10/30/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2024 10:18
When you feel safe and healthy at your job, you can thank the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Labor ensures workplace conditions across a wide range of industries meet minimum standards for protecting workers from undue risk of injury or illness.
OSHA regulations cover everything from harmful substances like asbestos and lead to emergency response preparedness. There's even a set of commercial lighting standards aimed at preventing accidents and minimizing eye strain.
It's not always obvious how LED lighting helps meet safety standards like those from OSHA - but the light-obsessed experts at TCP have your back! We put together some valuable information on OSHA lighting standards that should help you navigate these complex government rules.
Let's dive into:
OSHA Lighting Requirements
Have you ever tried reading government regulations? It's a tough slog. They often include weird terms you simply never encounter in a typical day.
Here are definitions of two such terms OSHA uses in its commercial lighting standards:
Foot Candle - Expressed as ft-c, this is a measurement of light output, defined as the amount of illumination produced by a candle at a distance of one foot away. One ft-c equals 1 lumen/square foot.
Lux Level - This is basically the metric equivalent of a foot-candle. One lux is defined as the amount of illumination that one candle emits onto a one-square-meter surface area from a distance of one meter. One ft-c equals 10.76 lux.
The key takeaway here is the equation of 1 ft-c = 1 lumen/square foot. All OSHA lighting standards are noted in foot candles, yet all modern LED lighting is quantified by lumens. Understanding this conversion will go a long way toward helping you choose the best lighting options for your workplace.
OSHA Illumination Requirements
In general, OSHA requires "adequate lighting" for workers to be able to do their jobs and safely find exits in a variety of workspaces. Regulations don't often stipulate a specific level of illumination, but OSHA's lighting standards do specify ft-c minimums for a variety of location types.
Here are a few of the more common minimum standards:
If you do the math, you'll see that a 5 ft-c light only supplies about 5 lumens per square foot, which is inadequate. Keep in mind that these are minimums, and all of TCP's LED commercial lighting options exceed them.
OSHA Fixture Requirements
OSHA's standards for lighting fixtures focus on preventing injury from lights that have been incorrectly installed.
All OSHA-compliant light fixtures must:
TCP's lighting installation and safety tips can guide you through achieving these OSHA lighting standards with ease.
Benefits of Complying with OSHA Standards
When business owners make the effort to comply with OSHA's lighting standards, it shows their workers how much they're valued. It also elevates efficiency and productivity on the job by reducing:
On the other hand, not complying with OSHA lighting standards puts your business at risk for some expensive consequences, including:
TCP Lighting Solutions That Meet OSHA Standards
Now that we've clarified the importance of meeting OSHA's commercial lighting standards, let's find some TCP options for upgrading the illumination in your workplace. To help recoup some of the upfront cost of upgrading to LEDs for a better workplace, consider utility rebates and other ways to save your business money.
Industrial Lighting
Warehouses, manufacturing facilities and other industrial workplaces require powerful, energy-efficient lighting. Consider these durable LED warehouse lighting options for up to 40-foot ceiling heights:
Outdoor Lighting
From parking areas to exterior stairways and walkways, the outdoor spaces around your workplace have special requirements. Choose these products for superior illumination, reliability and durability:
Select Series LED Wall Packs[Link]
Office Lighting
Lighting an office of any size comes with a lot of challenges. From mitigating glare on computer screens to changing a room's vibe with the flip of a switch, these TCP lights offer flexibility for corporate, commercial and home offices:
Select Series Lighting Line[Link]
Choose TCP for OSHA Compliant Lighting Solutions
TCP is your partner for illuminating a safe workplace and staying in compliance with OSHA lighting standards. Check out our super-cool online Lighting Layout Tool for help choosing adequate lighting for your project. And see how your bottom line will benefit from upgrading to our LED lighting options with our handy Lighting ROI Calculator.
Ready to make the switch for a healthier, safer business environment? Get a quote today - and we'll ship your high-quality lighting choices without delay!