Mining is a major industrial activity in Canada and will increase in importance as world demand continues to grow. Demand for mining resources is such that we have little choice but to conduct operations at greater and greater depths. This paper will outline the challenges faced by modern and deep mining operations for establishing safe and sustainable working conditions. The consideration of occupational health and safety in mining vehicle design remains cursory. Current personal protective devices are rudimentary. Risks will increase as mining operations reach greater depths. Organizational and generational changes, continued expansion of mining operations, and economic pressures will complicate the situation. One possible solution would be to design new intelligent personal protective equipment, taking into consideration multiple major human factors concerns by utilizing interdisciplinary industrial/academic research partnerships.
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