Divisional Brief
Adam Cook
Executive General Manager
We are delighted to share that yesterday we presented both the EC and M&IS Teamwork Batons to the teams involved in the successful launch and installation of the Driver Fatigue and Distraction Monitoring (DFDM) system across our sites. This is highly deserved recognition for the extensive collaboration between our HSE, Procurement, Innovation, Assets and on-site leadership teams over the past year.
You would have read in the recent Managing Director’s brief that we have successfully installed Mix4000 systems in our light vehicles, trucks, buses, and articulated cranes. Following a comprehensive process of identifying, assessing, and conducting field trials to identify the most suitable technology, Mix4000 was selected based on its performance and reliability. Using AI-enabled technology, the system monitors eye movements and detects micro-sleeps, alerting the driver with both seat vibrations and sound.
DFDM launch and installation
The DFDM rollout is an important step forward in our fatal risk control program, using technology to manage the risk of vehicle-related incidents and supporting our continuous focus on delivering safely.
The installation of the system in a total of 709 vehicles – including 37 buses, 78 cranes, 527 light vehicles and 67 trucks – across 72 diverse locations is no small feat. Reaching this important milestone has certainly not been without its challenges, and is the result of significant teamwork and coordination between all the different teams involved.
The rollout of the system is part of our Group strategy and our fatal risk control program, driven by our Group HSE team, with our divisional HSE teams coordinating implementation with our M&IS and EC sites. The Group Assets team was instrumental in arranging vehicles for installation, liaising with the vendors and working with the Procurement team, who identified and onboarded the key supplier. The Innovation team provided crucial project management support, keeping the process on track.
None of this would have been possible without the flexibility of our on-site teams, who ensured we were able to keep to our schedule while managing operational requirements.
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to all the individuals who contributed to this enormous effort for your commitment to making our workplaces safer.
Next steps
With the system now in place, it’s been encouraging to see the results already, including an average of one fatigue-related event being intercepted each week – approximately one event per 22,949 kilometres across the business. We are also seeing that most of these events are occurring in the morning, rather than after shifts. This is a great example of AI technology being applied across the business to support our safety objectives as well as continuous learning and improvement.
It’s important to remember that this does not replace driver attention and vigilance, but is designed to work hand-in-hand to detect fatigue and prevent incidents from occurring.
As Zoran mentioned, our teams are now focusing on enhancing our reporting so that we can continue to identify trends and improve safety outcomes. This next phase involves learning and responding, identifying and resolving any issues, and leveraging the value of the system. This is an exciting step forward in embracing AI technology to create safer workplaces and support our goal of zero harm, but the effectiveness of technology is dependent on how we engage with it and apply learnings so that we continue to improve.
Ultimately, there is nothing more important to us than ensuring you and your teammates go home safely every day, and we firmly believe that this comes down to all of us.
Thank you to everyone involved in the successful installation. You are all very worthy winners of the EC and M&IS Teamwork Batons.
Regards,
Adam