Why good commercial lighting is important

When lighting works well in a workplace, it can easily be taken for granted. But its importance quickly becomes apparent when it’s too dim, creates glare, produces shadows or fails altogether.

Good commercial lighting not only illuminates a workspace, but can help people see hazards and move safely around a building. It makes it easier to perform tasks accurately, stay comfortable and focused. It can also contribute to energy efficiency and create a more pleasant environment for employees, customers and visitors.

How lighting affects workplace safety

Poor lighting can create obvious safety problems, particularly in areas where people are moving around, operating machinery or carrying out detailed tasks.

Dark corridors, poorly illuminated stairways, uneven lighting and shadowy areas can make hazards more difficult to see. In warehouses and industrial environments, inadequate lighting can also make it harder to identify obstacles, read labels or operate equipment safely.

Good lighting should provide sufficient illumination across the areas where people work and move. At the same time, it should minimise distracting shadows and areas of excessive contrast. This is particularly important in areas such as stairways and corridors, warehouses and loading areas, workshops and manufacturing environments, car parks, entrances and exits, and areas where machinery is operated.

Lighting should also be properly maintained. However well designed at the time of installation, a lighting system can become less effective over time as lamps or LED fittings deteriorate, surfaces become dirty or individual fittings fail.

Reducing trips, falls and other accidents

One of the simplest ways good commercial lighting contributes to workplace safety is by helping people see where they are going. It’s about providing the right amount of light, in the right places, with good uniformity and without creating excessive glare.

Poorly lit walkways can make changes in floor level, steps, obstacles and spillages harder to identify. In busy commercial environments, this can increase the risk of accidents.

Exterior lighting is equally important. Entrances, pathways, car parks, service yards and loading areas may all need appropriate illumination, particularly for businesses operating outside normal daylight hours.

Lighting and employee concentration

Lighting can also influence how comfortable and focused people feel during the working day.

In offices and other environments where employees spend long periods working at screens or carrying out visually demanding tasks, poorly designed lighting can contribute to discomfort and visual fatigue. Glare from light fittings or reflections on computer screens can be particularly distracting.

A well-designed lighting scheme can help create a more comfortable working environment by considering factors such as the amount of light available at workstations, the layout of desks, machinery or displays, and the type of tasks being carried out. Other factors to take into account include the position of windows, how light is distributed through the space, and any glare or reflections.

Different workplaces have different lighting requirements

There is no single lighting solution that works equally well for every commercial building.

In workplaces such as warehouses, manufacturing facilities, kitchens and retail spaces, the right lighting can be important for another reason. Employees may need to read small print, identify products, check measurements, inspect components, enter information or operate machinery. If lighting makes these tasks unnecessarily difficult, mistakes can occur.

Lighting should therefore be designed around the tasks being performed rather than treating the entire building as though every area has the same requirements.

Avoiding glare is just as important as providing enough light

More light in a workplace isn’t automatically better. Excessive brightness, poorly positioned fittings and reflections from screens or shiny surfaces can create glare, which can be uncomfortable and make it harder to see.

In offices, for example, poorly positioned lighting can reflect off computer screens. In retail environments, excessive glare can affect how products and displays are viewed. In industrial environments, reflections from machinery or polished surfaces can interfere with visibility.

The benefits of LED lighting

LED lighting has transformed commercial lighting, providing businesses with an opportunity to improve both performance and energy efficiency.

Modern LED fittings can provide high-quality, consistent illumination while typically using significantly less energy than older lighting technologies.

For businesses replacing outdated lighting, an LED upgrade can potentially deliver several benefits. It can:

• Lower energy consumption
• Reduce maintenance requirements
• Extend operating life
• Improve light quality
• Offer more flexible control options
• Better illuminate working areas
• Reduce the need for frequent lamp replacement

Smart lighting controls can improve efficiency

A business’s lighting doesn’t necessarily need to operate at full output all day, so a well-designed lighting control system can help reduce unnecessary energy consumption without compromising safety or usability.

Occupancy sensors, daylight sensors, timers and other controls can help ensure lighting is used when and where it is needed.

Don’t overlook emergency lighting

Normal workplace lighting is only part of keeping a workplace safe. Emergency lighting also plays an important part in this.

Emergency lighting is designed to provide illumination if the normal lighting supply fails, helping people evacuate a building safely and allowing certain essential activities to continue where required.

It’s a good idea to seek professional advice for emergency lighting installations, as it is subject to specific requirements and should therefore be appropriately designed, installed, tested and maintained.

Office lighting

Office lighting needs to support concentration and screen-based work while controlling glare and creating a comfortable environment. The layout of desks, availability of daylight and use of computer screens should all be considered when designing the lighting scheme.

Retail lighting

In retail environments, lighting has a dual role. It needs to provide a safe environment for employees and customers while also helping merchandise, displays and the overall space look appealing.

Accent lighting can be used to draw attention to particular products or areas, while general lighting provides comfortable illumination throughout the store.

Warehouses and industrial environments

Warehouses and industrial premises often have high ceilings, large floor areas and potentially hazardous equipment or machinery. Lighting needs to provide good visibility across working areas, storage locations, aisles and circulation routes. The height and layout of the building also need to be considered when selecting and positioning fittings.

Hospitality and leisure

Restaurants, hotels and leisure facilities may need a combination of functional and atmospheric lighting. For example, a restaurant might require bright, practical lighting in kitchens and service areas while using lower-level or more decorative lighting in customer areas.

The lighting scheme needs to balance safety and functionality with the atmosphere the business wants to create.

Natural light

Workplace lighting design should include, where possible, making effective use of natural daylight. This can improve the working environment and reduce reliance on artificial lighting during daylight hours.

However, natural light also needs to be managed. Excessive sunlight can create glare, heat gain and uncomfortable conditions, particularly around computer screens. Blinds, shading, glazing and intelligent lighting controls can all play a role in balancing daylight with artificial illumination.

Planning for good commercial lighting

A properly designed and maintained lighting system can contribute to safety, comfort, productivity, accuracy, security and energy efficiency in the workplace. It can help employees carry out their work effectively while creating a better experience for customers and visitors.

If you’re renovating a commercial property, it’s much easier to create an effective lighting scheme as part of the overall design from the start. Changes to walls, ceilings, workstations, machinery, displays and room layouts can all affect where lighting is needed.

For this reason, lighting should ideally be considered alongside the electrical installation. This can also help avoid costly alterations later if the existing electrical infrastructure isn’t capable of supporting the new lighting scheme.

An experienced commercial electrician can help you design your lighting system around the needs of your business and integrate it properly with the wider electrical installation.