Cap Lamp Signals Safety Communication in the Dark

Cap Lamp Signals Safety & Communication in the Dark Created by Pat Gazewood

Underground Mining Presents Many Challenges. • Environment is primary concern. • Atmosphere. • Ground conditions. • No lighting.

History Teaches: • Fire was first tool used for illumination in underground mining for centuries. • Later candle sticks were used up until the 19 th century.

Miners Needed Better Lighting. • Candles created poor lighting. • Candles started fires, killing thousands of miners over the centuries. • Methane gas explosions were a big problem.

Walking Down the Drift Was a Problem. • Then someone thought. Let’s stick a candle on a cap. • The cap lamp was born. • Still problems persisted. • Wax in your eye burns. Hair burns really nice. Smells great too!

Invention Is the Mother of Necessity. • Lamps progressed from candles to carbide. • From carbide to batteries. • Better illumination was a must.

Invention of Portable Battery Units. • Greatly increased visibility. • Reduced fire hazards. • Increased safety in working areas.

Cap Lamps Have All Kinds of New Features. • • • Halogen bulbs. PED devices. Leaky feeder radio. Longer battery life. Reduced sizes & weight. • Intrinsically safe.

Cap Lamps Are a Safety Tool & PPE. • It illuminates hazards. • By allowing better identifications of hidden objects in the dark. • It communicates a miner’s actions. • It allows you to control actions of others that may not see hidden dangers by warning them.

Safety Tools Require Proper Training. • Cap lamp signals • Not understanding signals creates can be a matter dangerous of life or death!!! behaviors. • Improper usage • It can create ramp causes problems rage, delay mining up and down the cycles, and lead to an accident, or mining cycle. worse death.

Cap Lamps Are Simple to Learn & Practice. • There are three basic commands. • Come forward. • Move away. • Stop.

Come Forward Command: • This command is simple. Rotate head in a wide circular motion.

Move Away Command: • This command is made by moving the head up down like you nodding yes.

The Stop Command: • This command is simple. • It means stop NOW!!! • Move the head back and forth like your motioning “no” with the head.

Hindrances to Cap Lamp Communication. • What barriers cause break downs in communication here & create hazards. • Misunderstood signals. • Illumination in haulage ways. • Lack of training. • Stubbornness. • Belief that hand signals are visible in the dark. • Laziness.

Overcoming Communications Hindrances. • Don’t rely on drift illumination as a communication catch all. • If you don’t understand signals stop & talk verbally. • Overcome the deer in the headlight look. • Work with one another, not against. • Learn to use lamp signals they are more empowering than hand signals when used properly.

Proper Care For Personal Cap Lamps. • Inspect lamp before & after each use. • Note: charging status. Green light is lit. It’s fully charged. • Unlit green light, it’s not fully charged.

Proper Personal Lamp Care Cont. • • • Inspect cords. Test both bulbs. Make sure cords have reflective tape so if your light goes out you can be scene. • Check lens. • Check for missing parts.

Repair Tag Station • If your lamp is B. O. Tag it out. • Attach a repair tag. • List what is wrong & tie a knot in cord.

Cap Lamp Care Cont. • Leave lamp in charger. • If your lamp goes dead, while underground, lamps are at various places underground. • Follow up. Return spare lamps back to original chargers. When finished.

In Summary: • Effective communication with cap lamps increases operator awareness. • Reduces confusion between mining personnel. • Lowers the potential for major traumatic accidents.

Working Accident Free Requires Everyone’s Help. Going Home Safely Everyday is The Most Important Thing You Can Do Today!

Safe Working Motto: There is No Service So Needed, No Job So Important, That We Cannot Take The Time To Do The Job Safely.