BHP - Driving safety forward

Incident timeline: Pre-event, stable, metastable, unstable, damage, post-event

“ You can’t control what you don’t anticipate. Effective safety relies on understanding how and when to act across the full timeline.”

Every vehicle incident unfolds over time and each stage offers different opportunities for intervention. By breaking incidents into distinct phases, we can apply the right controls at the right moments to either prevent the incident or reduce its impact. The phases of an incident

Example Operator attends shift pre-start and undertakes pre-shift plans and handover.

Operator prepares new drill pad over several hours, with multiple ripping passes, at various angles but away from open edge.

While reversing, tracks start to move over open edge, unknown to operator.

Dozer moves past tipping point and falls over edge.

Dozer strikes lower level and operator impacts inside of cab.

Operator contacts emergency services and is medically treated.

Pre-event

Stable

Metastable

Unstable

Damage

Post-event

Everything that happens before an incident occurs. This phase may span from months to moments before the event.

Incident has commenced. Situation normal.

Situation is moving out of control but is recoverable.

Situation is out of control and not recoverable.

Damaging energy exchange is occurring.

What happens after the incident, when the damaging energy has already been released.

You’ve now seen how an incident can unfold across each phase of the timeline.

Select each phase in the timeline above to see examples of effective controls for vehicle incidents.

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