An alternative approach—avoiding most personal-risk and visibility problems— is to convert the dozer to remote control. “Remove the people, remove the risk,” said Phil Goode, senior business development manager for Remote Control Technologies (RCT).

“Highly skilled dozer operators assess operating risks as they arise to avoid catastrophes, injury or machine damage,” Goode said. Yet, dozer accidents and incidents continue to occur despite risk management procedures, operator training, supervision and machine design changes. However, according to Goode, some companies don’t accept these operational risks and are finding production from remote-controlled machines can set new benchmarks.

Perth, Australia-based RCT has converted dozens of different dozer types to remote control since 1988. “RCT can convert any bulldozer to remote control,” Goode explained. “We’ve put at least 17 different dozer types on remote. We are particularly proud of being the first in the world to [install remote control on] a Caterpillar D10 in 1989, and RCT was also the first in the world to install remote control on a Komatsu 575 dozer.” In 2007, BHP Billiton retained RCT to develop a remote control solution for five Cat D11R and D10R machines assigned to stockpile handling at BHPB’s Escondida copper mine in northern Chile.

“It is possible to deploy remote-controlled dozers to perform most common bulldozer tasks,” Goode said. “Operators take control of the dozer from a safe location within line of sight of the machine. From there they can see the entire machine, unlike sitting in the dozer cab. They can perform all normal dozing work with full vision of the machine—and a range of precision tasks, such as discrete ripping or finish blade cutting, are only possible because, while on remote control, the operator can now see the ripper pick or blade,” Goode said.

Where line-of-sight operation is not ideal, teleremote systems can used, allowing work to be conducted while using a machine-specific camera and operator station. With teleremote control, operators at the remote station view color monitors displaying machine images or bird’s eye views of the job site. The dozer’s dash instrumentation can be displayed with or without audio feedback. Pitch, tilt and roll telemetry can be included in the visual displays to provide more precise machine control where required.