By George Egan
Maybe you have seen it at the local fair or carnival as illuminating jewelry on the wrists and necks of excited children. Or perhaps you’ve seen it tied around a costume as a visibility safety device for trick-or-treaters at dusk on Halloween. It is chemical lighting. And although there are many amusing applications for it, chemical lighting has found its way into the utility safety industry as a safety device that today is almost standard equipment.
Why has chemical lighting caught on in the utility industries and why should you be using it?
One of the primary reasons to incorporate chemical light into safety programs is its ability to be used in a wide variety of applications including workers' personal protection, traffic safety, and safe visibility in confined and enclosed spaces. The overall convenience of lighting is also a benefit, as it allows workers instant access to light without the need for cords or batteries.
What's the Use?
The most common forms of chemical light used in the utility industry today are the lightstick and the self-adhesive circle markers in green, red or yellow.
Both forms provide a lighting application to workers in a work zone at night, in confined spaces and in hard to see places like the foot surface on the bottom of the bucket.
In addition to these applications, there are other uses for chemical lighting that should be considered.
Un-confining Ideas
Those who work in confined and enclosed spaces know of the many obstacles and dangers that lurk in dark corners. In addition to the instant lighting chemical light provides, it has been used in many unique and creative ways to increase worker safety.
For example, chemical light has been used to track personnel by creating a Ôbread crumb trail.Õ Also, specific chemical light colors can be used to designate a worker or team area; and leaving a sample lightstick near an entrance and/or egress areas can help personnel locate an exit, savings seconds when seconds can mean the difference between life and death.
In addition, the variety of chemical light colors can provide a color-coded solution to identifying the safety levels of specific areas of confined spaces. Green circle markers can indicate that the confined space has been atmospherically tested and is safe to enter with proper equipment, yellow circle markers can show that areas have not been tested, and red markers can flag areas too dangerous to enter.
Although such testing does not remove the responsibility of any required OSHA mandates, chemical lights can be used to maximize company safety programs. Putting safety first is what leads to effective, efficient work environments.
How Does it Work?
Chemical light is made from two chemicals: Oxalate (that includes special fluorescers) and an activator. Inserted into a lightstick or other shape, the chemicals are kept separated by a thin glass ampoule. When the lightstick or shape is bent, snapped, and shaken, the chemicals interact to produce a glow similar to the glow of the firefly (with greater intensity).
After activating the chemical process, the lights can last up to twelve hours depending on the size and shape of the unit.
Because they are made of non-toxic and non-hazardous materials, they can be store in areas where exposure to other light sources such as pyrotechnics might be a potential fire hazard. Personal contact with the internal chemicals of the light is safe, although slight irritation may occur.
A Military Beginning
Nearly three decades ago, chemical lightsticks were first developed and tested in conjunction with the U.S. Military. From its early beginnings the concept of safe “instant light” was beneficial to the military because it did not give off sparks or flames. Adding in the benefits of being waterproof, non-toxic, lightweight and maintenance free, it became a mainstay for all branches of the armed forces and eventually civilians as well.
George Egan is with Omniglow Corporation. He can be reached at (888) 728-4569 or gegan@chemlight.com.