REAL-TIME METEOROLOGICAL MONITORING AS A SAFETY STRATEGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

Variations in the local climate are factors that directly and indirectly impact society as well as activities in the industrial sector, especially the productive sector of the mining chain. Much of the activities in this sector take place outdoors and, consequently, are more exposed to meteorological events that are beyond the company's control. Keeping this in mind, high-reliability monitoring data, such as data from meteorological stations, are essential to improving knowledge of the region's climatic characteristics. Meteorological or weather stations are composed of a set of sensors that record data on meteorological variables near the surface, such as rainfall, wind speed and direction, air temperature and relative humidity, solar radiation, and atmospheric pressure. Previously, Alunorte's meteorological monitoring network consisted of an automatic meteorological station and two manual Ville-de-Paris model rain gauges with readings at daily intervals, carried out by operators in the field. Currently, the old system was replaced with higher anemometric towers, an automated network with real-time data transmission via radio and fiber capable of meeting the requirements of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and an annual calibration certified by the Brazilian Calibration Network (RBC/INMETRO), thus providing greater agility and refinement of data reporting. From an environmental monitoring point of view, this work sought to show the improvements implemented by expanding the meteorological network in Hydro Alunorte areas, aiming to mitigate possible climate impacts on the operations in the face of extreme events. The results show that the improvements implemented contribute to obtaining knowledge related to the development of climate monitoring through real-time measurements, in addition to leading to better waste management planning in the formulation of control strategies for material concentrations of particulate matter as well as measuring the factors that influence the treatment of rainwater and effluents. Thus, it is evident that the new monitoring network has strategic relevance for the production chain and has potential use in several other operational applications to contribute to the safer activities, allow preventive action, and reduce operational, human, and environmental risks.