Light is an important component of a person’s comfortable life. And since we spend most of it at work, due attention should be paid to the light in offices. It has been scientifically proven that ill-conceived lighting negatively affects the quality of staff work. As a result, a person gets tired much faster, his ability to work decreases, labor productivity also drops - the owner incurs losses.
It is better to spend money once on developing a good lighting project, entrusting it to specialized specialists, than to sacrifice the health, and therefore the performance of employees.
Quality of daylight change. Day and time of year, weather conditions and geographical location. . Natural light is also essential for our body. Therefore, it is very important that employees are provided with sufficient daylight in the workplace. It is a known fact that not every workplace can be equipped with a hundred percent daylight. It would be nice, of course, if you could bring the office out into the open. In the summer this happens even in some companies. They built isolated pavilions outside the company.
Since mobile workstations are mobile, this is no longer a major implementation problem. Proper and ergonomic lighting in the workplace is... Direct and indirect lighting, task lighting and daylight. . Depending on the work being performed, it is necessary to choose individual lighting.
The main tasks that lighting in offices should provide:
- comfort for the eyes;
- correct visual perception in the work area;
labor safety with the proper level of personnel performance.
When planning, you need to take into account the basic parameters that create a favorable light environment in the room:
Although the legislature does not mandate visual communication with the outside world, it does mention adequate daylight in every work area. Appropriate measures such as windows, glass doors, roof lights or glass blocks in walls can ensure sufficient daylight everywhere.
Indirect ceiling lights provide sufficient basic brightness in a room. Direct lighting should be positioned to the side of the workstation to prevent glare and reflections. With a work lamp, the worker can adjust his lighting to suit his needs.
- level of general and local lighting in the room;
- uniform distribution of lamp brightness;
- direction of lighting and degree of “glare” of surfaces;
- color rendering and spectrum emitted by light sources;
- pulsation of lighting fixtures.
The following are subject to close study for compliance with accepted standards: workplace illumination standards, pulsation coefficient, color rendering index.
Illuminance is a measure of location-dependent brightness. Depending on the task, other illumination should be available. The better the workspace is lit, the better our vision and the less strained our eyes are. The optimal lighting intensity also depends on the employee. Older or severely disabled employees require a higher standard of living than younger, healthier employees.
Workplaces where complex and delicate tasks are performed require higher brightness. Because lamps become dusty and dirty over time and the light intensity decreases, they should be maintained and cleaned regularly. The following table shows the approximate values of lighting intensity in work areas.
Standards
When planning lighting in the workplace in the Russian Federation, they are usually guided by SNiP 05/23/95. They also use prescriptions sanitary standards(so-called SaNPiN-ov) 2.21/2.1.1.1278-03, Mosstroyevsky standards (MGSN) 2.06-99 and many other industry standards.
In addition to the “morally outdated” Russian standards, which do not take into account the introduction of modern high-power lamps, one can also be guided by European standards. Thus, the illumination of workplaces is determined by the European Union standard - EN 12464.
It is worth noting that Europeans provide more intense light in offices.
Let us present for comparison the standards adopted in the Russian Federation and international ones. As you can see, the difference is significant.
Defective or flickering lamps affect well-being. They should be exchanged as soon as possible. Over time, lamps and dirty windows and other daylight elements become dusty. Light significantly reduces its quality. Therefore, a maintenance plan should be developed.
Positive effects with optimal lighting in the workplace
If lighting conditions are ergonomic, this has a huge impact on staff well-being. Their motivation, concentration, productivity, efficiency and satisfaction increase, which ultimately affects the success of the company. Nowadays it is also important to participate in the protection environment. Companies have a huge impact here, and above all, they have huge untapped potential. With the right measures, energy consumption will be significantly reduced. Many offices, for example, still use energy-intensive neon tubes.
Lighting standards
The specified standards assume the presence of a sufficient degree of illumination at a certain level (0.8 -1 m from the floor), i.e. directly at the employee’s workplace (desk). In this area, it is necessary to provide illumination of at least 300-500 lux - depending on the complexity and accuracy of the work carried out in the room. This level must be maintained within a half-meter radius around the performer.
