Waterproof Head Lamps for Miners
By: The Working Man
Waterproof Head Lamps are a lifesaver for miners. In a mine you
need to be able to see what is in front of you, under you and
above you. You must at all times be aware of your surroundings
and keep an eye on the people that are down in the hole with you
least something happen to you or them. A head lamp lets the miner
automatically shine his light at whatever he is facing, and he
still has both hands free to work with.
The first miner's headlamps were small oil lamps mounted on
helmets. But if the miners broke into a natural gas pocket or
much coal dust was around there was a danger of the lamp causing
a fire or even an explosion.
Once battery powered lamps were invented they were considered a
godsend, but the heavy batteries added to the heavy helmets took
their toll on the miners.
Head lamps now feature LED lamps, which provide more and better
quality light and better focus than traditional lamps and also
provide different light levels according to the miner's need. And
they carry battery packs that last for many hours. Some even come
in different colors for easy identification.
Head lamps for miners should all be waterproof. Mines are
notorious for being damp and wet. Most head lamps will short out
if there is any exposure to liquids, but a waterproof head lamp
eliminates the threat of your light shorting out on you.
Most head lamps come with a wide heat resist and silicon strip
anchoring the head lamp to your construction helmet. (Some have
elastic cloth to hold a lamp on bare heads, but it is never
recommended to go underground without a construction helmet on a
job site!) Miner's head lamps also feature an easy to use big
button for turning them on and off, which is great if your manual
dexterity is hampered by gloves.
Without adequate and trustworthy lighting, fatalities can occur
over something as simple as a bit of rock jutting up from the
ground. Without the proper types of light workers can injure each
other with equipment. Twisted ankles or injured hands may mean
lost work, so miners should be very careful to have reliable
lights on their person at all times.
If you are a miner it is a good idea to carry two head lamps with
you, both fully charged and ready to go should something happen.
Head lamps are not immune to falling debris or roof projectiles
and there might also be someone with you whose head lamp fails.
Keep a spare on you just in case. And make sure that the head
lamps you buy are waterproof and meet ANSI standards.
Back to Safety
Equipment for Miners
