Working in hazardous areas requires not only skill and expertise but also the correct personal protective equipment (PPE).
PPE minimizes the risk of workplace injuries, keeping your workers safe. It also helps organizations comply with regulatory requirements such as those of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
One crucial PPE item for hazardous areas, particularly hazy or smoky environments, is a headlamp.
Headlamps provide visibility in low-light environments, helping workers to navigate safely and decreasing the risk of costly accidents, such as equipment damage.
But not just any headlamp will do. You need an intrinsically safe headlamp designed to prevent electrical sparks and heat from igniting.
In short, your headlamp shouldn’t be the source of a fire in an explosion-prone environment.
Today, we’ll compare two of the best hazardous area headlamps available in our Intrinsically Safe Store: the NightStick XPP-5452G and the Koehler Brightstar Vision LED Headlamp.
Discover the safety features that make these lamps safe for use in hazardous locations as we explore:
- The safety compliance of the two headlamps
- The performance of the headlamps based on their features
- Additional features that make them suitable for use in hazardous areas
1 – Intrinsically Safe Headlamp NightStick XPP-5452G
The NightStick XPP-5452G is an explosion-proof headlamp with an adjustable rubber and nylon head strap that can be worn on a hard hat or helmet. This frees up the hands to work on other tasks, maximizing productivity even in dangerous environments.
To prevent the headlamp from falling off, the strap also has a non-slip lining. It’s incredibly easy to clean and can simply be wiped down with soapy water.
What’s more, this headlamp has an adjustable ratchet tilt head made from an engineered polymer housing, allowing it to be titled or angled for ease of use in various situations.
The high-performance engineered polymer is designed with strength, durability, and stiffness in mind, making it impact and chemical resistant.
This headlamp is approved as intrinsically safe for use in Class I, Division 1 hazardous locations. It additionally has the following certifications:
- The International Electrotechnical Commission Explosives Atmosphere System (IECEx)
- Atmosphere Explosives (ATEX) Zone 0 rating
- CE mark
- Certified Electrical Testing Laboratories (cETLus), a certification mark used by Intertek
This makes it suitable for use by anyone working in a smoky or hazy environment, such as a distillery plant or a chemical processing plant.
Important Features of the NightStick XPP-5452G
- Single-body switch: The single switch is located on top of the device, making it easy to operate since there’s no need to look for a different switch when changing the light function.
- ANSI IP-67 dustproof and waterproof: The headlamp is completely dustproof. It’s also waterproof and can survive water immersion for 30 minutes in a depth of up to one meter.
- Two light modes: The NightStick XPP-5452G has a high-brightness spotlight of 180 lumens and a low-brightness spotlight of 90 lumens, both adjustable from the single body switch.
- LED technology: This provides longer-lasting lighting than traditional incandescent bulbs because it uses less energy.
- Engineered polymer housing: This tough exterior case material is impact and chemical resistant. It can also withstand high temperatures of up to 200°C.
It has a two-meter drop rating, meaning it can withstand drops of up to two meters (6.6 feet) without sustaining damage. - Adjustable ratchet tilt head: The headlamp can be tilted up and down or side to side, allowing for greater flexibility even in the tightest of spaces.
- 6 hrs/19 hrs runtime: It uses three AAA alkaline batteries that provide a 6-hr runtime at high brightness and a 19-hr runtime at low intensity.
- 93m/62m beam distance: The high-brightness function has a beam intensity of 2,180 candela that extends for a distance of up to 93m. The low-brightness function, on the other hand, has a luminous intensity of 962 candela that extends up to 62m.
Expert Tip: Please refer to this instruction manual before using your NightStick XPP-5452G Intrinsically Safe Headlamp.
“… I love that it has an excellent grip on my hard hat. I never have to worry about it falling out. Certified for Class I, Division 1, so you know you are safe to use it around fumes and chemicals.” Offshore RigMan88, Verified Buyer
The headlamp weighs only 3.5 ounces (1.6 kg) with the batteries included, making it easy to carry or wear all day long.
Take a look at this brief video of the NightStick XPP-5452G:
2 – Koehler Brightstar Vision LED Headlamp
The Koehler Brightstar Vision LED is a hazardous area headlamp certified for Class I, Division 1 zones.
It has a high-visibility green body made of lightweight polymer and weighs only 3.5 ounces (1.6 kg). The hi-vis green ensures users are visible even in hazy environments.
The polymer housing is a high-performance plastic designed to survive damage from harsh chemicals. It can also withstand the physical stress and impact caused by a one-meter high drop.
The headlamp uses LED technology, providing a clear bright beam of light with better visibility than traditional incandescent bulbs. Its LED bulb also uses less energy, which gives the headlamp a longer lifespan.
It has a maximum light output of 185 lumens with the low mode offering a brightness of 65 lumens.
The Koehler Headlamp additionally has four lighting modes, allowing you to choose between a brighter, more focused light or a dimmer light with wider coverage.
Operating a headlamp while wearing thick gloves can be a challenge, but not with the Koehler Vision LED Headlamp. Thanks to the large button conveniently located on top of the device, you can easily switch between modes without fumbling or struggling to find a specific button.
