FOCUS HEALTH & SAFETY
SEE THE LIGHT
Mega-trends like increased
digitisation, individualisation
and urbanisation are rapidly
changing the way we work.
Stereotypical o ices are a thing
of the past, and co-working and
home o ices are now part of normal
working life. But are these working
environments fit for purpose?
Ergonomic workspaces are playing
a growing role in today’s working
world. These require innovations
such as desk-sharing workstations
that allow di erent users to adjust
the desk height, seating and monitor
position. Acoustic systems are
needed to absorb increased noise
along with improved ventilation and
airconditioning to support better air
quality.
However, there is one essential
aspect of workplace ergonomics that
tends to be overlooked. According
to workers, light is one of the most
important features of a work space
– but only 57 per cent are satisfied
with the levels in their own working
environment ().
Surveys also show that lack of
natural light would deter 38 per cent
of job seekers (2).
58 JUNE 2019
Perhaps it’s time FMs took a closer
look at lighting in their buildings.
When planning a workplace,
lighting designers o en operate on
the principle that the definition of
‘light’ is ‘enough to be able to see
well and cope with the tasks that will
be undertaken in the space’. That
begs the question of how much light
is ‘enough’. Di erent people have
di erent needs. As a result of the
darkening of the eye lens with age, a
60-year-old requires approximately
two to two and a half times as much
illuminance as someone in their
mid-twenties to achieve comparable
vision.
There are other factors at play,
too. Everyone has a personal daily
circadian rhythm, which is driven by
light and roughly synchronised with
day and night. Clinical studies (3) have
proven that modern LED lamps able to
closely replicate the colour spectrum
of sunlight – such as the Luctra range
of human-centric luminaires – a ect
the body’s production of the hormone
melatonin (just like sunlight).
These lamps can give you the same
biological ‘triggers’ as you get outside,
even when you are indoors.
Biologically e ective light can:
Provide the body with light
signals that set its internal clock
in an indoor environment
Have a stabilising effect on our
biological rhythm
Help avoid the consequences of a
disrupted circadian rhythm, such
as insomnia, irritability and lack
of concentration
Encourage longer and deeper
sleep
Encourage better wellbeing and
performance.
VISUAL ERGONOMICS
Planning regulations for new and
renovated buildings aim to ensure a
minimum level of illuminance and
uniformity of light distribution. But
there are a few flaws.
A single source of uniform light
cannot be adjusted, for example,
and therefore does not fit with the
principles of agile working. Uniform
light does not take account of the
fact that individual users require
di erent levels of illuminance to work
e ectively. Plus the regulations do
not embrace the latest findings on the
biological e ect of light.
It can be argued that traditional
lighting approaches are failing to
keep pace with other aspects of the
workplace in adapting to modern
working. They no longer fit the new
work order. But an approach known as
visual ergonomics is set to change this.
Visual ergonomics means providing
flexible workplace lighting. Just as
a user can adjust an o ice chair to
suit their requirements, so the light
over a workstation can be changed.
Visual ergonomics allows the user to
individually adjust light illuminance
and colour temperature over their
workspace, and move the light to suit
their working preferences. Solutions
are available with presence and
light sensors to adjust the lighting
automatically and turn it on and o ,
according to the prevailing conditions.
There are several benefits to this
new approach to lighting. By giving
individual workers control over factors
such as illuminance levels and colour
temperature, they not only gain a
better, bespoke quality of lighting,
they acquire a sense of empowerment.
People who have a measure of control
over their own working conditions
have increased job satisfaction and
improved productivity. This e ect
is enhanced if the control system is
tailored to the individual’s preferences
– via a touch panel or app, for example.
Flexible, localised lighting is also
economic. State-of-the-art LED
sources are e icient and virtually
maintenance-free. There is no need
to install expensive and cumbersome
overhead lighting; instead, a mix of
desk and floor lamps can be matched
to the environment, illuminating a
single workstation or bank of desks,
for example. Coupled with sensors
that adjust the lighting according to
light levels, or turn it o if no one is
present, these systems reduce energy
consumption, further saving costs.
Sam Rylands, Marketing Manager for DURABLE UK, explains why visual
ergonomics are the next logical step in workplace lighting
REFERENCE NOTES
(1) www.raconteur.net/educationworkplace
(2) www.furniture123.co.uk
(3) www.luctra.eu/fileadmin/
luctra/media/documents/
INTELLUX_Final_Report.pdf
/education-workplace
/education-workplace
/www.furniture123.co.uk
/INTELLUX_Final_Report.pdf