Let There Be Light; New Lighting Guidance Published

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has published guidance on office lighting, which office managers in the UK may find relevant. The guidance is from the latest issue of OSH Answers, published by the CCOHS. According to the guidance, eye fatigue and headaches from poor lighting can have an important effect on worker productivity. Momentary blindness, from adjusting to brighter or darker surroundings, increases chances of accident and injury. Improper lighting choices impair precision tasks and accurate colour recognition.

The guidance provides 'quick tips' to whet your interest to conduct a lighting audit at your place of business:

- Use filters to diffuse overhead lighting.
- Cover windows with adjustable blinds.
- Use matte finishes on walls, floors and furniture.
- Adjust the brightness and contrast of computer monitors, instead of installing an anti-glare screen.
- Use a light colour for the screen background.
- Place the monitor parallel (not directly below) with overhead lights.

The full guidance is available online at:
www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/lighting_survey.html
This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.