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Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Cap Lamp Improves Illumination and Decreases Injury Risk for Underground Miners
8/31/2011 |
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Researchers at the US-American National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) set out to discover whether alternative lighting methods could provide more effective lighting and improve safety in the mining environment.
Initial research explored the effectiveness of a NIOSH-developed light-emitting diode (LED) cap lamp when compared to both a traditional incandescent and a commercially-available LED cap lamp; the NIOSH product reduced disability glare-crucial for seeing any hazard-by up to 54%.6 The latest NIOSH-developed LED cap lamp is more flexible than other cap lamps, with the capacity to better illuminate mine hazards and to adjust lighting distribution and intensity. When compared to other commercially-available LED cap lamps, this newest design improved floor hazard detection up to 194%, and improved peripheral motion detection-crucial for detecting moving machinery hazards-up to 79%. These impressive results have led to 5 changes in the international standard for cap lamps used in mines that will be published by the International Electrotechnical Commission in early 2012, impacting the manufacturing of all future cap lamps. In addition, one cap lamp manufacturer has used the research results to update their testing and product, including changes in light beam distribution and LED color temperature. It is likely that additional cap lamp manufacturers will make similar modifications in order to remain competitive in the marketplace. These changes to cap lamp manufacturing and standards have the capacity to dramatically improve mine illumination worldwide and decrease the risk of injury and death among underground miners. |
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Related Exhibition:
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A+A 2011
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International Trade Fair and Congress for the topics: Safety, Security and Health at work
10/18/2011 - 10/21/2011
Venue: Messe Düsseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany
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