The first recorded incident by the artificial intelligence system at Nornickel has demonstrated the effectiveness of automated safety control.
A landmark event occurred in the finished product section of the nickel electrolysis shop at Kola MMC — an artificial intelligence system recorded an industrial safety rule violation for the first time. This is not just a technical success, but proof that investments in safety digitalization yield real results.
Technical Solution
The AI-based system has been operating on the automated nickel cutting line for several months. It is based on 9 video cameras and a neural network that recognizes people in the frame with high accuracy.
The main task of the system is to detect workers entering a specific zone without disabling the blocking systems. It logs the incident in a journal, plays an audio alert and does not turn it off until the worker leaves the zone, and sends notifications to managers via email and to responsible persons via the corporate messenger "Supernika".
The Recorded Violation
According to the rules, before entering the fenced hazardous zone of the nickel cutting line, the equipment must be turned off to prevent electrical, mechanical, and any other types of injury. For this purpose, a special control panel and a traffic light are installed in the gate area: a red light means the blocking system is engaged, the equipment is stopped, and entry is allowed; a green light means entry is prohibited, and the line is in operation.
The system recorded a violation: a finished product cleaner failed to turn off the equipment and entered the zone of the automatic nickel cutting line while it was operating.
While performing his duties, the worker climbed over the protective fencing, although he should have passed through the gate and thereby turned off the line (by engaging the lockout) to ensure everything was safe.
The artificial intelligence immediately recorded the violation and transmitted information that a person was in the hazardous zone. This factor falls under clause 4 of the "Cardinal Safety Rules", which states: "Workers are prohibited from repairing and maintaining operating equipment without disconnecting it from utilities and installing a lockout of energy sources."
Why This Matters
Most likely, the employee was in a hurry and wanted to save a couple of minutes. As a result, he risked his health and life. But now the company has a tool that prevents such violations from going unnoticed.
All conditions have been created here to ensure employees do not violate industrial safety rules. While previously only video cameras were installed, they are now complemented by artificial intelligence, which records all violations and immediately transmits the information to the responsible persons.
Practical Results
This case demonstrates several important aspects:
Future Prospects
The successful implementation of the system at Kola MMC opens up opportunities for scaling the technology to other Nornickel facilities. As part of the safety digitalization program, there are plans to introduce similar solutions at all of the company's enterprises.
This case shows that investments in safety digitalization are not just spending money on trendy technologies, but a real tool for improving occupational safety that is already working and saving lives.
Takeaways for HSE Professionals
The first recorded incident is just the beginning. The system will be improved, and its capabilities will expand. The main thing is that it is already working and making production safer.