I know each site is different, and there’s no one right way to create a dig plan; but should there be? All designs have a toe, a crest, access, volumes and they follow geotechnical approved bench and batter profiles. This ensures that each design is accurate, useful and can be implemented by others. Where are the standards when it comes to conveying these designs to operators? I‘ve seen dig plans that consist of a photo with a square drawn on it, all the way through to an 18-page pass by pass 3d-dig presentation. Which is more useful? Which helped the operator understand?
Dig plans can vary on technical content and method of delivery depending on who the audience is. In a Tech Services weekly planning meeting a few Vulcan or Minescape screen shots will be understood by most, but give this to a digger driver and he’ll think it’s the matrix. The purpose of a dig plan is to help the operators, therefore why does every site have a similar hole in the ground, a similar workforce but completely different dig plans??
In my opinion there are some must-haves; dig limits, cross section, long section, waste volumes, coal volumes, access point, the number of passes required for the scheduled machine (including pass heights) and an associated dump plan. Each dig plan can then be tailored for each dig; pointing out unusual aspects or steps that the particular dig may have, highlighting critical tasks.
It doesn’t stop there…. A good dig plan is useless if it’s not being followed. Communication is king! Make sure you talk to the supervisors or operators often, get survey control pegs placed before the dig starts and check the progress frequently. It’s also a good idea to make sure digger operators have a copy of the plan in the machine at all times, they are the ones who will actually dig the dig plan!
If some sort of dig plan standards were accepted by the industry then new engineers would be taught how to create a useful tool and less people would waste their time creating documents that get thrown onto the dash of the dozer cab and never glanced at once.
What do you think makes a good dig plan? How does your site convey the plan to operators?
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