Lighting

Lighting levels in the workplace

Lighting levels in the workplace are very subjective – what may be acceptable to one member of staff may be too bright or too dull for another. There are some lighting level recommendations published by the Health and Safety Executive as well as more guidance in their document, Lighting at Work, HSG 38, which is available to download on their website, http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/lighting.htm

Levels recommended

Light levels are measured in lux – the following is an overview of the levels recommended in certain situations.

• Movement of people, machines and vehicles – e.g. Lorry park, corridors, circulation routes – average 20, min 5
• Movement of people, machines and vehicles in hazardous areas – e.g. construction sites, loading bays - average 50, min 20
• Work requiring limited perception of detail – e.g. Kitchens, factories, assembling large components, potteries - average 100, min 50
• Work requiring perception of detail – e.g. Offices, sheet metal work, bookbinding – average 200, min 100
• Work requiring perception of fine detail – e.g. Drawing offices, factories assembling electronic components, textile production – average 500, min

Natural light is always preferred but this is not always possible therefore secondary lighting, such as overhead or desk lamps, can also be used to achieve the desired lighting level.

Sensor lighting in corridors and stairwells

The University is always looking at being more sustainable and lighting that is on constantly or for the majority of the day is not only expensive, but also wastes resources. Sensor lighting or lighting at 50% (or % of full lighting) is a possible solution to this. However, some factors to consider when looking at replacing normal light switches with sensor lights include:

• Size of stairwell landing – the smaller it is, the less safe it would be to have motion sensors as there may not be enough time for the lights to come on before staff attempt to use the stairs. It may be that the motion sensor could be outside the stair well so the lights are on when staff get to the landing or that lights are constantly at a low level and are increased as the motion detector activated.
• Levels of light between the corridor and stairwell – going from a darker area into a brightly lit area, or vice versa, is not advisable as eyes can take a while to adjust. If any sensors are installed, the lighting should be at such a level to complement each other or to gradually get brighter over a few seconds.
• Number of visitors to the building versus permanent staff – it may not be a great idea to have motion sensors with lights on or off in buildings where you have a high number of people visiting who are not familiar with the building. In these sorts of cases, the 50% lighting levels may be more applicable.
• Also need to take into account people with visual impairments who frequent the building.
• If installed, the system should be reviewed regularly to ensure it is not causing any safety issues and returned to static lighting immediately if issues are found (or fixes put in place immediately).
• Emergency lighting is separate to this issue and any major changes should be in consultation with the Fire Safety Unit.

Who to contact if you have issues with the lighting at your work