Adequate lighting in the workplace is critical to accurate work performance and reducing visual fatigue. Light sources within the workplace can come from overhead ceiling lighting, task lighting and natural day light entering through windows. For individuals with vision impairment, specific task lighting is often required to increase the light source by two to three times. Task lighting aims to focus light directly onto tasks, increasing the contrast between the task and surrounds.
Available task lighting alternatives include:
- torches to allow for portability or mobile task lighting
- headlamp style torches to allow portability and hands free viewing whilst mobile
- portable lamps which run off batteries, important where no power source is available
- lamps adjustable in both angle and height
- lamps with varying light level adjustability
- lamps with various mounting capacities such as clamp, heavy base style, mobile trolley stands or floor stands.
Task lighting from a lamp is preferred with the globe recessed into a shaded area of the lamp to minimise glare and focus the light onto a specific area. It is recommended that the shaded globe be positioned below eye level and directed at a 45 degree angle towards the task to allow excess light to be diverted away from the person.
When choosing an appropriate task light it is important to consider the type of bulb or globe used:
- lamps with standard or incandescent bulbs can result in shadows from the internal filament with pearl or frosted globes providing a more diffuse light with less glare than clear bulbs. Incandescent globes become hot and safety concerns need to be addressed if positioned close to the user
- LED or halogen bulbs can give brighter light but the beam of light is narrow and they become very hot which can be a safety concern if positioned close to the user
- flourescent lights provide a more diffuse light with less shadowing and glare, are generally brighter than incandescent bulbs and do not get as hot.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
For individuals with vision impairment in the workplace, overall lighting should be reviewed to ensure it meets Australian Standards, then specific task lighting considered to provide focused light and improved contrast. Adequate overall workplace lighting is still required for safe mobilisation and portable forms of task lighting may be required if having to move to other tasks such as viewing files in a compactus. A torch or headlamp may be suitable depending on the need for hands free capability.
More information on lighting can be sourced at the following links:
References
Vision Australia 2010, Use of Lighting Fact Sheet, Vision Australia, Enfield, Sydney, viewed 21 February 2011, http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=777.