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Cool Tools: Cordless Hard Hat 360 Degree Light Attachment

Illumagear's new Halo LightIllumagear's new Halo Light

Illumagear’s new Halo Light

Two of the most critical concepts of construction safety are the ability to see what you’re doing and to also be seen by others around you.  Construction workers rely heavily on their employer providing lighting systems when working in low light conditions, but those systems are not always adequate. 

new halo light batterynew halo light battery

A few years ago, Illumagear introduced the original Halo Light, which was a light attachment for any standard hard hat, powered by a wired battery pack that clipped to the user’s belt.  Just recently, the company gave their flagship product a major upgrade, by introducing the new Halo, featuring cordless battery power. 

Utilizing a single rechargable lithium ion battery the size of a AA embedded in the ring, the Halo provides light on its highest settings (halo mode, 276 lumens) for up to 5.5 hours and up to 34 hours on its lowest setting (dim mode, 49 lumens). More importantly, the 360 degree light keeps you visible from over a quarter of a mile away. There are two other settings, including task mode (5.5 hours runtime, 259 lumens) and hi-alert mode (14 hours, fluctuating luminosity).

According to the company, it’s also built to last in tough environments and they have the videos to prove it.  The light attachment was sent through the wringer in a variety of tests, including being dropped 25 feet off a scissor lift, run over by a Jeep, immersed in water, abused in a toolbox, and buried in mud.  Here’s the video of it being dropped off the scissor lift:

The new Halo weighs around 10 ounces and fastens to your hard hat with clips.  There’s a full list of all of the compatible hard hats, covering at least 16 different manufacturers, on the company’s website.

The Halo Light is available now for $99, which includes one rechargeable lithium ion battery.  The battery charger is sold separately, however. 

This second video below shows the difference between a typical headlamp and the Halo Light:

Two of the most critical concepts of construction safety are the ability to see what you’re doing and to also be seen by others around you.  Construction workers rely heavily on their employer providing lighting systems when working in low light conditions, but those systems are not always adequate. 

There’s no doubt that the construction industry is behind when it comes to technology, but things are beginning to change.  In the past few years, our industry has seen millions of dollars poured into new technology, including smartphone apps, advanced construction materials, and advanced safety equipment.  One of the struggles –and perhaps the main struggle- with introducing new technology to the field staff is that many of them have been managing their jobs the same way for a long time.  It can be difficult to convince them to change, especially if they have been successful with their current process.

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Read on to find out how you can win a free (4) pack of Milwaukee TICK ($99 Value)

Construction apps are popping up all over the place and it’s getting increasingly difficult to determine which ones are right for you personally or right for your business. The truth is, there probably isn’t one application that will meet all of your needs.  Procore, one of the leaders in construction project management software, recognized this issue and decided to do something about it.

Solar roofs are an obviously popular choice for those interested in conserving energy, but traditional panels are extremely clunky and expensive.  Tesla and CEO Elon Musk announced last year that they have solved that issue, which the impending release of Tesla Solar Roof, which look like a traditional roof shingle.