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Contenido archivado el 2022-11-21

Man detection system

Objetivo

The aim of this project is to evaluate the methods of man detection and develop and rigorously test a commercially viable system. Such a system would nominally meet the following conditions:

i) be intrinsically safe;
ii) be of 'fail-safe' design, or as a minimum, to provide frequent functional testing and have a well-defined failure behaviour;
iii) provide high probability of detection and be incapable of spurious operation by persons outside the prescribed interrogation zone;
iv) be essentially independent of orientation of any device carried and position of the subject;
v) offer high resistance to accidental or faxible removal from the wearer;
vi) be economically viable, rugged and capable of operation for long periods without maintenance;
vii) nominally should not require electrical connections to, or extensive modification, to the cap lamp batteries.
Methods of man detection have been extensively appraised in this research project. It is concluded that the direct detection of intrinsic human body or workwear attributes cannot be accomplished with adequate integrity. The development of any direct detection system would involve considerable technical risk.

Research resources have been essentially directed at the selection and development of a transponder based system, engineered to the highest safety standards. At the present time transponder or 'tag' detection remains the optimum method for high integrity man detection and access control.

A system has been developed which fully meets personnel safety requirements and offers useful secondary features including identity coding. Industry-wide application is anticipated. Trials are ongoing at Littleton and Welbeck Collieries.
There are always hazardous areas underground where inadvertent entry must be prevented, for example, conveyor access to in-line bunkers and lumpbreakers. Whilst strenuous efforts have been made to enhance conventional fencing and protection systems a number of recent accidents indicate that further measures are essential. The increased use of in-line bunkers reinforces this requirement. The traditional methods to protect against men riding past alighting platforms or inadvertently entering crusher breakers involve physically operated pullwire or limit switches. Inevitably the individual concerned has to be capable of carrying out a physical action. A man detection system is required that can operate without physical intervention. Transponder type systems have been evaluated but are deficient in meeting the degree of failure to safety required and the interrogation zone behaviour is at present not adequately characterised.

Convocatoria de propuestas

Data not available

Régimen de financiación

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Coordinador

British Coal plc
Aportación de la UE
Sin datos
Dirección
Eastwood Hall
NG16 3EB Eastwood
Reino Unido

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Coste total
Sin datos