Important Features of the Koehler Brightstar Vision LED Headlamp
- Large push-button switch: The large switch located at the top of the housing is easy to operate with one hand, even when the user is wearing gloves.
- LED technology: Advanced LED technology gives the headlamp a longer lifespan than traditional incandescent bulbs.
- Light polymer housing: The device has a lightweight polymer body that weighs just 3.5 ounces. The material is also impact-resistant and can survive the physical stress of a one meter (3.2 feet) drop.
- Four light modes: The headlamp has four light modes including high flood, low flood, high spot, and low spot. The high mode provides 185 lumens of illumination, whereas the low mode has an output of 65 lumens.
- Adjustable mount: The headlamp comes with an adjustable, multi-functional strap that’s incredibly easy to use on hard hats, helmets, and even a bare head.
- IPx4 water resistant: The lamp can withstand minor water splashes but cannot survive submersion.
- 20-hour runtime: In low mode, the Koehler Brightstar Vision LED Headlamp has a 20-hour runtime, whereas the high mode has a 6.75-hour runtime.
- 65m beam distance: With a peak beam intensity of 7,000 candela, the headlamp has a 65m beam distance on high mode and 35m on low mode.
The compact dimensions of 2.4 x 1.2 x 1.8 inches make this lamp easy to wear and carry for extended periods, as does its overall weight of 3.5 ounces.
Did You Know? We offer a price match request service, subject to terms and conditions.
NightStick XPP-5452G vs. Koehler Brightstar Vision LED Headlamp
The NightStick XPP-5452G and the Koehler Brightstar Vision LED headlamps have several similarities. They both:
- Weigh 3.5 ounces (1.6 kg)
- Use LED technology powered by three AAA batteries
- Have a single push button switch located on top of the device for easy operation
- Have a multi-functional, adjustable mount that allows for use on hardhats, helmets, and bare heads
In high mode, both lamps have a similar light output of 185 and 180 lumens.
You might be tempted by the Koehler Headlamp since it appears to have a brighter light output of 185 lumens compared to the NightStick’s 180 lumens. This five lumen difference is, however, unnoticeable to the human eye.
In low mode, the NightStick XPP-5452G is brighter as it provides 90 lumens of light output as opposed to the Koehler Brightstar Vision’s output of 65 lumens.
While both headlamps are intrinsically safe for Class I, Division 1 areas, the NightStick XPP-5452G has a superior rating. It’s approved for use in Class I, Division 1, and Group A areas, which are considered the most hazardous locations.
By contrast, the Koehler Brightstar Vision LED Headlamp is approved for use in Class I, Division 1, Groups C and D hazardous areas.
Group C and D locations contain ignitable gases during normal operation, which have lower combustibility compared to those in groups A and B.
You can learn more about the different certifications and safety equipment definitions in our Expert Guide to Intrinsically Safe Equipment.
The NightStick headlamp is also approved for use in Zone 0 locations as per ATEX ratings, which is the equivalent of a Class I, Division 1 location. It additionally has the CE, IECEx, and cETLus safety approvals.
The table below further compares the differences between these two headlamps.
| Feature | NightStick XPP-5452G | Koehler Brightstar Vision LED Headlamp |
| Safety approvals | cETLus
CE ATEX IECEx Class I Div 1 Groups A–D Class II & III Div 2 Groups E–G |
UL Protection Methods
UL 913 CSA C22.2 Class I Div 1 Groups C, D Class I Div 2 Groups C, D Class II Div 1 Groups E, F, G Class II & III Div 2 Groups F, G |
| Runtime | 6 hrs on high mode
19 hrs on low mode |
6.75 hrs on high mode
20 hrs on low mode |
| Beam distance | 93m on high brightness
62m on low brightness |
65m on high brightness
35m on low brightness |
| IP rating | IP-67 (dustproof and can survive submersion for 30 minutes) | IPx4 (can only withstand occasional water splashes) |
| Drop rating | 2m or 6.6 feet | 1m or 3.2 feet |
| Light modes | High spotlight
Low spotlight |
High spot
High flood Low spot Low flood |
Get Hazardous Area Headlamps From the Intrinsically Safe Store
The Intrinsically Safe Store has a wide variety of explosion-proof headlamps, including the NightStick XPP-5452G and the Koehler Brightstar Vision LED headlamps.
Both lamps are a solid choice for potentially dangerous environments where the risk of ignition is present during normal operations.
The IP-67 dustproof and waterproof NightStick Headlamp makes an excellent choice for dusty environments with the risk of water submersion. This headlamp also has a better drop rating of 6.6 feet compared to the Koehler’s 3.2 feet.
If, however, you’re looking for a headlamp with multiple light modes for a hazardous location with minimal risk of water exposure, then the Koehler Headlamp is your lamp is the way to go.
Explore more of our collection of Intrinsically Safe headlamps on our online store. You can also contact us directly at 8327028222. We’ll be happy to recommend an intrinsically safe headlamp for your specific hazardous area.
Bonus Tip: We also offer a Premium Protect Service, that helps you install, set-up and repair all Intrinsically Safe product categories.
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