Tag: <span>Lighting Your Business Efficiently</span>

Choosing Office Lighting

Don’t let old lighting affect your employees’ safety and performance. Having the right office lighting is important. Not only can it save you money and energy, but it can also affect how productive your employees are. Dim lighting is unhelpful to finishing any task, and doesn’t make those under it energetic.

3 Types of Office Lighting

Depending on your industry, different types of light are more effective than others. If you have an open office space, you’ll need to ensure the lighting you chooses works for everyone. And if you have an industrial area, like a warehouse, your lighting must be adequate for the work being done beneath it.

• Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting is incredibly common in offices, medical facilities, and many professional buildings. Its bonuses? It adds uniform, adequate lighting for employees without creating dark corners. Plus, unlike suspension, recessed lighting doesn’t use up any valuable ceiling space, important for lower ceiling buildings and workplaces with special machinery or extra storage.

• Motion Activated Systems 

Motion-activated lighting could save you money. How? In infrequently used areas, motion-activated lighting turns on exactly when you need it, and not a second before. It also helps if this lighting is an areas like a stock room where employees need both hands to transport items and don’t have to worry about flipping a switch on and off.

A time not to use motion-activated systems: in rooms that workers are constantly in. If employees are present nearly all of the time, a motion-activated light probably won’t save much electricity, and time won’t be lost flipping the switch.

• Suspended Lights

Suspended lighting lives up to its name, hanging (an often short distance) from the ceiling. It’s common to see suspended lighting extended from the ceiling via sturdy chains, and these lighting fixtures come in metal to be sturdier than their name suggests.

One place suspended lighting might not work well: stock or storage rooms with tall storage fixtures. High shelving that employees access frequently can mean ladders and heads coming into contact with suspended lighting if not installed properly.

Lighting and Employee Health

Another important factor in choosing commercial lights is how the lighting affects your employees physically. OSHA warns that too much light can lead to headaches or eyestrain, and that workstations should be carefully situated to reduce glare on computers.

It’s not just the lights you switch on that affect our eyes. According to OSHA, brightness contrast from the computer to the office is at risk for causing headaches and optical fatigue. To reduce risk, keep walls and ceilings in “light, matte colors and finishes” that help keep contrast to a minimum. Keep this in in the next time interior design choices are made!

Whichever lighting you choose, make sure it’s with your office and industry in mind. What keeps  a warehouse running isn’t what an office needs, and vice versa. Avoid an ineffective work environment with the right lighting, and make it energy efficient so you and the environment benefit in the long term. From car dealerships to pizza places, we’ve handled the unique needs of businesses around the Seattle area. Find out more: request a quote for what your business needs.

About Kirby Electric

Kirby Electric, Inc. is a premier electrical contractor specializing in commercial and industrial electrical construction. Our dedicated and knowledgeable team of electricians, low voltage technicians and office staff are led by senior leadership whose core philosophy is consistently delivering exceptional service. Kirby Electric offers a wide array of services to meet the needs of our customers and ensure a smooth operation of their facilities.

(Image courtesy of Antranias via Pixabay.com)