Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works : MMK USES AI TO ENHANCE EMPLOYEE SAFETY MANAGEMENT

Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) has implemented a system to prevent personnel from being in hazardous areas in its coke plant. The solution uses machine vision technology to monitor personnel movements in the plant, thereby making it possible to improve safety and reduce the risk of occupational injury.

Specialists from the coke plant and from MMK's Occupational Health and Safety Directorate identified locations where employees may face a workplace hazard. In particular, special sensors were installed on coke machines to determine an employee's distance from the operating equipment. When employees are near to a coke machine, a vibration signal is sent to the radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag given to the employee at the beginning of the shift. At the same time, light and sound alarms are activated on the coke machine and its mechanisms are blocked. Personal RFID tags (transponders) applied to the helmet are used for easy identification of the employee.

"MMK attaches great importance to occupational health and safety measures. The use of new technologies will help to reduce the risk of accidents and dangerous actions on the part of employees, thereby protecting their lives and health," said Oleg Parfilov, Director for Occupational Health, Industrial Safety and the Environment at MMK.

The automated system for preventing personnel from being in hazardous areas is based on the Digital Worker software platform, which integrates global and local positioning systems, data processing from wearable devices, video surveillance and video analytics. The platform processes data from hundreds of devices and systems simultaneously and visualises the information through a 3D digital twin of an industrial object. The system is also able to analyse data to identify threats and injury risks.

Within the year, MMK plans to introduce a similar system for preventing personnel from being in hazardous areas at its blast furnace shop. The Company will subsequently implement the project in its oxygen-converter and electric steelmaking shops.