GUEST COLUMN
The critical role of lighting in industrial safety
Specifying industrial-grade products is common practice across the industrial sector to cope with the harsh and challenging environments. Yet many facilities are still overlooking one of the most relied on and perhaps most important safety features in the whole setting – the lighting system. Dialight explores the critical role that lighting plays in securing safe working environments across the industrial sector.
lead to injury or, in the most serious of incidents, death – with any loss of life being a tragedy that often could have been avoided. These serious accidents inevitably cost billions of dollars in medical expenses and lost productivity. Yet evidence shows that the risk of accidents
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can be reduced by as much as 60% through the use of clear illumination, which is easily achievable through LED lighting. This is because poor lighting has been identified as a leading cause of slips, trips, falls and contact with objects and equipment at industrial workplaces, according to data from the US Department of Labor.
Not only is LED lighting sustainable in terms of
energy efficiency, but when designed for arduous industrial applications, it safeguards the health and well-being of employees.
Industrial LED lighting offers bright, near daylight illumination with more natural colour rendering, providing clear visibility of hazards without the need for supplemental lighting such as flashlights. Bolstering their safety credentials, LED fixtures are instant-on, so no waiting for the light to ‘warm up’ or reach full illumination levels. In the event of power loss, other antiquated fixtures can take up to 20 minutes to come back to full brightness, introducing an unnecessary safety risk.
Furthermore, lighting solutions must be
resilient in the event of power outages, high heat and humidity and vibration while continuing to provide consistent performance with near daylight illumination to give full visibility.
he industrial sector is, by its very nature, fraught with harsh and hazardous conditions. Sadly, these environments can
A clear view Reliability is also key for any successful lighting solution, and LED fixtures are made without mercury or other harmful materials that often require special handling and regular upkeep. This is a clear benefit when compared with traditional lighting technologies such as metal halide, fluorescent and high-pressure sodium (HPS), which require significant and frequent maintenance. These older technologies have short lifespans, poor lumen maintenance and contain materials harmful to our environment. In fact, the lifespan of industrial LED fixtures is at least three times longer than HPS or fluorescent luminaires, ultimately reducing the risk of injury that frequent maintenance poses.
As well as illuminating the physical space
around employees, allowing them to be more aware of hazards and potential risks, research has also shown that illuminating spaces with adequate lighting increases alertness among operatives, in turn helping employees to remain more diligent in hazardous environments. Furthermore, high-quality products from
reputable manufacturers such as Dialight are designed to withstand the rigours of industrial use and harsh environments. This includes high heat, vibration, dust and debris, unstable power conditions and even explosive atmospheres.
Keeping the lights on To explore this in more detail, let’s take vibration as an example of the risks to lighting fixtures. Constant vibration of non-stop heavy machinery can, quite literally, shake lighting fixtures apart. Not to mention even the slightest direct impact from moving equipment can also easily destroy
a fixture, requiring immediate replacement. Conventional HID (high-intensity discharge) sources are especially vulnerable due to the inherent design of the lamps, which can be easily and adversely affected by vibration and impact, causing premature failure. But even some LED fixtures with solid-state design can suffer the same fate if they aren’t designed to withstand these conditions. The drivers, power connections, and even the fixture housing itself can quickly fall apart under constant vibration. Dampeners at the mounting can help to some degree, but there’s still only so much a thin piece of rubber can do under extreme conditions. The only true way to mitigate this risk is
to specify heavy-duty, industrial-grade LED fixtures that are tested to withstand high-vibration environments and include built-in shock resistance. Long-life potted drivers and rugged, proven mechanical designs can protect against damage from vibration and shock-related failures. Strategies that are intent on saving money by installing inexpensive, off-the-shelf fixtures end up costing significantly more in the long run. Of course, companies don’t intentionally put their employees at risk with cheap lighting. Many simply don’t realise just how much damage their environment can do to the electronic components of low-cost LED lighting fixtures, or that there are industrial-grade solutions built for better reliability.
Fundamentally, when designed properly, industrial LED lighting systems offer superior energy efficiency, reliability, longevity, improved light levels, visual clarity and ultimately cost savings from reduced or eliminated lighting- related maintenance and energy costs.
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