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| Module 1: Occupational Hygiene - Section 5: Instrumentation |
| OH5.12: Principles of Illumination - Introduction |
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| Module 1: Occupational Hygiene - Section 5: Instrumentation |
| OH5.12: Principles of Illumination - Introduction |
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It is important that workplace lighting is maintained to a good standard. That is, lighting levels must be sufficiently high to enable workers to clearly see their tasks but not too high as to cause glare or dazzle. 1
Good lighting has many advantages, including:
Poor workplace lighting not only creates eye strain, particularly if the task to be performed contains small detail work, but can cause fatigue, leading to errors in the workplace and an increased accident risk. 2 Other problems that are associated with poor lighting are glare, improper contrast, and flicker.
Different levels of illumination are required for different tasks, thus workplace lighting must be designed for the type of work to be undertaken. Unfortunately, work patterns change, sources of illumination deteriorate with age, particularly in industrial situations. That is, windows and light fittings accumulate dirt and dust which reduce the amount of light emanating from them. This often occurs so gradually that it goes unnoticed. Therefore, it is prudent for workplace lighting levels to be measured from time to time and for the results to be checked against recommended standards.
