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HOW TO MEASURE LIGHT AND LUX LEVELS

Its vitally important to know how to measure light & lux levels in 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. Using a light or lux meter to measure light levels in
your workplace can help you in avoiding such issues.

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 a light level meter. These
instruments will typically provide a luminance reading based on either lux or foot-candles. 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

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Tel: 01530 566800, Fax: 01530560373, Email: sales@atp-instruments.co.uk, Web: www.atp-instrumentation.co.uk
The amount of light (or lux) required to suit your workplace depends on the type of work being done, but the
list below gives an indication of the light (or lux levels) required for different types 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 & 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

Interior light / lux levels are much lower than outdoor natural light / lux levels. Some typical light/ lux levels
are:

Environment Light / Lux Level
Very Bright Summer Day Up to 100,000 Lux
Overcast Summer Day 30,000 40,000 Lux
Floodlit Football Match 700 16,000 Lux
Shady Room in Daylight 250 300 Lux
Night Light on a Building 60 Lux
Nighttime Urban Street 10 Lux
Nighttime 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 meter calibrated before 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 application could 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 a data 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 be attached to emails or reports, and
is great for traceability in critical environments.

Click here for a video demonstration of a typical light meters size, functionality, features, and workplace
applications.

ATP Instrumentation has 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.