Modernizing Control of Work for Safer, More Productive Mining

Challenges

The organization wanted to modernize its Control of Work processes while reducing operational risk and improving workforce productivity.

Key challenges included:

• Manual, paper-based permit creation that required significant administrative effort and slowed work execution.
• Disconnected permit, isolation and risk management processes that increased the potential for errors.
• Limited visibility of planned and simultaneous high-risk work, making it more difficult to identify conflicts before work commenced.
• Inconsistent processes across sites, resulting in variable work execution and governance.

Solution

Sphera implemented a digital Control of Work solution that digitized permit to work and isolation management.

The solution enabled the organization to:

• Digitize and standardize permit to work processes.
• Implement a digital permit system encompassing permits, isolations and risk assessments within a single record.
• Improve operational safety through hard controls built into the system.
• Increase visibility of upcoming high-risk work activities.
• Provide a scalable solution that can be configured and maintained to support changing operational requirements.

Results

The Control of Work solution strengthened operational safety while streamlining work execution and increasing productivity.

Strengthened operational safety

Built-in controls reinforced operational discipline and minimized work management risks associated with isolation management.

Increased productivity

Standardized digital processes reduced administrative effort, streamlined permit workflows and enabled faster planning, approval and execution of work.

Enterprise-wide visibility of high-risk work

By connecting employees, contractors, and maintenance crews through an online/offline mobile application, the organization gained real-time visibility into high-risk work activities. This enabled area controllers to identify overlapping high-risk work, coordinate activities more effectively, and strengthen safety oversight across operations.

Reduced manual effort

Standardized digital permit processes simplified manual work for permit authorisers, allowing them to focus on higher-value operational activities.

Scalable digital solution

A configurable, out of the box solution provides a scalable platform that can be maintained and updated to support evolving operational needs.