By Dr. Brian Nel, CEO DBCon Global
There is a fundamental flaw in the way most mines conduct technical training. We take a worker out of a loud, hot, and dusty environment. We put them in a quiet, air-conditioned training centre. We teach them how to do a dangerous job in a perfectly safe room. Then we send them back to the noise and heat and expect them to remember what they learned.
This approach fails because it ignores the reality of the mining environment.
At DBCon Global, we advocate for In-Situ Training. This means delivering the training where the work actually happens. We move the classroom to the plant floor.
The Science of Context-Dependent Memory
Psychological research confirms that memory is “context-dependent”. This means that people recall information best when they are in the same environment where they learned it.
If an operator learns a complex isolation procedure in a silent classroom, their brain associates that procedure with silence and calm. When they try to recall that procedure underground, where it is dark and noisy, their brain struggles to retrieve the information. The environmental cues are missing.
By training on-site, we link the skill to the environment. The sound of the crusher, the heat of the plant, and the lighting conditions become part of the learning process. This builds a much stronger neural pathway for the worker.
The Safety Risk of “Sterile” Training
Classroom training is sterile. It cannot simulate the hazards that actually kill people.
In a classroom, you do not have to shout over the noise of a ball mill to confirm an instruction. In a classroom, you are not wearing heavy gloves that make it difficult to press small buttons.
We see many incidents where a worker knows the theory but fails the practical execution because of environmental stressors. They panic when the real alarms go off because the training simulator alarm was much quieter.
On-site delivery allows us to train workers on how to manage these stressors. We teach them how to communicate effectively when they are wearing ear protection. We teach them how to handle tools safely when their hands are slippery with oil or grease. This is survival training, not just technical training.
The DBCon Delivery Methodology
Our trainers are engineers who are comfortable in the industrial environment. We do not stand at the front of a room with a laser pointer. We stand next to the operator at the machine.
1. Practical Demonstration
We demonstrate the task on the live equipment (under safe conditions). The learner sees exactly where to stand, how to hold the tool, and where the pinch points are.
2. Immediate Feedback
When a learner makes a mistake in a classroom, it is a theoretical error. When they make a mistake on-site, it is a physical error. We correct it immediately. This builds “Muscle Memory”. The learner physically feels the correct way to turn the valve or lock the panel.
3. Verification of Competence
We do not sign off a learner until we have seen them perform the task in the actual working environment. A multiple choice test cannot tell you if a rigger can safely sling a load in a confined space. Only observation can tell you that.
Reducing Production Disruption
A common concern is that on-site training slows down production.
In reality, off-site training causes more disruption. It removes the worker from the site for days at a time. On-site training can be integrated into the daily shift. We can train during planned maintenance windows or during quiet periods in the cycle. The worker remains available if an emergency arises.
Conclusion
You cannot learn to swim in a library. You cannot learn to mine in a classroom.
To ensure your workforce is truly competent, you must bridge the gap between theory and reality. You must bring the training to the point of risk.
Is your training environment too safe to be effective?
Contact DBCon Global to discuss our on-site training delivery options.
