Diversity in Industry: Mining From the Other Side of the World

Last week was all about diversity in the workplace, this week we are all about diversity in industry! SmartWorking methods are no longer sector specific, instead they’re opening endless opportunities across industries.

Hot Off the Press:

This week, a mining operator based in Australia sat down at a control station and began remotely operating mining equipment in the city of Sudbury in Ontario, Canada, according to Verdict‘s latest reports. It was a memorable moment which exhibited the infinite possibilities of remote working within the industrial sector. Apart from admiring the technological advances enabling such work, it’s like something from a futuristic movie! And pretty cool at that.  A distance totalling 17,864km stood between the operator and the mine.

Overcoming the Lag Problem

As remarkable as these developments are, there are challenges to overcome.  To enable SmartWorking in industry, technologies need to be constantly up to date to respond to user input. The user must see the technology they are operating with no delay – even a sub-second lag could result in reacting at the wrong time.

The more data being streamed at any given time, the more of a potential problem lag can be. This creates a potentially significant issue for mining operations, which involve a live video feed with high quality resolution across huge distances.  The longer the distance between the operator and the equipment, the greater the chances of lag.

As a result, getting little to no lag between Canada and Australia is an outstanding achievement. It requires patience, perseverance and the drive to transform industrial working to ensure it can become part of the SmartWorking Evolution alongside other sectors.

The Practicalities

While mining companies have focused more on creating a pleasant living environment for their employees in recent years, onsite living is not for everybody. One of the most obvious drawbacks of working in this industry, apart from the physical strain, is living away from one’s family and friends. Hours working in mines can be hard and it’s not uncommon to work seven days a week for twelve hours a day. Because mines are often located in remote areas, the weather conditions can be extreme. And depending on where you are based, you could be subjected to working in below zero temperatures or in the heat and dust. There ought to be a way to complete industrial work without having to compromise your personal life, health and well-being, right?

The Successes

While many office-based roles can now be performed by SmartWorking in a hybrid, flexible or remote role, this practice remains in its infancy. But not for long!

There is huge potential for this technology as well as time and cost savings. Companies using industrial SmartWorking methods need not worry about time lost to safety precautions, such as regular checks and putting on equipment. Similarly, the time-consuming commute in reaching the area being mined is instantly reduced. Safety and job opportunities are improved for industrial workers and mining experts will no longer need to move to areas with jobs available. Instead they’ll be able to log on from wherever they have a mining control station.

The salaries offered in these exciting industries are second to none. So why not further transform the industry sector to improve workers’ work-life harmony?

If this isn’t empowering news on a weekday morning, I’m not quite sure what is!  The possibilities for the Future of Work are endless.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

 If you’d like to know more about the SmartWorking Evolution, click on the link here