Engineering & Mining Journal

FEB 2018

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MINE SAFETY 40 E&MJ; • FEBRUARY 2018 www.e-mj.com utilizing strict shift work schedules. Both were able to successfully adopt a lighting solution using highly blue-enriched light sources to provide enough illumination and short-wavelength light throughout the day to reduce the misalignment of circadi- an rhythms (Najjar et al., 2014; Young et al., 2015), which also led to an increase in alertness and quality of sleep. Using these lights during the night shift, however, would contribute to the disruption of circadian rhythms. Yet work- ers still need light to do their jobs. One potential solution is to use light sources with longer wavelengths of light falling in the red spectrum. Research has shown that red light can increase alertness and performance without impacting circadian rhythms (Figueiro et al., 2016). Such a lighting solution would be chal- lenging to implement in a mine environ- ment, and the exact nature of an interven- tion remains a subject for future research. However, improving the lighting conditions has the benefit of making hazards more visible to miners, and NIOSH researchers are hopeful it can also serve as an effective fatigue intervention in underground mines. Max J. Martell is a mining engineer work- ing at the National Institute for Occu- pational Safety and Health's Pittsburgh Mining Research Division. He can be reached at MMartell@cdc.gov. Disclaimer The findings and conclusions in this pa- per are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the National Institute for Occupation- al Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. References • Boyce P. (2014). Human factors and lighting. CRC Press. • Dawson D., Fletcher A., and Hussey F. (2000). Beyond the midnight oil: Parlia- mentary inquiry into managing fatigue in transport. Adelaide Centre for Sleep Research. University of South Australia. • Figueiro M., Sahin L., Wood B., and Plit- nick B. (2016). Light at night and mea- sures of alertness and performance: im- plications for shift workers. Biological Research for Nursing. 18(1) 90–100. • Kecklund G., and Axelsson J. (2016). Health consequences of shift work and insufficient sleep. The BMJ. 355:i5210. • Najjar R., Wolf L., Taillard J., Schlan- gen L., Salam A., Cajochen C., Gronfier C. (2014). Chronic artificial blue-en- riched white light is an effective counter- measure to delayed circadian phase and neurobehavioral decrements. PLoS ONE. 9(7): e102827. • Schmidt D (2015). Technologies collide for surface safety. Coal Age. www.coal- age.com/features/4229-technologies- collide-for-surface-safety. Accessed March 10, 2017. • Young C., Jones G., Figueiro M., Soutière S., Keller M., Richardson A., Lehmann B., Rea M (2015). At-sea trial of 24-hr-based submarine watchstanding schedules with high and low correlated color tem- perature light sources. Journals of Bio- logical Rhythms. 30(2) 144–154. • Watson N., Badr M., Belenky G., Bliwise D., Buxton O., Buysse D., Dinges D., Gang- wisch J., Grandner M., Kushida C., Mal- hortra R., Martin J., Patel S., Quan S., and Tasali E. (2015). Joint consensus state- ment of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society on the recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: methodology and discussion. Sleep. 38(8): 1161–1183.

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