At Trime UK we believe that true value cannot be judged on the cost of an item alone, even if that item is a complete lighting tower or simply a filter for it. We also believe that a well-maintained item of Plant is also a safer Item of Plant. At Trime UK we understand that you, our customer, has made a conscious decision to purchase a quality, high specification lighting product and that by making that choice you understand the long term savings and value that you will gain.

There are many reasons why switching to solar powered lighting towers makes sense, although the option may not yet be ideal for everyone. In this blog, we outline the considerations to make before choosing to invest.

Rugged and reliable, engine powered lighting towers have long been the backbone of the
events industry. One of the benefits of engine-powered systems is their lengthy pedigree,
which has led to solutions that are reliable and safe. Standard safety features include Automatic Mast Operating Safety System (AMOSS) and auto start/stop sensors, ensuring guaranteed levels of safety and efficiency. The result is technology that is tried, tested, and trusted.

How Is Solar Energy Used In Lighting?

Using the sun’s daytime energy to light the darkness has the potential to offer zero carbon
lighting. The underpinning science and technology rely upon basic principles, but the quality
of design and choice of materials have a significant influence on the efficiency, efficacy, and
cost-effectiveness of the installation. We look at four key components of solar
lighting and explain their importance.

Improvements in solar technology have focused on two areas: efficiency and cost. To boost
efficiency while reducing costs, innovators have been exploring new materials, new
applications for existing materials, and combining multiple materials to increase their
effectiveness. 

When you have any lighting tower, big or small, using it correctly and safely is of paramount importance. This reduces risk of injury and reduces the risk of any site damage to the light unit. Here are a few pointers to follow to operate your lighting towers safely.

Many often herald the public railway as an eco-conscious way to travel. But as the industry looks towards reducing their CO2 emissions, it must consider more than the trains themselves, and look at sector-wide practices, such as conducting maintenance work at night.

In this post, we're going to examine why carbon emissions in rail transport remain essential and show how hybrid tower lights can help reduce CO2 output during railway maintenance work.

Industry goals for rail CO2 emissions

With 87% of travellers looking to travel more sustainably, the railway industry has been ahead of the game for years. The European Environment Agency cites a mere 14 grams of CO2 emissions per passenger mile compared to the enormous 158 grams per passenger miles for a car.

Many countries and railway unions set goals for reducing carbon emission years ago, and some are well on their way to reaching them. For example, in the UK, the Climate Change Act 2008 set the long-term goals of reducing CO2 emissions by 34 per cent by 2020, intending to reach net-zero (100 per cent) by 2050. Similarly, 28 European members of the International Union of Railways (UIC) pledged that by 2030, they would reduce their CO2 emissions per tonne-kilometre by 50 per cent.

With a notable reputation in the industry, railway companies must stay ahead of the game.

Reducing emissions during maintenance work

One area that continues to require improvement is the emissions produced during maintenance work. Often, work on our railways takes place at night to avoid disruption and delays during the day. While this is beneficial for the passengers, it requires tower lighting to make it safe to work at night. These tower lights typically use generators, which tend to use diesel as a fuel and contribute metric tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.

A solution to this area of high environmental impact is one that the rail industry can improve in.

The benefits of Solar & Hybrid tower lights

Solar and Solar Hybrid towers are lighting towers that run off a combination of power; for example, solar and battery, or battery and small diesel generator. The main benefit of a hybrid approach to powering your lighting tower is the “safety net” of having a secondary power source. Back-up power in the form of hybrid means lighting towers keep working despite harsh weather conditions, allowing projects to continue uninterrupted, thus saving on downtime and therefore saving money.

We all rely on trains: whether we are going to London for a day-trip, a student going back home, or when you’re going to work, we rely on this system to work. However, this industry is constantly upgrading and works are always happening, at weekends or overnight, to ensure we have a safe journey.

Hybrid technology is becoming the way forward in many industries. You have hybrid cars on the roads, and hybrid diggers on construction sites, lighting towers and generators. But why should you invest in hybrid technology? What do they offer you?

In many circumstances, dust is more than an irritation – it is an outright hazard that has
been linked to a wide range of long-term health problems, including lung cancer and
debilitating respiratory illnesses.

Dust is not a substance in itself, but a convenient catchall term for any small, airborne particle. In the home, dust is a cocktail of dead skin particles, carpet fibres, food crumbs, pollen, pet hair and other substances. On a construction site, airborne dust may contain concrete, brick, and sand particles, pulverised stone, wood chippings, micro plastics, lead and other metals – not something that anyone would want to breathe in consciously.

Some types of dust are particularly harmful. Asbestos, for instance – a naturally occurring
silicate fibre that was used in construction materials for decades – is linked to various
cancers, as well as the fatal lung disease Asbestos's. Other types of silica dust particle,
although less notorious, are almost as harmful. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
estimates that over 500 people die each year from the inhalation of silica dust on
construction sites, which is the main reason that sandblasting is no longer legal in the UK.

Common Causes Of Dust

Almost all activities have the potential to create dust, from the simple act of driving a
construction vehicle along a trackway, to large-scale gravel quarry. Some applications,
however, are singled out by the HSE as major causes of dust, in quantities likely to cause a
hazard to human health.

• Concrete pouring and mixing
• Wood processing – including cutting and sanding timber on site
• Building demolition
• Construction tools – including pneumatic drills, cut-off saws, grinders etc.
• Cutting and installing roof tiles and insulation
• Processing paving blocks, stone, kerbs, and flags
• Dry abrasive blasting – e.g. grit blasting
• Mining and quarrying
• Tunnelling
• Waste management – including landfills and recycling
• Steel manufacturing

Health Problems Caused By Dust

Repeated exposure to construction and industrial dust, without the appropriate
respiratory protective equipment, causes a range of debilitating and fatal conditions:

• Lung cancer
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – an incurable breathing condition
  caused by damage to the lungs from certain dusts, chemicals, and exhaust fumes.
• Silicosis – the condition caused by inhaling sand and other silicate particles, resulting
  in a hardening of the soft tissues and tubes of the lungs

Worryingly, the daily volumes of dust that need to be inhaled to place people at risk of
these conditions are tiny, often no more than a pinch of salt. This makes it essential to put
effective dust suppression systems in place in environments that produce large quantities
of dust.

Effects Of Dust On Work Rate & Productivity

Construction and workplace dust affects productivity as well as health. Large volumes of
dust obscure visibility, reducing people’s work rate and increasing the risk of accidents.
Abrasive dust particles can also interfere with construction plant and vehicles, shortening
the life of equipment and increasing repair bills.

Dust Suppression Solution 

Our TEKNOSPRAY water-based dust control units are high-capacity, mobile devices that produce a fine water vapour capable of capturing all types of harmful construction dust. The TEKNOSPRAY series are available in both lightweight and portable models, which are
mounted on wheeled trolleys to allow rapid deployment anywhere on a construction site,
and larger static models which are more suitable for jobs such as demolition. To operate,
the unit is simply hooked up to a mains water supply, a water bowser with a built-in
pressure pump, a pressurised water tank or hydraulic system, and aimed in the direction of
the dust source.