From truck driver to systems engineer: transforming the human contribution

Driverless haul trucks represent a significant transformation for the mine site workers in the Western Australian (WA) Mining Industry. Research within the industry is yet to explore the experiences of frontline workers transitioning to driverless truck operations. The study aimed to investigate the role transformation of mineworkers, their residual workloads and local adaptions when working with automated systems. A sample of 25 employees, from a WA mine site, were interviewed face-to-face on the research site using a mixture of open and close-ended questions. A comprehensive understanding of the risk perspectives was developed through a convergent parallel design. Multiple cases were analysed thematically through cross-case displays, utilising complex reasoning to accommodate the emerging themes. Participants reported the introduction of new roles, while conventional roles were redefined. The residual work included building virtual mine models, clearing detected objects and calling trucks into the loading area. Although truck driving drastically reduced, new technology and computer-based skills developed. The results confirm that haul truck automation transforms mining roles, with residual tasks that require local adaptions to overcome non-designed situations.