Welders flash

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Perth 15^thNovember 2011

Back in Perth also somehow means back in the country side, with all due respect. Lighting problems in this part of the world are of a totally different nature and proportions, more community level than world stage projects. Not to say they are not real, of course they are, very much so. Today I quote from our “West” newspaper:”… that the Shire of East Pilbara is investigating complaints after a netball game last Friday night left players and spectators with a searing pain in their eyes. A working group has been set up to investigate and find the cause of the eye complaints. Several people went to the hospital and were diagnosed with a so called “welders flash”….”

Now a welders flash is something like a sunburn in the eye and this flash burn occurs when your eye is exposed specifically to bright levels of light containing ultra violet light such as a welders torch, the sun and many of our artificial lamps sources (welders dont wear protective goggles for nothing!). As the incident occurred when playing a game of netball at night under the facilities floodlights, it is highly likely that the lights were the cause. I do not know what type of lights are installed as the article did not state that but one can assume that these were gas discharge lamps. The article does state however that vandals had “smashed the protective covers” (I assume the front glasses) some months ago and I would venture that that would have been the cause. Broken or cracked glass can act as a lens or prism (watch out for cracks in your reading glasses!) and as such multiply and amplify the “burning” effect of the light. It is very likely what happened and the lesson for operators and property owners is to replace defective equipment as soon as possible or risk legal consequences for not doing so! Keep your equipment in good working conditions!

Light Watch a look some typical “country side” installations we have come across over the past years. It is not surprising that we get more and more work in updating lighting installations around the country to bring the installations up and complying to applicable lighting standards.

I kept the picture small…you never know 🙂