ATTRACT focuses on digitalization, competence, safety and gender equality. The project is led by Lena Abrahamsson, professor and chair of Work Science at Luleå University of Technology, in partnership LKAB, Boliden and BDX. ATTRACT consists of GenSafe and the Digital Miner.
Gender equality and safety
GenSafe focuses on the relationship between gender equality and safety in the workplace culture is investigated and how working methods and methods that stimulate a safe and inclusive mining culture throughout the supply chain can be developed.
– Interviews with employees and managers show that there are certain norms in the local workplace culture that risk simultaneously working against inclusion and safety. These norms relate to gender and to interests and origins.
Findings also show that safety culture has been well integrated into the operations, while the work on gender equality has been more difficult to integrate. This applies both to work with their own staff and between suppliers and clients.
One way to promote a safer and more inclusive mining culture could therefore be to strengthen the gender and equality perspective in the existing safety work.
The employee and digitalization
The Digital Miner is intended as a vision of future jobs and workplaces in a future digitalized high-tech mine. Combining technological development with social and human perspectives will be important to create an attractive, healthy and safe working environment in the mining industry.
– Up- and re-skilling will become a natural part of work. Demand for skills such as creativity, flexibility and teamwork, but also industry knowledge such as mining, metallurgy and geology will increase in the future, says Lena Abrahamsson.
Preliminary results show that the introduction of autonomous trucks will fundamentally change the workplace. The tasks will be both more responsible and more complicated. Increased safety both during loading and transportation is another area that will change.
ATTRACT is funded by Swedish Mining Innovation and scheduled to end in 2025. We look forward to welcoming a roadmap for attractive, inclusive and safe mining!
