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HOW TO MEASURE LIGHT AND LUX

LEVELS

Its vitally important to knowhow to measure light&Lux levelsin the workplace; bad lighting can be

hugely detrimental to your business. Not enough light (or low Lux levels) may cause fatigue, muscle

strain, and costly mistakes in work, particularly if an employee or colleague is exposed to insufficient

lighting over long periods of time. The same is true for excessive light (or Lux) levels. Glare and

reflected light can distract an individual and impair his or her vision, which is particularly dangerous

when a job requires the workers full attention, such as working with machinery or hazardous

chemicals.

Appropriate lighting should be ensured at all times through testing and regular maintenance. Under

the Health & Safety at Work Act of 1974, an employer has a duty to ensure the health & safety of

employees. The Act includes a duty to provide lighting to ensure that work can be done safely, and

that employees health or eyesight are not jeopardised. Regulation no.8 of the Workplace

Regulations Act 1992 states that employers must ensure that:

Every workplace has suitable & sufficient lighting. This should be natural light, so far as is reasonably practicable. Suitable & sufficient emergency lighting shall be provided where needed.

To test, and maintain a required lighting level, its standard industry practise to use alight level

meter. These instruments will typically provide a luminance reading based on either Lux or Foot-

Candles. Lux (Lux) is a unit of illumination of one square metre, which is one metre away from a

uniform light source. It is also a European standard of measurement. Foot-Candles (FC) is a unit of

illumination of one square foot, which is one foot away from a uniform light source. It is a U.S

measurement standard.

1 Lux = 0.0929 FC, 1 FC 10.76 Lux

The amount of light (or Lux) required to suit your workplace obviously depends on the type of work

being done, but the list below gives an indication of the light (or Lux levels) required for differentkinds of working environments.

Environment Required Light Level

Storage Area / Plant Room (minimal movement of people) 150 200 Lux

Construction Areas & Loading Bays (minimal perception of detail) 300 500 Lux

Factories & Kitchens (higher perception of detail) 500 750 Lux

Inspection, Welding and Machinery (demanding work) 750 1000 Lux

Electronics & Textile Production (repetitive work) 1000 1500 Lux

Technical Offices (accurate detail) 1500 3000 Lux

Jewellers & Goldsmiths (precision detail) 3000 + Lux

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Interior light (Lux) levels are much lower than outdoor natural light (Lux) levels. Some typical light

(Lux) levels are:

Environment Light Level

Very Bright Summer Day Up to 100,000 Lux

Overcast Summer Day 30,000 to 40,000 Lux

Floodlit Football Match 700 to 16,000 Lux

Shady Room In Daylight 250 to 300 Lux

Night Light On A Building 60 Lux

Night-Time Urban Street 10 Lux

Night-Time Car Park 1 Lux

When youre choosing a light meter, its important to understand its associated Lux (or FC)

measurement range, resolution, accuracy, and the maintenance required to achieve repeatable

measurements. Youll also need to consider the environment in which the light meter is used.

Consider the tables above, taking measurements outdoors will require a much higher Lux (or FC)

measurement range, and in a professional environment, the accuracy of your reading will ultimately

affect the credibility of your future measurements, and organisation as a whole.

So, Its also a good idea to have your light metercalibratedbefore taking a measurement. In todays

market, more light meters are used without firstly being checked for traceable accuracy, or

suitability of purpose, yet the accuracy and suitability of your light meter to its intended applicationcould be the difference between passing and failing a health & safety audit, wasting a whole

industrial process, or being correct the first time.

Also, if your company is ISO accredited, then having all instruments used as a controlling element

calibrated on a regular basis is a mandatory part of the auditable procedure.

Taking a reading is relatively straight forward, simply expose the light meter sensor to your desired

environment, and log the reading displayed on the display. If youd like to submit regular readings to

management, auditors, or work colleagues, you may like to consider adata logging light meter.

These instruments allow continuous Lux (or FC) measurements to be displayed in real-time, or

downloaded and stored to PCs or Laptop computers. The recorded measurements can then beattached to emails or reports, and is great for traceability in critical environments.

Click herefor a visual indication of a typical light meters size, functionality, features, and workplace

applications.

ATP Instrumentationhas a wide range of light meters available designed to suit your individual

requirements. If you have a technical query, please call us now on 01530 566800, and well refer you

to our instrument technical team.

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