The MineSafe Company provides a range of products to eliminate the scalding injuries that can result when removing radiator caps from hot radiators. A radiator is a pressure vessel and should be treated as such. In fact, it should be treated with the same respect as a gas bottle, able to inflict the same potentially serious burns and injuries in the hands of an inexperienced or ignorant operator, or a person with reading or vision difficulties.
As standard radiator caps have a pressure-release mechanism built into them, they will only work in conjunction with the filler neck. As a result, this type of action is a very hit-and-miss approach to the safe release of pressure.
Safety locking pressure-release radiator caps
More than eight years ago, Chris Sibley began the development of a new safety locking pressure-release radiator cap, primarily for underground coal mining because of the scald injuries sustained by so many maintenance personnel in this area of industry. After several years of design, the radiator cap was finally released to the market.
Today, MineSafe radiator caps are available in heavy industrial, industrial and automotive sizes, in a range of pressure ratings to suit many applications. The heavy industrial radiator cap has been developed for larger applications such as locomotives and dump trucks.
Radiator caps for the mining industry
The MineSafe radiator caps have been designed for use in underground mining. The radiator caps eliminate scalding injuries resulting from people removing caps from hot radiators. Although there are a few alternatives on the market, none of them can prevent these injuries reliably like the MineSafe cap.
The MineSafe radiator cap has been designed from the ground up to be:
- Safe – the caps cannot physically be removed until the pressure has been released using the integrated pressure release lever
- Robust – no aluminium or plastic components
- Mine ready
- Suitable for a very large range of automotive and industrial applications
Industrial radiator caps
Industrial radiator caps, the original MineSafe units, have been specifically designed to be robust for the mining industry, while providing a safe environment for all employees. These caps have a locking lever, which prevents their removal before the pressure is released, thereby saving the cost, both personal and financial, of serious injury to personnel.
The industrial radiator caps are available in the following pressure ratings: 4lb, 7lb, 10lb, 13lb, 16lb and 20lb.
Heavy industrial radiator caps
While current radiator cap models require the operator to exert considerable pressure to fit and remove the cap, MineSafe’s caps are different. The heavy industrial radiator cap from MineSafe is far easier to fit and remove because lifting the pressure release lever will not only release the pressure from the radiator, it will automatically compress the spring, meaning that minimal effort is needed to fit and remove the cap.
The heavy industrial radiator cap has been on the market since 2008 and is the only cap of this size in the world designed to suit coolant recovery systems. The caps are available in 7lb, 10lb, 14lb and 20lb.
Automotive radiator caps
MineSafe’s automotive caps fit the majority of non-industrial sized radiators. Incidentally, they are also safe to use underground because they contain no alloy components. The caps have an extremely robust construction, using brass pins instead of plastic and stainless steel where extra endurance is required. This means that they last longer than other caps, resulting in less vehicle downtime.
The automotive radiator caps are available in the following pressure ratings: 4lb, 7lb, 10lb, 13lb, 16lb, 20lb and 30lb.
Extra-safe radiator caps
MineSafe radiator caps are specifically designed for safe use in mines, having no aluminium or plastic components, and the cap cannot be removed until the pressure release lever has been lifted out of the locking plate, thereby releasing the dangerous levels of water pressure and allowing safer removal of the cap.