To enhance the local illumination of the worker’s desk, you can install a table lamp with a non-translucent shade that creates a directed beam. A lamp is installed to the left of the person sitting so that when writing (or typing on a computer) he does not create a shadow for himself. Also, the surface of the table should not be glossy, otherwise the glare will blind a person and his eyes will get tired faster.
For general lighting in the office, it is considered sufficient to use lamps that provide a flow of at least 120-150 lux (according to European standards - at least 200 lux). Lighting units should be mounted at the so-called sight line level. This is necessary in order not to blind the eyes of employees sitting at their desks. The protective angle should be 45-65˚.
Through the use of energy efficient lighting such as... If expensive lighting control systems cannot be installed, employees should be informed that they are doing their part to protect the environment and help the company save energy by manually adjusting lighting according to circumstances.
Light in the workplace has a huge impact on our well-being and the success of our company. Everyone can help themselves to absorb enough natural light. However, it is the company's responsibility to ensure that there are ergonomic conditions in the workplace that can be exhausted by the employee. I had a really hard time getting rid of the daylight and not even being able to see what the weather was like. However, not everyone is equally vulnerable. Any work we do needs good lighting. In lighting, it is important to know the quantitative and qualitative aspects.
Ripple
The pulsation coefficient (or Ra) also plays an important role in the well-being of workers. We all know that the light flow coming from light bulbs is not continuous, it pulsates at a certain frequency. And this flickering does not have the best effect on the vision and general well-being of staff.
For office premises, where the degree of visual concentration of workers is usually high (from documents to the PC monitor and back, and all this is repeated many times during the day), this figure should not exceed 5%.
However, only pulsations with a frequency of up to 300 Hz are taken into account; anything higher is simply not perceived by the human eye, which means it has virtually no effect on his perception and well-being.
In these aspects, light must have diffuse and direct emission components, which result in soft shadows that allow us to perceive the shape and position of objects. Avoid annoying reflections that interfere with the perception of detail, and avoid excessive glare and shadows, which can be avoided by placing lamps or fixtures that obscure the direct view of the light to obscure the direct view of the focal point of the light and that reflect a certain amount of light onto the ceiling and the top of the walls , which should be light in order to better diffuse the light.
Color rendering index
Another important criterion characterizing thoughtful lighting is the color rendering index. In simple words, it shows how correctly a person perceives colors when artificial lighting. The “reference” value is the perception when operating conventional incandescent lamps (the maximum is taken as 100), and the more the color rendition of a lamp tends to this 100%, the higher its index is considered.
It is clear that in the offices of enterprises that produce a bright “picture” (printing, publishing, design, etc.) it should be as high as possible. In Russia there is even a gradation: an index of 90 is considered excellent, a range of 80-70 is very good and good, 60-40 is satisfactory and acceptable, everything below 40 is bad. For the conditions of an average office, the ideal indicator is 80.
Installation maintenance is also required. If Maintenance is not suitable, aging of the lamp and accumulation of dust on the lamps can lead to the loss of part of the illumination. Replacing lamps should also be done systematically, without waiting for them to merge. There is interest in natural light as it is found to be more beneficial because it is of higher quality and promotes well-being. Therefore, there is a tendency to design rooms to receive natural light through large windows, skylights, etc. but since natural light depends on weather, time of day, season and other situations, it is important to have a surface lighting situation.
Reflection of surfaces
Significantly affects the comfort of the employee and the reflectance of surfaces in the office space. Not only the glare of lamp shades or furniture is taken into account, but even reflected rays from the walls, ceiling, and floor.
The standard recommends the following standards for finishing materials, providing the most comfortable level of reflected rays for the eyes.
Typically the most common lighting situation is artificial, as it creates more uniform lighting, usually with support natural light. Luminaires are regularly distributed throughout the entire area, regardless of the place of work.
The average illumination level should be equal to that required by the visual task. This type of lighting is used in areas where workspaces are not fixed, such as a meeting room. This type of lighting must meet two main requirements.
