Site & Job Lighting: What You Need To Know To Stay Safe

What are the site lighting requirements?

Every part of the site you are working on should be well lit, either by natural or artificial lighting. This makes your work easier to carry out and the site safer to be in.

If you’re required to carry on working into the night, artificial lighting will be required that doesn’t cast shadows and keeps the area accessible.

Construction site lighting regulations

When working on a construction site, the lighting impacts more than just you and your work. You also need to ensure the site is safe for other workers and the general public, who may be passing your site or even walking through it during the day.

In these instances, flood lighting is essential. Flood lighting allows all potential hazards to be seen, and at night deters members of the public from getting on site and potentially injuring themselves.

There are also other things you need to consider when working on construction sites:

General working areas

Overhead lighting suspended from grids can make general working spaces easier and safer for everyone. This reduces the risk of injury, as well as allowing everyone to perform their tasks more efficiently.

Light up areas of shadow

Shadows can be a worker’s nightmare, they can hide hazards and tools, or just make it harder to do your job. By positioning extra lighting in areas around the site, you can illuminate shadows and make the area safer.

Provide emergency lighting

You should always light the emergency escape routes, ensuring any workers can get out safely. You should also provide lighting for any workers on scaffolding. Where emergency lighting isn’t possible, having accessible torches to hand is a good alternative.

You can find out more about the legislation surrounding emergency lighting here.

Avoid light spillage

You should try to minimise the amount of light that escapes the site at all times. This is especially important when you’re working in residential areas, as you don’t want your work to cause any disturbances that may hinder your progress. You might also be required to provide additional lighting to illuminate any public walkways if any other form of lighting is blocked by scaffolding.

Portable lighting for on the job

To make sure jobs run as smoothly as possible, portable lighting will be your best friend. You can position these pretty much anywhere you like, making it easy to work on the smallest jobs through to the biggest build.

Floodlight or Task Light - which one is right for you?

Site lighting tends to fall into one of two categories - Floodlights and Task Lights. We look at the benefits of both to help you decide which one you need.

What are floodlights used for?

When working on construction sites, Floodlights are ideal. They provide a huge amount of light over a large space, while only using a little energy. This makes them a highly practical and powerful option that no site can do without.

Not only do Floodlights make your site easier to work on, they also make it safer. In the day they illuminate any potential hazards and any dangerous tools, while at night they do a great job of deterring thieves. A dark construction site full of expensive tools could be tempting, but a well-lit site looks active and uninviting.

What are task lights used for?

If your job is in a smaller space, such as a residential property or commercial building, task lights are the tool for you. These practical, portable lights offer great power without using much energy, so you can have them plugged in for the entire time you’re working without worrying about your client’s electricity bill.

They shine a bright, clean light across a wide surface area, making it easy for you to see the tiniest details of what you’re working on.

Whether it’s a small project or a large commercial job, safety is always paramount, and site lighting is a vital part of ensuring that workers and pedestrians alike are not put in danger. From far-reaching floodlights to practical portable models, your options when it comes to choosing the right site lighting for you are endless.