OSHA Lighting Standards for Workplace Safety

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:

• Definitions of some uncommon terms used in OSHA regulations
• OSHA lighting standards for general industry
• OSHA lighting standards specific to illumination and light fixtures
• The benefits of complying with OSHA lighting standards
• Suggestions for LED warehouse lighting, outdoor lighting and office lighting selections that help bring your workplace into compliance

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:

• General construction areas: 5 ft-c
• Shop areas, workrooms, indoor toilets: 10 ft-c
• Offices or first-aid stations: 30 ft-c
• Loading platforms, active storage areas: 3 ft-c

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:

• Have protective plates
• Be a minimum of 7 feet above work surfaces or include a shatterproof shield
• Leave no exposed or live parts
• Not have any opening large enough to put a finger through
• Be firmly mounted to a wall or ceiling

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:

• Eye strain
• Fatigue
• Call-offs, accidents and injuries
• Production downtime
• Risk of legal liabilities

On the other hand, not complying with OSHA lighting standards puts your business at risk for some expensive consequences, including:

• Fines of $13,000 or more
• Liability lawsuits for workers compensation, personal injury or wrongful death
• Parallel inspections and repeat citations
• Sanctions from other agencies, like the EPA or Department of Labor
• Allegations of intentional disregard, punitive damages and criminal charges
• A ruined reputation, lost contracts and business closure

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:

EUFO High Bays [Link]

• Fast, Easy Installation
• Budget-Friendly Pricing
• Wattage & CCT Selectability
• Up to 145 Lumens/Watt
• IP65 Wet-Location Rating
• Optional Microwave Motion Sensor

General Purpose Strips[Link]

• Multiple Mounting Options
• 80+ Color Rendering Index (CRI)
• Wattage & CCT Selectability in Some Models
• Wide Beam Angle
• Damp or Wet Location Ratings
• Optional Battery Backup, Motion Sensors & More

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:

Elements LED Area Light[Link]

• Various Mounting Options Available
• Wattage & CCT Selectability
• 137 Lumens/Watt
• 50,000-Hour Rated Lifespan
• IP65-Rated For Outdoor Use
• Tool-Free Maintenance Access

Select Series LED Wall Packs[Link]

• Same Footprint as Existing HID Wall Packs
• Wattage & CCT Selectability
• Up to 175 Lumens/Watt
• Wet Location Rated
• Easy-Access Wiring
• Optional Photocell Sensor

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:

LED Panels & Troffers[Link]

• Designed to Fit Standard T-Bar Grid Ceilings
• Lightweight & Easy to Install
• Back-Lit Tech For Even Illumination
• Smooth, Continuous Dimming
• Damp Location Rating
• Optional Air Purifying, Chicago Plenum & More

Select Series Lighting Line[Link]

• Multiple Fixture Types & Sizes
• Options For Indoor & Outdoor Applications
• Wattage & CCT Selectability
• 50,000-Hour Rated Lifespan
• Smooth, Uniform Dimming
• Options For Battery Backup, Motion Sensor & More

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!

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