A Guide for Appropriate Industrial Illumination

Factory lamps and industrial lights are unique forms of commercial lighting. These elements provide an enhanced illumination profile that focuses on manufacturing, sorting, and picking functions.

Industrial illumination is typically seen in factories and warehouses, but it could be appropriate in other settings.

What Are Industrial Lights?

The most common industrial lights include high bay and floodlight. They are installed at different heights and provide adequate lighting in different environments with varying lighting intensities. Industrial production becomes safer when there is sufficient lighting.

Many industrial settings tend to be busy environments. That means slips and falls are more likely to happen because more people are moving in specific areas. When there isn't enough light available to properly see, whether handling machinery or processing deliveries, it is more likely that the workspace will feel uncomfortable.

What Is the Difference Between Residential and Commercial Lighting?

There are four primary points to consider when comparing residential lighting with commercial options.

1. Purpose

Residential lighting tends to focus on the interior or aesthetics of a home. It is ambient light unless there are task areas that require additional illumination. The goal is to turn a house into a functional, comfortable, and creative space.

Commercial lighting focuses on creating spaces that are safe and productive. The lumen output is typically higher to generate this outcome, with cooler temperatures incorporating more blue light waves.

2. Durability

LED light bulbs provide adequate lighting at multiple levels. Residential products are meant for light to moderate use, since the average person isn't in each room all day, every day. There's an expectation that some people could be away from home at work for a majority of their time.

Commercial lighting expects long-term daily use. These products are built to withstand more external shocks from bumps and impacts. The lifespan rating for these items is typically longer to reduce maintenance needs. 

3. Design

Most lighting in residential settings is built around creating a relaxing environment. Commercial designs look to maintain productivity, wellness, and safety.

Both styles are tied to functionality in some ways. You'd want a different light in the laundry room than the bedroom. That's like how a warehouse might focus on general elements, while an assembly line might want more task lighting.

How Bright Should Factory Settings Be for Workers?

Workplace lighting is a crucial factor that contributes to efficiency and productivity. When people are satisfied with their environment, their job satisfaction rates climb.

Businesses in the United States are governed by OSHA standard 1926.56 for establishing a minimum lighting profile in footcandles. That figure represents how much illumination a single candle produces from a distance of one foot.

The International Illumination Committee Lighting Standard S008-2001 can also play a role in how the lighting profile of factories and industrial settings is governed.

Factory spaces should be organized to reduce excessive lighting and glare because those issues can cause discomfort for some workers.

Most environments require a lux rating of 500 or more to complete specific tasks while meeting minimum lumen guidelines for square footage. The brightest spaces (requiring 1,000 lux or more) include measuring areas, fixture production, fine machinery assembly, tool use, painting, interior decoration production, and quality assurance tasks.

A minimum lux rating of 1,500 or higher is necessary for electronics assembly.

The best way to achieve both lighting standards is to create an illumination environment with LED lights in the cool color spectrum while emphasizing task lighting in critical areas. By using this approach, the different spaces in factories, warehouses, and industrial locations maximize opportunities to keep workers safe.

How Many Lumens Do I Need for a Warehouse?

The average warehouse setting requires ten lumens per square foot to provide a safe environment for workers.

If a warehouse handles and stores small items, that figure rises to 30 lumens per square foot.

When aisles exist between open spaces, a warehouse typically needs about 20 lumens per square foot.

The easiest way to measure the square footage of a specific space is to multiply the width by the length of the area. If you have a warehouse aisle that is 20 feet long and six feet wide, you know that there are 120 square feet to manage for your lumen measurement.

With the requirement of 20 lumens per square foot for an aisle, you'd multiply that figure by 120 square feet. That means this hypothetical space would need 2,400 lumens of direct support.

You could provide that lighting by installing multiple LEDs along the aisle or by using a single bright light. If you chose the latter option, the distance from surfaces would require consideration since anything directly underneath the light bulb would have a higher lux rating than items furthest away from the initial illumination point.

Is 5,000 Lux the Same as 5,000 Lumens?

Lumens and lux are often used interchangeably, but they're two different light measurements. It's helpful to remember that one lumen is equitable to having the brightness of a single candle in a room.

If you have 5,000 lumens, that means you have the equivalent of 5,000 candles in the same space.

Lux measures the levels of illuminance that falls on a specific surface. Instead of gauging an entire room, it looks at one particular spot.

If you place a flashlight so that the beam is very close to your hand, the lux rating would be high. After pulling it away, you'll have illumination at the same point on your skin, but the brightness levels won't be as intense.

When looking for factory lamps or industrial lighting needs, it helps to look for the lux rating at a specific distance. You might see a product rated for 5,000 lux at five feet. Without the distance designation, there is no way to make a product comparison unless you manually measure the lux rating.

Factories and other industrial settings require brighter and cooler lights than homes or commercial buildings because of the nature of the work that occurs. Whether it's a warehouse, a manufacturing center, or an assembly line, understanding the principles that create illumination profiles can ensure the right tone, color, and brightness are available in each space.