Chad Warnken (training coordinator) providing training on the haul truck simulator.
Learning to drive the average family-sized vehicle can take months. Take that challenge and scale it up to operating large industrial equipment such as a 200-tonne haul truck that is 14 metres long, 9 metres wide and 7 metres tall, and suddenly, overcoming mental obstacles takes on new meaning.
That’s exactly where our training team at our Haile Gold Mine in South Carolina, USA excels. Using a virtual reality simulator from Immersive Technologies, our team made up of David, Chad, JR and Dean teaches our haul truck operators to drive smart and keep safety top of mind. Through their calm encouragement and sound advice, operators are taught to be more productive, extra careful with equipment, and how to handle emergencies.
Leveraging virtual reality for the most impact
JR Damron (Crew Trainer), Derek Hurley (Training Coordinator), and Chad Warnken (Training Coordinator) outside of the Immersive Technologies simulator.
Using the simulator’s software to benchmark performance, our training team has seen how quickly operators learn to perform critical tasks safely and effectively.
“It’s hard to get people with the right experience and we get people from all walks of life who might not have ever seen a mining truck. The simulator is key in getting them past their initial fear and enabling operators to practice and improve their skills at their own pace,” he said.
Training is mandatory for all new joiners, and it is also offered to seasoned operators to encourage consistent driving techniques among the team. The simulator provides training on operating haul trucks (both surface and underground), shovels, and loaders.
“Going forward, we will be adding a drill simulator and a virtual reality headset to Haile’s training curriculum,” he said.
Tailoring a solution to make confident, efficient operators
Immersive Technologies’ simulator provides training on driving Komatsu 730 haul trucks.
While simulators are widely used as a training tool in the mining industry, our training team saw an opportunity to make this tool even better. They took the out-of-the-box solution and adapted the software to create a customized training curriculum that was reflective of OceanaGold’s environment and needs.
“We customized the simulator to provide practical experience and address driving habits that we saw out in the field that led to unnecessary maintenance of our equipment. The simulator has showed our operators how to improve and helped us keep equipment on the road,” Chad said.
The simulator has been in use for over two years at Haile and has undergone several changes since its initial release, including creating several new simulations to meet the changing conditions in the mining area.
One example of reducing equipment downtime, identified by the use of the simulator, is aggressive braking. This led to a focus on changing this habit, and as a result, brought down maintenance costs and downtime. It has also lowered haul cycle times by improving spotting techniques at load units and dumping locations.
“What’s also great about the simulator is that operators can practice specific maneuvers and prepare for real life situations in a safe space,” said Chad. “It helps build muscle memory as trucks behave differently on the road and require special attention and skill set. We teach operators to be aware of the unique characteristics of each truck, such as how to navigate steep roads, tight spaces, or gradual braking.”
