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Improper Lighting
When we think of hazards in and around the workplace, often times we consider heavy machinery, power tools, chemicals, and electrical hazards, just to name a few. One item that is easily overlooked is proper lighting. Whether it is indoors or outdoors in areas such as parking lots, improper lighting can be a serious hazard. In this piece we will focus on the topic in two sections. The first section will touch on a couple of hazards associated with insufficient outdoor lighting, most of which can also carry over to hazards of insufficient indoor lighting as well, and in the second section we will touch briefly on some of the indoor lighting requirements.
Improper Outdoor Lighting
Improper outdoor lighting can cause a number of significant issues and hazards to include not only safety but security hazards as well. Poorly lit outdoor areas can be a breeding ground for criminal activity such as automobile break-ins or even theft. It can also set the stage for other crimes such as robbery. A well-lit outdoor area like a parking lot reduces the opportunity for criminal activity. Poorly lit outdoor areas can also present slip, trip, or fall hazards to those who frequent the areas. Such hazards may not be clearly visible to those who are navigating the areas in poor lighting. Outdoor work areas such as the outside of loading docks, parking lots, outside stairwells, and building entrances should have the lighting inspected on a regular basis to ensure that the lights are working properly and have blown bulbs or malfunctioning lights replaced immediately. Complaints of poor outdoor lighting should be taken seriously and any issues corrected when noted.
Improper Indoor Lighting and Indoor Lighting Requirements
When it comes to improper indoor lighting, especially in a factory or other industrial type setting, security issues are not as much an issue as they are with improper outdoor lighting; however, more accident prevention issues tend to be encountered indoors. Slip and fall hazards become more prevalent as do opportunities for dropped tools or materials. Another significant issue that can result from improper indoor lighting is headaches and eye strain. Just as with outdoor lighting, maintaining a schedule to check for blown or malfunctioning lights should be added to indoor facility inspections and any issues found should be corrected immediately. There are certain requirements for lighting that should be met to ensure that the illumination of the workplace is sufficient for safe activity and does not cause strain on the eyes. The table below from www.engineeringtoolbox.com displays some of these requirements for different areas as well as the proper illumination for various types of tasks as well:
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