BHP - Driving safety forward

What is vehicular energy?

From patterns to prevention: The control identification and development process

This model outlines how BHP is building global Control Frameworks, moving from understanding the hazard, to identifying controls, and finally embedding those controls within a mature, proactive system.

Damaging energy provided by powered and rolling movement of a whole vehicle or machine on wheels, tracks or rollers (light vehicles, underground and surface heavy mobile equipment, travelling cranes etc.). This includes mobile equipment moving in “vehicle mode”. It excludes slewing of booms or other slewing or luffing motions.

Applying the framework: Controlling vehicular energy

When we talk about vehicular energy in this Control Framework, we’re referring to a broad range of vehicle types, not just haul trucks or site vehicles. For the purposes of this Control Framework, vehicles include:

Passenger vehicles

Highway goods vehicles

Non-heavy mobile equipment

Heavy mobile equipment

Trailers

Control Framework Defined and targeted controls to prevent, or reduce the chance of, an incident sequence progressing to a fatality.

“ This is about more than ticking a box—it’s about putting controls in place that actually work.”

“ Understanding the range of vehicle types involved is essential for identifying the right controls. Each category carries different risks, and the framework helps us match controls to those risks effectively.”

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