Lighting
It is well recognised that poor lighting reduces efficiency, increases employee stress, can lead to accidents, injuries or death and lowers workplace moral. Therefore the employer has an obligation to ensure that all lighting is safe and does not pose a health to their employees. For example, suitable task lighting may be required for precise work, sufficient outside lighting may be required to ensure that pedestrians can be seen.
Therefore good lighting should:
  • Provide employee safety
  • Provide an acceptable working environment for optimum job performance
  • Provide a comfortable workplace atmosphere.

In general people tend to prefer to work in natural lighting, so ensure that windows are kept clean and free of obstruction. In the case of artificial lighting it is important that this is maintained at its best potential. Artificial lighting should be frequently checked to ensure that all bulbs and strip lighting are working. Lamp shades and diffusers should be cleaned regular to ensure that proper lighting conditions are maintained.

In small organisations this can be carried out on the basis that defective lights are replaced as and when, and cleaning is carried out when required. In larger organisations however, this may not ensure that suitable and satisfactory lighting conditions are being maintained. In this case there may be a requirement for maintenance to be structured and a record kept of when the maintenance has been carried out.

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