By Neville Judd  Long hours, repetitive tasks and heavy machinery are the norm in mining: so, too, are fatigue and distraction. Tackling both is not just important, it’s essential for ensuring safety and productivity. Fatigue is a silent threat lurking in workplaces across the globe, contributing to at least 20% of all workplace incidents and costing employers $135 billion annually, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Given the complexities of mining underground, it’s certainly plausible that the risks posed by fatigue and distraction are even greater. As mines push deeper beneath the surface for deposits,…