Application of radio frequency identification systems to collision avoidance in metal/nonmetal mines

Collisions between haulage equipment and pedestrian workers or other vehicles claim an average of five lives each year in surface and underground metal/nonmetal mining operations. Many more workers are severely injured. Although technologies exist that could prevent these collisions, (radar, CCTV, and back-up alarms), they do have limitations and are not being used widely. New developments in radio frequency identification (RFID) systems show promise for reducing the number of collisions. This paper describes tests conducted on off-the-shelf RFID systems and the subsequent development of a custom RFID system that could be used for both surface and underground mining equipment.