JSC Khiagda completed Smart Helmets system implementation

One of the first projects in Russia to create smart personal protective and personnel positioning equipment was implemented. Smart Helmets — the staff positioning system that allows to remotely control observance of safety instructions at work and monitor the employee movement and condition during work. The project is an element of the Unified Digital Strategy of ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation and is being implemented jointly with the Information Technologies Department of ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rostelecom, PJSC and Softline. The Smart Helmets system commissioning certificate was signed by Andrey Gladyshev, Director General, Khiagda, JSC, and Andrey Zdarov, Director, Buryat Branch of Rostelecom. «This year, ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation joined the Vision Zero movement. The main goal of introducing ‘smart helmets’ at the enterprise is to increase the employee safety level. The first 150 helmets will be used by personnel working at hazardous production facilities,» said Andrey Gladyshev, Director General, Khiagda, JSC. Smart Helmets are an element of a unified digital platform for the life cycle of exploration and production of solid minerals. The Istochny deposit, which is being developed by Khiagda, JSC, has already introduced innovative intelligent technology for managing the uranium deposit development by in-situ leaching. The software complexes help the enterprise to reliably assess the mining and geological situation on developed sites of deposits, simulate development options, conduct accurate analysis of performed work, promptly make decisions in the analysis and forecast of deposit development, geological modeling and planning. Implementation of digitalization projects at the enterprise was made possible due to the optical communication line construction in the Bauntovsky-Evenki and Yeravninsky districts of Buryatia. In 2017, Rostelecom and Khiagda jointly financed the laying of fiber optic line with a length over 200 km.

«This is a large comprehensive project to create a modern telecommunications infrastructure in the northern districts of the republic. It allowed to provide high-speed Internet and interactive television to the uranium mining enterprise employees and Shiringa, Gunda, Isinga and Romanovka village residents. The optics design gave an impetus to the implementation of the Smart Helmets and other digitalization projects,» said Andrey Zdarov, Director, Buryat Branch of Rostelecom.

«For Rostelecom, the ‘smart helmet’ project was the starting point for creating a whole portfolio of industrial solutions that we pilot today across the country. The main tasks to be solved as part of industry projects are to increase labor productivity, automate business processes and ensure industrial safety. For example, we have developed a solution to make a ‘digital twin’ for an employee, which allows to control that they have a set of mandatory equipment and tools at their workplace. Also, Rostelecom is actively developing solutions related to accurate positioning and augmented reality,» said Danila Burmetyev, Director of Strategic Projects, Rostelecom.

According to the Softline representatives, in the future the enterprise demand for industrial Internet of Things technologies will only grow. «The technological solution that underlies this project will further expand the ‘smart helmet’ features, providing employees with additional sensors to monitor safety and expand the features to process units, collecting telemetry from them remotely and wirelessly,» said the Head of Smart Helmets project at Softline Nikolay Sudarikov.

A single monitoring center has been developed that processes all signals coming from the helmet in case of fall or shock, warns about dangerous ‘red zones’, and monitors the people location indoors and outdoors. Due to additional sensors, the dispatcher sees in the online mode whether the helmet is on, the worker is in a mobile or stationary state, and if help is needed. «We also hope that this development will allow us to minimize the facts of labor discipline violation, which means the increase in work efficiency. Due to the ‘smart helmets’ introduction, we will be able to optimize business processes,» added Anatoly Mikhailov, First Deputy Director General and Chief Engineer, Khiagda, JSC.

In order to maintain communication with ‘smart helmets’ at remote deposits, LoraWan base stations are installed. The possibility of using this equipment in the future to organize two-way communication with employees is being considered.