Assessment # 1 OH&S Research

Workplace lighting standards for creative industries.

Table of Contents
Introduction. ................................................................................................... 2
Overview Measuring light. ......................................................................... 3
Overview Lighting Standards .................................................................... 4
Overview Lighting, and the Law. ............................................................. 10
Competing Goals. ........................................................................................ 11
Conclusion. .................................................................................................. 11
Appendix - Photographic Method. ............................................................. 11
References and Bibliography/Resources.................................................. 12

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

Introduction.
The following is an examination of Occupational Health and Safety
(OH&S) standards relating to workplace lighting (interior
illumination), specifically the suitability of the following Australian
and ISO standards as applied to a creative industry work
environment.
This is a complex topic as it involves the legal position and industrial
application of two separate and essentially opposed standards.
Furthermore, to appreciate these standards a basic explanation of
the measurement of light for the purpose of assessing room
illumination is important to understanding the research.
The fundamental problem is simply this; a healthy office
environment is relatively well lit and but accurate work with a
computer screen requires the room to be much darker.
Inadequate lighting can lead to eyestrain and psychological
problems.
Depending on the jurisdiction and application, the recommended
OH&S level of room lighting for an office environment is a minimum
of 320 Lux* while the recommended light level for producing
accurate and consistent screen based graphic work is between 32
Lux to 64 Lux.
*An explanation of Lux and Lighting standards in subsequent
sections.
What follows is an explanation of measuring light using Lux values
and expanding upon the two lighting standards in question. An
example of light levels is provided with a photographic sequence
demonstrating different illumination levels. Following this, a
discussion of the OH&S consequences of light on workplace health
and a proposed solution to the problem leads to a final conclusion.

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

Overview Measuring light.

To remain within the scope of this discussion we are concerned only
with light measurement as applied to illumination as opposed to the
other methods of light measurement for other purposes (i.e. colour
temperature, photographic exposure, absolute radiant energy and
so on).
Lux is an International System value of measuring light that refers
specifically to the measurement of visible light reflected from a solid
surface known as Luminance (1).
Lux values (typically abbreviated as lx) can be best understood with
some simple examples:

Bright cloudless day 100 000 lx

Overcast day 30 000 lx
Naturally lit house interior 150 lx
Street lighting at night - 15 lx
Clear night sky full moon 1 lx (1)

The human eye is capable of adapting well to a wide range of lx

levels. There is wide variation of lx levels across what may at first
appear as similar conditions and there are significant variables
involved in accurate and repeatable measurement.
However in controlled indoor environments it is relatively easy to
maintain a set level and therefore consistent and repeatable lx
readings.
To gain a reading a Lux meter is used to take an incident reading
from five points over a given area reflecting the total light available
(2) (using an invercone of diffuser over the meters eye and
measuring over a uniform surface).

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

Overview Lighting Standards

The Australian Standards for workplace lighting are contained in:

AS1680.1-2006, Interior and workplace lighting - general

principles and recommendations

AS/NZS 1680.2 series, Interior and workplace lighting specific applications

Specifically relevant here is Part 2.2 2008 office and screen based
tasks.
The AS/NZ 1680 lighting standard for office environments is a
minimum of 320 lx.
It should be noted that any Australian Standard is only a
recommendation and is note enforceable by law unless it is directly
incorporated into legislation by government (3).
The legal status of AS1680 is explained in the next section but it is
generally recognized as an OH&S recommendation for those
designing workplace lighting.
Counter to AS1680 are the light levels required to meet industrial
standards for performing consistent colour and density critical work
(e.g. graphic, reprographic, photographic and cinematic work for
hard output and screen reproduction herein creative industries).
The industrial standard set by the ISO (International Standards
Organisation) that should be adopted across the creative industries
is contained in:

ISO 3664:2000 Viewing Conditions Graphics technology

and photography.

The ISO recommended standard for room lighting while viewing

computer monitors to perform colour/density critical work (e.g.
design) is a range from 32 to 64 lx. (4) (5)
The importance in producing accurate work that can be viewed and
reproduced by others in the production process is vitally important.
While many other factors come into play such as screen calibration
and viewing angle, it can be simply noted that viewing a screen in a
bright room as opposed to a dark room does noticeably affect the
Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

eyes response to what is being viewed on screen and therefore the

work being produced.
320 lx is fine for computer work involving general office and
administrative tasks but it is many times brighter compared to the
industrial standard.
To give an approximation of what these various standards look like
a series of photographs of the same environment lit to differing lx
levels is provided on the following page
The limitations to objectively reproducing these conditions a re
provided in the Appendix - Photographic method.

