Becoming The First Company To Implement AI, Berau Coal Successfully Reduces The Risk Of Work Accidents

Mining illustration (Photo: dock. Antara)

BERAU - PT Berau Coal implemented the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its mining activities. The management of PT Berau Coal said this was intended to reduce the risk rate of work accidents that occurred in the coal mining area.

One of the AI technologies used is Mining Eyes Analytics (MEA) which is designed with the aim of implementing remote direct surveillance to minimize physical contact between workers and the dangers that exist in the pit area.

Deputy Head of Berau Mining Engineering Coal Arintoko Saputro said Mining Eyes is a sophisticated surveillance system that utilizes a centralized network of video cameras connected to monitor and record activities in it comprehensively in mining areas.

"The Mining Eyes system monitors various activities, including workers operating outside the cabin, maintaining a safe distance between units, truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, and other personnel," he said when met in the Block 7 Site Binungan Mine Operation 2 area, Wednesday 6 December.

Arintoko explained, by implementing the Mining Eyes system in mining, monitoring and control operations as a whole, it can be carried out significantly, increasing safety measures and ensuring strict compliance with safety protocols.

Met in the same aRREAR, the Health and Environment (SHE) Section Head of PT Pamapersada Nusantara, a working partner of PT Berau Coal, Zanuar, said that MEA has been used since October 2023 and still needs human energy to verify MEA findings in sites such as puddles that are considered units of heavy equipment and coal catchers, mini towers that are considered human.

"So there is intervention or verification from the control room. When it is right, it will intervene directly. MEA is also installed in all sites," he said.

With the MEA, he said, it can reduce the number of supervisors in the field and take advantage of long-distance communication tools.

Meanwhile, the Corporate Communication Superintendent Berau Coal, Rudini Rahim explained, PT Berau Coal is a coal mining company that has a lot of innovations with the use of technology and digitization in mining operations as a sustainable improvement effort to realize smart mining.

"Continuous innovations and improvements continue to be encouraged to produce productive, efficient, safe and green operations so that they can realize sustainable mining," said Rudini.

Rudi added that the use of AI that can monitor and report the movement of humans and heavy equipment units in mines results in more productive and safer operations due to the lack of potential hazards to human interaction directly with heavy equipment operating or in areas with high risk.