TOOLBOX TALK 213

SEA WORLD ABU DHABI

Lighting / Illumination 11-16 September 2023

Lighting at work is very important to the health &

safety of everyone in the workplace. The quicker
and easier it is to see a hazard, the more easily it
is resolved. The types of hazards present at work
therefore determine the lighting requirements for
safe operation.

Existing & Potential Hazards

Poor lighting affects the health of people working
causing symptoms like eye strain, migraine, headache,
irritability and poor concentration at work.

Communication & Control

1) Employers or persons planning a work area should
take several factors into consideration such as the
nature of the work, work environment, daytime and
nighttime lighting needs, and glare or reflections due Behavioral Safety
to other lights or outdoor light.
If the level of lighting in your work area is
2) Task lighting is a more concentrated light to help
insufficient, don’t ignore it. Ensure that you
workers perform their jobs safely, and without eye
immediately report it to your supervisor to get it
strain or glare.
fixed as soon as possible.
3) Injuries due to a poor workplace lighting happen
often, and in a variety of workplaces and situations.
Illness such as eye strain and severe headaches are Safety Sign in Focus
also attributed to poor or wrong lighting.
4) Task lighting may be needed for a worker who sits at a
desk, works at a machine or works in a smaller room
without natural or other sources of light.
5) Ensure you have provided sufficient lighting in your
work area to perform your task safe.
6) It is important to measure the light in a workplace. A
light meter measures light intensity in foot-candles
and is used to help determine the needs for lighting in
various areas and on various jobs.
7) Position the task lights in such a way that it could give
maximum output avoiding contrast reduction
resulting in loss of visibility.
8) If in doubt, get your work area measured for level of Safety Awareness
lighting and provide lightings as per HSE
recommendations. Proper illumination provides
9) Adequate lighting is necessary to all access routes and
work areas to make sure that workers will find their better work concentration.
way-out during emergency situations.