Hazards in Motion: Development of Mobile Geofences for Use in Logging Safety

Area of Science:

• Occupational Safety
• Geospatial Technology
• Risk Management

Background:

• Logging is a high-risk occupation with frequent accidents.
• Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and radio frequency (RF) technology offer potential for real-time positioning and safety.
• Geofencing, defining virtual safe work areas, can mitigate risks, but mobile geofences require further evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy and reliability of mobile geofences for enhancing situational awareness in logging.
• To investigate factors influencing mobile geofence alert accuracy, including walking pace, transmission interval, geofence radius, and intersection angle.
• To determine the viability of mobile geofences as a safety tool for dynamic logging environments.

Main Methods:

• A replicated field experiment was conducted to evaluate geofence alert delay under various conditions.
• Factors analyzed included walking pace, transmission interval, geofence radius, and intersection angle.
• Simulation modeling was used to validate field findings and analyze Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) error impacts.

Main Results:

• Geofence alert delay was significantly affected by the interaction between geofence radius and intersection angle.
• Inaccurate alerts, primarily early warnings, were most pronounced at greater intersection angles.
• Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) errors increased alert delay variability, and larger errors led to more incorrect early warnings.

Conclusions:

• Mobile geofencing accuracy is highly dependent on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) error and the angle of approach.
• Current mobile geofencing is best suited for general situational awareness in logging safety.
• Real-time correction methods or higher-quality GNSS-RF transponders are necessary for precise occupational safety applications.