Personal equipment for low seam coal miners: Improved knee pads, a modified design
This report describes the development and field test to improve knee protection for underground coal miners working in low seam mines. In a previous phase of this contract (Sanders, 1982), experimental knee pads were developed and field tested. The field test revealed several design deficiencies with the knee pads, and suggestions for improving the design were made. The work summarized in this report, therefore, consists of modifying the design and method of fabrication of the knee pads originally described by Sanders (1982), and of field testing the improved design. The new prototype was shorter and wider than the original design, and used a neoprene pass-through strap design rather than a cloth strap molded into the pad itself. The new prototype was constructed by slush molding a hollow bladder that was then filled with foam. Initial reactions to the pads in the field test were very positive. However, after 2 months, the opinions about the new prototype became less positive. They were judged, generally, to be no better or worse than the pads usually worn by the field-test participants. Problems were encountered in the field with respect to durability. Water seeped into the inner cavity of many of the pads and caused the foam to deteriorate. It was concluded that it would not be cost-effective or feasible to significantly improve upon current commercially available knee pad designs.
- Research Organization:
- Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6945109
- Report Number(s):
- OFR-2188
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COAL MINERS
PHYSICAL PROTECTION DEVICES
SAFETY
FABRICATION
BONE JOINTS
COAL SEAMS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DESIGN
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FIELD TESTS
GEOLOGY
LEGS
BODY
BODY AREAS
COAL DEPOSITS
DATA
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INFORMATION
LIMBS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
RESOURCES
SKELETON
TESTING
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