at each gate. This reduces the risk of cardholders having to exit vehicles in dangerous locations.
As mining sites are particularly hazardous environments, accounting for staff, at all times, particularly in the event of an evacuation, is critical. In the event of a drill or emergency, Mobile Evacuation allows you to optimise personnel flow and safety on-site, while the Access Reader feature allows operators to ‘move’ a cardholder into a zone from their mobile. Used at muster points, it allows for the movement of people out of a building allowing employers to generate accurate evacuation reports.
Fatigue is a significant risk to workers at an organization that operates 24/7, particularly to those who work night shifts or are working in dangerous environments. An access control system can help sites quickly locate workers for risk assessments and potential change of personnel on shift. Gallagher’s Regulated Zones feature enables operators to manage the risks associated with workplace fatigue and over exposure, while also ensuring their workforce is performing at optimum, reducing unnecessary downtime or potential accidents by identifying individuals who may be at risk of fatigue or over exposure.
Gallagher’s Alcolizer integration ensures operators can mitigate the risks associated with employees working under the influence of alcohol, detect breath alcohol levels and prevent access to equipment or areas, as necessary. Further integration with the Random Selection feature means you can automatically select employees at random to conduct alcohol breath testing, providing a broad and fair platform of testing.
As mining companies continue to navigate the unique challenges of the industry, effective workforce management will become increasingly critical for success. By harnessing the power of access solutions like Gallagher Security’s workforce safety and management solutions, companies in the mining industry can ensure the safety and security of their site, assets, and people, while reaping the benefits of a skilled workforce, attracting talent, and adhering to regulatory requirements.