It must be supplied protective device or anti-glare design. You should distribute some of the light emitted into the ceiling and onto the top of the walls. Regarding installation height, luminaires should be positioned as high as possible to reduce the risk of glare and improve light distribution in the room.
- on work surface(table) the optimal coefficient is 0.2 - 0.7;
- for walls - from 0.3 to 0.5;
- for the ceiling, an interval of 0.6 to 0.8 is recommended;
- for floors from 0.1 to 0.4.
According to international standards, gloss or discomfort index (UGRL) is graded on a scale of parameters in increments of 3: 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28. And the lower the value, the more comfortable the conditions are considered.
General lighting with localized support lighting. This is achieved by installing light bulbs close to the work plane, which enhances the overall illumination. This type of lighting is recommended in different circumstances. General lighting located in specific areas of the roof.
Distribute light regularly as standard general lighting. The main difference is that fixtures must be studied very well during the project because you must know where to place them to provide sufficient illumination.
It is suitable for workplaces where racks or machines require high level illumination, located at irregular intervals. It is also recommended for offices. Tables should be lit from the side rather than from the front, so make sure work stations are positioned between rows of lights rather than placed underneath them.
The optimal combination of the above parameters - for work areas different types, given in pivot table below.
Combination of parameters
It is clear that the given standards are conditional. They are not a dogma, since in each specific case a whole range of factors have a significant impact on the lighting in the premises. What matters is the number of windows, the side of the building where the office is located (northern, southern or corner part), and the height of the ceilings. The degree and duration of natural insolation in a given region must be taken into account. After all, sometimes it is necessary to provide powerful (and at the same time economical) lighting even during the daytime.
Yes, and offices are different. The specifics of the work also vary. For example, it is important to select the right light for design (publishing) offices, where the developer pays close attention to the arrangement of colors in projects. If the main lighting is incorrect, the designer will also interpret incorrectly color palette V computer program. It's no secret that "cold" fluorescent lamps significantly distort the perception of the color of surrounding objects, strongly gravitating towards blue-gray shades. Plus, there is a difference in color rendering on the computer monitors of the contractor and the customer - and as a result, you can create a product that is completely different from what you originally expected.
If production activities involve increased illumination, it is advisable to shield bright, powerful lamps or use matte shades that dampen aggressive rays. Ideally, the light from the lamps will be diffused and not fall down onto the seated personnel.
The most important change is visual fatigue, which causes symptoms such as visual fatigue, increased sensitivity to light, eye discomfort, conjunctival irritation, itching, tears, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor these screens by paying attention Special attention lighting conditions at work. The problems stem from the fact that data visualization screens were installed in the same scenario where traditional office tasks are performed, without thinking about whether the space or any other lighting conditions required it.
Reading text on the screen. Recognition of letters and symbols on the keyboard. Reading documents next to the screen. The readability of text on the screen depends on various parameters, such as the size and color of the characters. But one of the most important parameters is the contrast between the characters and the screen background. This contrast is reduced when the workstation's lighting level is high, and the screen appears as if covered by a veil. This phenomenon is called "veil brightness".
Placement of lamps
It is necessary to take into account the features of the office layout. If the room is large and tends deeper into the building (i.e. the light from the windows does not reach distant areas), it is necessary to place ceiling lamps in several rows, in increments equal to 2/3 of the depth of the office.
Besides lighting conditions, another important aspect to comment on is the emission of the computer screen. Studies conducted in Sweden have shown that the radiation emitted by a computer screen has little penetration, so the radiation emitted does not exceed the maximum values set by regulations and is not considered harmful to health.
Another point to keep in mind is that the monitor should be positioned at a distance equal to the worker's visual acuity so as not to result in continuous movement of the head and neck and to ensure that the characters on the screen are clearly visible.
A separate lamp should be provided near each workplace. Thanks to this, it will be possible to avoid the appearance of shadows that a person will create for himself. Color flooring and walls in an office space also affect the degree of illumination, so a light matte wall covering helps diffuse the light of lamps (or the sun). And matte dark absorbs rays, which means indirect passive lighting (scattered rays) does not work.
