LED Area Lighting to Reduce Glare for Roof Bolter Operators

Area of Science:

• Occupational Safety and Health
• Illumination Engineering
• Human Factors in Mining

Background:

• Roof bolting machines present glare challenges for operators.
• Existing lighting systems on roof bolters often cause discomfort and disability glare.
• Improved lighting is crucial for detecting trip hazards and enhancing operator safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the glare reduction capabilities of the Saturn light-emitting diode (LED) luminaire.
• To assess the impact of the Saturn luminaire on operator visibility and visual comfort.
• To compare the performance of the Saturn luminaire against baseline roof bolter lighting.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory study using a Fletcher High Dual-boom Mast Feed (HDDR) roof bolting machine.
• Comparison of baseline lighting with three Saturn luminaire intensity versions (100%, 75%, 50%).
• Data collection on discomfort glare (De Boer scale) and disability glare (Mars Letter Contrast Sensitivity) from 30 participants across three age groups.

Main Results:

• All Saturn luminaire versions reduced discomfort glare by at least 3 levels.
• Disability glare was minimized at 50% Saturn intensity, with all versions showing significant reduction compared to baseline.
• Veiling luminance was 28-42 times greater with baseline lighting than with Saturn lighting.
• Visibility levels were 4 to 6.5 times better with Saturn luminaire versions.

Conclusions:

• The Saturn luminaire effectively reduces both discomfort and disability glare in roof bolting operations.
• Saturn luminaire enhances operator visibility, contributing to a safer working environment.
• The developed LED luminaire offers a significant improvement over existing lighting solutions for heavy machinery in mining.