Study of the use of personal equipment in low coal. Experiments on personal equipment for low seam coal miners: IV. Incorporating coiled cord into cap lamp battery cords. Phase II report, no. 4.
Authors
Blake-T; Sanders-MS; Krohn-G; Wick-D; Volkmer-K; Beith-B
Source
Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Contract J0387213, 1980 Jan; :1-30
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine optimal personal equipment design for use in low coal based on ergonomic, biomechanic, and safety considerations. This report describes a study designed to evaluate a proposed modification in the cap lamp battery cord intended to reduce the incidence of snagging and catching of the cord. A three-phase evaluation was performed comparing a prototype with the standard, currently available cord. In the first evaluation a "pull test" was performed to measure the reaction time of workers and the maximum force delivered to the helmet. The second evaluation was a body conformity experiment wherin the cords were studied to determine whether they conformed differently to workers bodies. The third evaluation involved workers performing common manual tasks in a low seam coal mine simulator. The results demonstrated significant safety advantages of incorporating coiled cords into the design of the cap cord.
Keywords
Mining-industry; Mining-equipment; Underground-mining; Ergonomics; Biomechanics; Safety-equipment; Safety-practices; Engineering-controls; Control-technology
Document Type
CP; Final Contract Report
NTIS Accession No.
PB82-218173
Identifying No.
OFR 39(5)-82; Contract-J0387213
Source Name
Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Contract J0387213
Performing Organization
Canyon Research Group, Inc.
