HEALTH AND SAFETY •
Face before switching the spotlight on . Face after spotlight application .
Key technical considerations An in-stope lighting solution that offers above 5 000 lumens or kelvins light spectrum is equivalent to midday sunshine and is the best lighting that one could ask for in a mine . These are the current prescribed guidelines : Calming yellow lights are good for residential spaces offering a 2 700 – 3 000 light spectrum , energising white light is recommend for work areas – 3 500 – 4 800 light spectrum , and daylight white 5 000 and above light spectrum is recommended for precision areas such as hospitals or lab research areas .
There are a number of products available in the industry and when selecting a suitable product for underground , it is extremely important to ensure that : there is an OEM certification from industry recognised institutions , together with guarantees ; the system is safe , robust , durable and easy to install and remove ; it must be energy efficient , for example , the lights are dust and water resistant because dust repellent systems maintain the ‘ white light ’ and prevent dulling of illumination caused by dust collection .
The benefits of good illumination Based on solid theory , the mining fraternity is clear – poor lighting is a health and safety hazard . Research estimates that 80-85 % of human perception , learning , cognition , and activities are mediated through vision . In fact , the visual system is our most dominantly relied upon sense and when the other senses are impaired , it can take over some of their responsibilities . 3 Humans receive about 85 % of information through the visual sense and there is a 36 % greater chance for accidents in poorly lit areas ; and quality of lighting in a workplace influences productivity by 10-50 %, while good lighting can decrease errors by 30-60 % and improves circadian rhythms 4 in a workforce working day and night shifts . A cap lamp has traditionally been the only light source a stope miner had , and with its small arc of vision , often required the miner to move her or his head towards the item they wanted to observe at the face of the rock , which is unsafe practice .
It has also been noted that poor illumination can lead to other safety hazards , including tripping , slipping and falling , derailing of machinery and equipment damage , poor drilling , charging and timing discipline in blasting , and difficulty for miners to estimate shape , size and depth of objects with resultant poor strata control due to insufficient identification of visible geological features like hairline cracks and the opening up of joints .
On the flip side , good illumination can :
• result in increased visibility of hazards including mobile machinery and others in roadways or haulages
• lead to better drilling and blasting discipline resulting in better ground conditions
• improve legibility of safety signage or instructions and identification of sub standards
• improve observation of deterioration in ground conditions and general housekeeping
• improve circadian rhythm and concentration and uplift the mood or energy levels of the workforce leading to reduction in fatigue and
• vitally improve the safety and well-being of women in particular
• reduce general workforce ailments such as headaches , eye / neck / back strain and lead to a decrease in depression , anxiety and stress linked to underground conditions •
Every day we send people down into an ever-changing , potentially hazardous environment . For us as leaders to enable our employees to identify hazards to the best of their ability is the way forward .
References :
1 . The Rustenburg operation consists of three intermediate depth vertical shafts that utilise a conventional mining method at Siphumelele 1 , Khuseleka 1 , and Thembelani 1 – while the mechanised Bathopele inclined shafts utilise a shallow inclined bord and pillar mining method .
2 . The Minerals Council South Africa ’ s FOGAP ( Falls of Ground Action Plan ): The six pillars focus on adoption of leading practices , implementation of research , capacity building of robot engineers , implementation of policies , facilitating zero harm enabling environment and monitoring of FOG safety performance . The action plan , approved in July 2021 , included a financial investment of R46-million over five years towards research and development . Adwoa Issaka of the Minerals Council ’ s MOSH FOG Team said in workfaces and ancillary excavations , employees rely only on their cap lamps for illumination . Cap lamps are inadequate for proper rockfall hazard identification .
3 . https :// velvetchainsaw . com / 2012 / 05 / 23 / your-senses-your-rawinformation-learning-portals /
4 . https :// sensoryprocessinghub . humber . nhs . uk / sense-visual /
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