Improving hoist safety and productivity: an expert system prototype

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 85, No. 960, 1992

Denis Lessard and Roger Demers, Centre de recherches miner ales, Quebec, Quebec, and Noel R. Billette, Mining Research Laboratories, CANMET, Ottawa, Ontario

The Quebec Mining Association has for many years been supportive of the activities of the Centre de recherches mmerales which were initiated to ensure regular production hoist and cable inspections to maintain safety and productivity standards in underground mines in Quebec. CRMand CANMET have agreed to fund a Quebec Mineral Development Agreement contract to capture this accumulated knowledge. Using VP-EXPERT to process the information and subdirectories to store regulations, the prototype access D-BASE III records on hoist information and LOTUS 123 for simulating working conditions that meet local regulations and expert rules of thumb criteria. Objectives are to improve safety in emergency operating procedures, maximize hoist productivity and safety, and promote knowledge transfer to operators.

Mots Clés: Underground mining, Computer applications, Hoist expert system, Expert system, Safety, Production.