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1-2.022 July 2010

Industrial illumination

Introduction

Industrial facilities factories, warehouses, loading docks, maintenance shops and so on are often poorlylighted. There are a number of reasons why this might happen. The situation may be due simply to the age ofthe building and the lighting fixtures. Inadequate maintenance may result in broken fixtures and failed bulbs orballasts. Changes in occupancy or process may require higher levels of illumination than were needed before.Efforts to reduce energy use and costs sometimes result in changes in lighting that meet those goals but createlong-term issues on the factory floor.

Poor illumination can be a major contributor to a number of workplace problems, including:

Poor quality in order to produce 'on-specification' material employees must be able to see what theyare doing and see defects as they occur

Poor productivity as workers strain to see they may be slowed in their work

Employee dissatisfaction industrial engineers and psychologists have demonstrated the effect ofworkplace appearance on worker morale

Injuries to workers and visitors

The cost of improved illumination can often be recovered in improvements in yield, quality, productivity andsafety performance. According to Zurich research, the average slip, trip and fall injury results in over $21,000 indirect costs. A study of nearly six years of workers compensation claims showed that 22.6% were the result ofslips, trips and falls. Many of these injuries may have been avoided had proper lighting been in place.

However, illumination is not just lighting. The use of lighter and brighter colors on walls, floors and ceilings andthe use of contrasting colors for railings, stairs, and equipment may be all that is needed to 'brighten up' theworkplace.

Lighting design

The type of lighting equipment installed should be selected to safely provide the required quality and quantity ofillumination for the particular manufacturing processes in operation. Only listed or approved equipment shouldbe used, and it should be installed so that it can be easily and safely maintained. Overall economy, including

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amount of energy used, is a major consideration, but should not be allowed to outweigh the need for properquality and quantity of light on the task.

The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) lists a number of factors relating to the quality ofillumination. Important among these are:

Color appearance and contrast

Glare Flicker and strobe effect

Light distribution Glare Shadows Light level on the task plane

Some lighting quality factors take on more importance depending upon the task being performed. For example,in shipping and receiving areas the major consideration is the level of light on the task plane. In parts inspectionareas, other issues come into play, such as ability to differentiate colors, glare, flicker and shadows.

Lighting intensity

In their Recommended Practice for Lighting Industrial Facilities (ANSI/IESNA RP-7-01), IESNA places industrial tasksinto seven categories.

Categories A, B and C cover simple tasks where minimal quantity of illumination is required, primarily forsafety and comfort. Reading and visual tasks such as assembly and inspection would not be donefrequently in these areas. Reception areas, break rooms and the like fit into these categories, whereillumination levels from 3 to 10 foot-candles (fc) are appropriate.

Categories D, E and F include most industrial workplaces. These are the areas where machines areoperated, material is handled and parts are assembled. Depending upon the size and contrast of thetask, 30 to 100 fc is required.

Category G involves special visual tasks such as quality inspection, fine hand stitching and intricatewoodcarving. Illumination levels of 300 to 1000 fc may be required on the task. These high levels oflighting are often provided by supplementary light sources close to the work.

ANSI/IESNA RP-7-01 lists dozens of examples of industrial areas and recommended lighting levels in Annex A2. Afew of these include:

Industrial control rooms 30 fcFoundry grinding and chipping 150 fcMolten metal pouring/teeming 75 fcPaper box manufacturing 75 fcPrinting press room 75 fcPrinting proofreading 150 fcSheet metal bench work 75 fcSheet metal scribing 150 fcStructural metal fabricating 75 fc

Jewelry and watch manufacturing 300 fcTire building 150 fc

Conclusion

Finally, let the eyes decide. If workers complain that an area is too dark, or if your eyes tell you that illuminationis insufficient, it probably is. Refinishing the workplace in light and contrasting colors may make the difference.Perhaps cleaning the existing lamps and fixtures and replacing some lamps and ballasts will be needed. Maybethe addition of some task lighting or an increase in the general illumination level is in order. Whatever the case,do not underestimate the value of proper lighting in the industrial workplace.

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ZurichServ ces Corporation

1400 American Lane,Schaumburg,

Illinois 60196-1056800 982 5964 www.zurichna.com

ZunchServices Corporation

Risk Engineering

Theinformation in this publication was compiled by Zurich ServicesCorporaton from sources believed to bereliable.Wedo not guaranteethe accuracyof this informationor any results and further assumeno liab1ltyinconnection with this publication,including any information,methodsor safety suggestions contained herein.Moreover,Zurich ServicesCorporation remindsyou that this publicationcannot be assumed to contain everyacceptablesafety and compilanceprocedureor that additionalprocedures might not be appropriate under

the circumstances.Thesubject matter of thispublication is not tied to any specificinsuranceproduct nor willadopting these procedures insurecoverageunder any insurancepolicy.

2010 ZurichServices Corporation

ZURICH

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