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Modern safety wear made from Kevlar and other advanced materials
can minimize the risk of injury from an anti-personnel mine explosion
very close to the wearer.
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The safety wear
The deminer (this is what mine clearing personnel are called) wears special
safety gear when he is working. Apart from knee and calf protectors, it
is mostly comprised of a Kevlar weave body armour that can stop the fragments
from an exploding anti-personnel blast mine. Around the neck is a collar
that stops fragments passing beneath the visor. Built into the body armour
is a pocket used to store the scrap metal the deminer may find and a clip
for his mine detection probe. The safety visor is made from thick, blast-resistant
polycarbonate.
The tools
From a distance they look like simple garden tools, but they are all
tailored to the special needs of mine clearance. The tools are made from
selected steels, and high-density polyethylene with flexible armour shields.
Because of their design, they bend rather than break or splinter dangerously
in an explosion.
The communication gear
For the safety of the operation, reliable communications are highly important.
Radios and satellite telephones are always on site and are manned by trained
operators so that, in case of an emergency, they know exactly who to contact.
Additional information on the topic of communications can be found here.
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