| Summary: | Automated mobile machines are no longer stand-alone manual machines but are parts of the automated production system. Distributed control systems, field buses, and communication networks are coming strongly to machine automation applications, as well. In some cases, unmanned machines are moving and working autonomously equipped with the latest navigation and control technologies. These changes and development trends set the machine manufacturers and system designers difficult challenges in terms of safety issues. This paper presents a risk assessment procedure for the entire production system, and analysis tools for use at system level and machine level. The case study is a large-scale machine automation application in the LKAB Kiruna mine in Sweden. A new way of combining system level and machine level analyses raises safety related issues for the planning and management of work, for co-operation inside the company, and for co-operation with subcontractors. Results made it clear to all partners that safety aspects must be understood to be an essential part of systems engineering.
|
|---|