How should emergency lighting be provided in a mine?

• A. Only portable lights
• B. Turn on automatically when normal lighting fails
• C. Manual operation only
• D. Only when employees request it

Answer: (B)

Emergency lighting in a mine is crucial for ensuring safety during power outages or other emergencies that compromise normal lighting. The correct approach is to have emergency lighting that activates automatically when regular lighting fails. This immediate response helps prevent accidents and injuries by providing adequate visibility for personnel to navigate safely out of potentially hazardous areas.

Automatic activation eliminates the need for manual intervention, which can be critical in high-stress situations where every second counts. It ensures that the lighting is available even if personnel are unable to operate traditional controls due to panic, injury, or disorientation. Well-designed emergency lighting systems are tested and maintained to ensure reliability and effectiveness, promoting a safer work environment in the mine.

Other options present less effective or potentially dangerous strategies for providing emergency lighting. For instance, relying solely on portable lights may not guarantee coverage in all areas and can be impractical to deploy quickly in an emergency. Manual operation introduces the risk of human error during critical moments, and only providing emergency lighting upon request can lead to critical delays in response when every moment is vital for safety.