Light vehicle rollovers and collisions with heavy vehicles are two of our most significant safety risks at BHP Billiton.

During a 24-hour period, an average of 400 light to medium vehicles enter Goonyella Riverside Coal Mine in Queensland, Australia. Each of these vehicles has the potential to interact with 69 off-road mining trucks.

To reduce the risk of light vehicle roll-overs and interactions with heavy vehicles on site, the team implemented the Driving Road Safety Program. Three key elements to the Program involved firstly, separating light and heavy vehicles, secondly moving to five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Program light vehicles and thirdly introducing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Since the project was completed, there have been no roll-over events recorded. The program has decreased the number of roads shared by heavy and light vehicles, and therefore the potential for collisions, by 49 per cent and reduced the number of four-way intersections from 17 to two.

The UAVs provide timely and accurate data for monitoring of road construction and conditions and environmental hazards, and reduce the potential for pit interaction between people and vehicles.