By Josh Savit, Principal Safety Advisor, Hexagon
My story in mining safety started long before I wore a hard hat. My dad was a mining safety expert and my grandfather was a geophysicist. I call myself a third-generation dirt person. Growing up, I listened to their stories about long shifts, tough conditions, and the camaraderie that comes from knowing every decision can be life or death. Those stories shaped me. They taught me that safety isn’t a checklist — it’s a culture.
That belief drives my work today. When we talk about safety technology at Hexagon — collision avoidance, fatigue monitoring, situational awareness — we’re not just talking about sensors or software. We’re talking about people, behaviour, and trust. No matter how advanced the tools become, they only matter if miners believe in them.
The challenge: change meets culture
One lesson I’ve learned during my career is that change doesn’t happen just because technology works. It happens when people want it to. And miners can be a tough crowd to convince. Many have seen solutions that overpromised and underdelivered.
Third-generation ‘dirt person’, Josh Savit.
When we rolled out fatigue monitoring technology at MMG’s Rosebery mine, the biggest challenge wasn’t technical — it was human. Operators were sceptical. Some worried the system would be used to punish them. Others doubted it would make a difference.
So we didn’t start with data. We started with dialogue.
We listened. We spent time underground. We talked about how fatigue affects not just performance, but families and communities. Gradually, the conversation shifted from “this system is watching me” to “this system is watching out for me”.
Trust didn’t come overnight. It grew through transparency — sharing data openly, explaining how it would be used, and focusing on wellbeing rather than enforcement. Rosebery became more than a technology deployment. It became proof that belief is built, not installed.
Lessons from underground
Every mine has its own rhythm and culture. But the principles of change management are consistent. When we deploy safety systems — whether fatigue monitoring, proximity detection, or situational awareness — we’re navigating three forces: technology, psychology, and leadership.
- Technology must serve people.
At its best, safety tech extends human capability. It helps operators see what they can’t, anticipate what they might overlook, and act with confidence. But it can’t replace experience. The strongest results come when technology complements human judgment.
- Psychology drives adoption.
People avoid what they don’t trust. Advanced systems fail if they feel intrusive. Simple tools succeed if they’re seen as protective. Communication is as important as configuration. We don’t just train operators on how to use systems; we talk about why they matter.
- Leadership sets the tone.
When managers show that safety technology is about care, not control, teams respond. When data is used to coach rather than criticise, credibility grows. Change starts with leaders who listen.
I first went underground in 1978. The equipment has changed dramatically since then. The fundamentals haven’t. Mining is still about people looking out for one another.
Change management at MMG’s Rosebery mine in Tasmania started with dialogue, not data, writes Josh Savit.
Safety and situational awareness: the invisible shield
Mining environments are complex and the margin for error can be thin. That’s why situational awareness sits at the centre of modern safety. It’s not just about alerts or dashboards. It’s about seeing risk before it becomes an incident.
In collision avoidance deployments, I’ve seen how technology can create a shared sense of the mine. When truck drivers, loader operators, and supervisors all have visibility of what’s happening around them, safety becomes collective. It’s no longer one person’s responsibility; it belongs to everyone.
But the technology must fit the workflow. If it distracts or feels imposed, it loses its value. The goal is invisible safety — systems that protect without interrupting. When that balance is right, trust deepens and behaviour changes naturally.
The future of safety is shared
The industry faces pressure to operate sustainably, attract new talent, and achieve zero harm. Technology will play a major role. But trust will always be the foundation.
Modern mining partnerships focus more on collaboration and less on competition, writes Josh Savit.
What gives me optimism is the growing spirit of collaboration. I see more partnerships between technology providers, operators, and regulators focused on shared purpose rather than competition. Everyone recognises that progress depends on participation.
At Hexagon, we don’t claim to have all the answers. What we bring is a philosophy: safety innovation should start with empathy and end with empowerment. Every site visit is an opportunity to earn trust.
My dad used to say, “You can’t improve safety from an office.” He was right. Real progress happens in the field, in conversations, and in the moments where someone decides to put faith in a system because they see it was built for them, not against them.
Looking ahead
The next generation of safety technology — AI-driven analytics, real-time decision support, autonomous systems — will unlock extraordinary capability. But the central question remains: how do we keep the human at the centre?
Josh Savit’s grandfather, geophysicist, Carl Savit.
For me, it comes down to respect and honesty. Respect for experience. Honesty about the need for change. Respect and honesty for the people who make mining happen.
If technology honours those principles, it becomes more than a tool. It becomes a partner.
That’s the shift we need — from compliance to commitment, from monitoring to mindfulness, from systems that react to systems that care.
And when I think about my grandfather, with his chalkboards lining the hallway so everyone could share ideas, I’m reminded that safety has always been collaborative. My father reinforced that belief in me: everyone goes home safe.
That’s what this has always been about.
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