By Karl Rhoads, strategic training specialist, Immersive Technologies, and Adam Norris, account development manager, Immersive Technologies

While the relationship between heavy equipment operator training and safety is well understood in mining, the relationship between training scores and mine site operational performance is relatively less known. This paper specifically examines the relationship between training and assessment scores (spot time in simulation) and job performance (real world spot time). A significant, p<.01, and positive r=.56 relationship was discovered suggesting that data from assessments conducted in a high fidelity simulator can be used to predict operator job performance. Thus setting assessment standards to a minimum competency level becomes an important variable in improving mine operational performance. Participants included 57 haul truck operators from two North American mining companies.