For the office, it is better to choose lamps that emit light in a soft, yellow spectrum that is pleasant to the eye. It is the most comfortable because it resembles natural sunlight. An office is not an exhibition stand that needs to attract more attention. Here people spend most of the day actively working. When determining the number and power of lamps for a particular office, you need to start from the average value of 15 - 25 W per 1 meter of area.
It is necessary to take into account and average age office workers, the older the person, the more intense lighting he needs. For people with impaired vision, it is also a good idea to provide a separate lamp.
Maintaining cleanliness plays an important role in ensuring a high level of natural light. Regular cleaning of windows and lamp shades and reduction of air dust and humidity in the room are recommended. It is advisable not to force the window sills climbing plants covering half the window. It is important to replace burnt out or dimming lamps in a timely manner (many energy-saving models burn out their resource ahead of time due to intense loads).
If you want to create a healthy microclimate in all office premises, we recommend inviting specialists. They will take measurements with instruments, calculate standards for the dimensions of specific premises and create a project for lighting works.
Regarding the keyboard, the lights that are placed on the computer terminal can be reflected by the keys since they are usually concave and the material is usually bright. The readability of a document located near a data display screen will depend on two factors.
- Document contrast.
- Operator's eye level.
conclusions
Finally, we note that you should not save when planning the lighting of an office space. The standards were not invented in vain - insufficient lighting leads to depression among workers, their well-being and performance deteriorate. In addition, such a company has a high risk of failing the certification of workplaces when inspected by regulatory authorities. And this is fraught with fines or even suspension of activities until the violations are eliminated.
It also makes sense to re-equip lines in old buildings, because... technology has advanced significantly. And today, the owner, by installing modern, economical lamps, can significantly reduce energy costs, while increasing the overall illumination in the offices.
When the document is placed in a horizontal plane, as opposed to a vertical screen, continuous work is required to position the eye, so it is recommended to use a stand that places the document vertically and, in addition, the document should be at the height of the monitor so that it can be seen without sudden movements neck or eyes.
The eye can be adapted to the level of brightness present in the field of view on workstations with a data display screen. The worker usually has a level of adaptation between night vision and daylight, if a light or window is in the operator's field of vision behind the screen, it means that the illumination is much higher than that which is adapted so the operator is blinded. Therefore, the following guidelines should be followed when placing data display screens.
Surely you already know that too dim or, conversely, too bright lighting in a room has a negative effect on the human body. In addition to eternal drowsiness, an insufficient amount of artificial and natural light entails more serious dangers - deterioration of vision and disruption of the psychological state. Solving the problem is quite simple - install more suitable lamps and properly organize the lighting in each room. However, before this, you need to find out what lighting standards exist for residential premises. This is exactly what we will talk about now.
What does SNiP say?
The main document that specifies existing standards is SNiP ( building codes and rules). So, according to this document, the following standards of illumination in lux (Lx) must be observed in an apartment and a private house:
- attic and basement passage – 20;
- toilet, shower, bath – 50;
- hall, corridor – 50;
- wardrobe – 75;
- bathhouse, swimming pool – 100;
- bedroom, kitchen – 150;
- children's - 200;
- personal office, library, utility room, room with billiards - 300.
Please note that in the bathroom you can optionally increase artificial illumination to 100 Lux, because... for applying makeup and shaving, the value specified in SNiP 05/23/2010 may not be enough.
So that you understand how to convert the provided numbers into more familiar values, remember - 1 Lux is 1 Lumen/1 square meter premises. Each light bulb must indicate such a characteristic as luminous flux (in lumens, Lm). All you need to do is first calculate the standard illumination of a living space, in your case one of the rooms, then convert the value to Lumens and select the appropriate light bulbs. Let's look at the calculation technology using an example.
We make calculations
Let's say you need to find out the standard of illumination in a bedroom whose area is 20 m2. First of all, we multiply the norm according to SNiP for this room by the area, namely 150 * 20, in total we get 3000 Lux. Accordingly, with this value, the total luminous flux of the lamps should be 3000 Lm. All you have to do is choose the appropriate light bulbs for your living space, for example, if you want