The sun shines underground

MSA Africa has launched its first-of-its-kind Luminator cap lamp. Designed with the South African mining industry in mind, it features a number of innovations that are set to dramatically improve visibility and personal safety for underground miners.

The cap offers improved visibility thanks to two state-of-the-art LEDs. The working beam is emitted by an OSLON SSL 150 high-class LED and works through an internal reflection and refraction lens, which creates homogenous and halo-free light that, in combination with its colour temperature, eases identifying cracks on hanging walls or seam layers.

It also features an extended walking light that illuminates the two-step walking distance in front of the user. “This increases the worker’s comfort and underground safety by reducing injuries caused by tripping or slipping due to insufficient light,” explains MSA Africa product manager, Tshepo Lebona.

An easy-to-find functionality button allows the user to switch between three modes (working light narrow beam, peripheral light and walking light), while the Luminator cap lamp also features an innovative cable management solution, which allows easy cable-length adjustment of between one and 1,6 m, to minimise the risk of hooking on to obstacles that may cause injury. Another interesting feature is the standard radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that can be used for asset control.

MSA’s LiFePO-4 Lithium-Ion battery pack technology now powers the unit, which ensures more than 36 hours of working light and 100 hours of emergency light – essential for trapped miners to have sufficient light to make their way to a safe area and await rescue. Charging time is four hours after a 12-hour shift, and ten hours from flat.

The Luminator cap lamp has undergone a total of 80 000 hours of field testing in the local coal, platinum and gold underground mining sectors. It is able to withstand multiple three-metre drops onto a concrete surface without loss of performance, while a combination of impact-resistant polycarbonate and elastic on the moulded thermoplastic Elastomer ensures protection against dust and water.