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The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)





Mining Publication: Mine Illumination: A Historical and Technological Perspective
Keywords: Cap lamps Inadequate illumination
This page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being maintained or updated.
Original creation date: February 2010
Authors: JJ Sammarco, JL Carr
Conference Paper - February 2010
Download PDF Document (0.75 MB)
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20037507
2010 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 28 - March 3, Phoenix, Arizona. Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2010; :1-12
Illumination plays a critical role in mining because miners depend on proper illumination to safely perform their work and to see various mine and machinery-related hazards. Open-flame lamps were used in the early days of mining, but these often caused disastrous mine explosions. During 1914, two engineers from the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) formed a new company, Mine Safety Appliances, and initiated work with Thomas Edison for an electric cap lamp. This electric cap lamp was approved in 1915 by the USBM. The seminal works in mine illumination research were dominated by the USBM. They addressed many issues in permissibility, human factors, and researched new lighting technologies. The current mine regulations and test procedures for mine illumination are based on USBM research. Today, illumination technology is drastically changing with light emitting diodes (LEDs) that could revolutionize mine illumination just as was done by the 1915 electric cap lamp. Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are leading the way in the human factors and technological aspects of LED research for mine illumination to improve the safety of miners.
Image of publication Mine Illumination: A Historical and Technological PerspectiveConference Paper - February 2010
Download PDF Document (0.75 MB)
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20037507
2010 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 28 - March 3, Phoenix, Arizona. Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2010; :1-12
See Also
Discomfort Glare Comparison for Various LED Cap Lamps
Experiments on Personal Equipment for Low Seam Coal Miners: IV. Incorporating Coiled Cord Into Cap Lamp Battery Cords
Illumination
Improved LED Mine Lamp Designs
NIOSH Illumination Research Addresses Visual Performance Needs with LED Technology
Technological Aspects of Solid-State and Incandescent Sources for Miner Cap Lamps
Technological Aspects of Solid-State and Incandescent Sources for Miner Cap Lamps
Technology News 556 - The NIOSH LED Cap Lamp Provides Improved Illumination for Greater Safety in Underground Mines
Visual Performance for Incandescent and Solid-State Cap Lamps in an Underground Mining Environment
Visual Performance for Trip Hazard Detection When Using Incandescent and LED Miner Cap Lamps
Page last reviewed: September 21, 2012
Page last updated: September 21, 2012
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program
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