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

Photographic examples

14 lx - no light

35 lx small reading lamp bottom range of ISO 3664:2000

standard 32 lx

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

62 lx - reading lamp moved closer top range of ISO 3664:2000

standard 64 lx

81 lx - main room lights

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

280 lx -natural outdoor light

350 lx - natural outdoor light + main room lights (note clean

separation of steps on gray scale) - AUS1680 standard for office
minimum of 320 lx

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

350 lx - main room lights + photographic lamp (note clean

separation of steps on gray scale) AUS1680 standard for office
minimum of 320 lx

2800 lx - natural outdoor light + main room light + photographic

lamp (note balance between indoor and outdoor light levels)

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

Overview Lighting, and the Law.

The AS1680 standards recommend varying levels and types of
lighting suitable for a particular workplace and the type of activity
or employment undertaken. In Queensland these standards are not
lawfully binding.
Standards Australia may set standards but these are not
enforceable unless incorporated into the relevant legislation.
The Queensland Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 Chapter 3
Division 2 - 40 p57 simply state:
lighting enables
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Each worker to carry out work without

Risk to health and safety; and
Persons to move within the workplace without
risk to health and safety; and
Safe evacuation in an emergency; (6)

Compare this to the South Australian workplace regulation that

specifically refers to the AS1680 standard as a lawful requirement
(7).
As of the first of January this year, the Federal Government has
initiated a process of Work Place Health and Safety Harmonisation
that directs all State Government OH&S regulation to be
standardized (8). However this is a process that is only just
underway and it remains to be seen if some regulations rise to meet
the highest standards or fall to meet the lowest.
A specific reference to light levels, like many other workplace
standards may be found in the Award Conditions from State and
Federal jurisdictions, but Awards will only cover employees within
certain occupations.

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

Competing Goals.
The consequences for physical and psychological health due to
workplace lighting are straight forward;
Working in dim or overbright work environments can result in
eyestrain, headaches, irritability and, inevitably, reduced
productivity. Low levels of lighting can cause depression, which for
some people may be severe. (my italics) (9)
What options are there to create and accurate design work in an
environment that meets AS1680 standards.
Frequent breaks are often recommended as a solution to the OH&S
risks of screen based work but once again lawfully enforceable
Regulation Breaks are dictated by Awards not the overarching
Workplace Health and Safety Regulations.
A carefully designed workspace presents the best option. The
photographer Kevin Mills has detailed his efforts in making a
compliant and comfortable work area on his website (5). Using a
mixture of careful backlighting with variable main lighting and
carefull consideration of the various surfaces with in a space he
demonstrates an approach that look feasible and effective.

Conclusion.
Workplace lighting cannot be neglected as an OH&S issue especially
when special requirements are need for particular industries. Like
wise, industrial standards in the creative industries are important
and with a bit of thought and effort an accommodation can be
reached.

Appendix - Photographic Method.

The limitations of using photography to objectively capture and
reproducing light levels to accurately match the reading obtained by
a Lux meter present significant problems. Taking the cameras
recommended exposure as a starting point manual adjustments in
exposure were applied to replicate what the eyes sees (typically 1-3
/ f-stop with lower lx levels receiving more exposure). Further
complications arise (as with viewing any image) due to the
variations in screen setting between content producer and user.
While not perfect the reproduction does fairly approximate the
viewed reality.
Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

References and Bibliography/Resources.

ANSI PH2.30-1989 For Graphic Arts and Photography Color Prints,
Transparencies, and Photo Mechanical Reproductions Viewing Conditions.
(1) The Basics of Efficient Lighting A reference manual for training in efficient
light principles. First Edition 2009, National Framework for Energy Efficiency.
Ministerial Council on Energy & Federal department of Resources.
(2) Resorce Smart Victoria, Lux Meter www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au
(3) Standards Australia, What is a Standard & Standards and the Law.
www.standards.org.au
(4) www.iso.org
(5) www.kevinmillsphoto.com/2008/10/lighting-your-workspace/
(6) Queensland Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011. Workplace Health and
Safety Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General. Queensland
Government. www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/
(7) Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 2010, Government of
South Australia. www.legislation.sa.gov.au
(8) Harmonisation of WHS laws in Australia a brief introduction. Workplace
Health and Safety Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General.
Queensland Government.

(9) Workplace and Environment from Department of Education and Training

Queensland. education.qld.gov.au/health/docs/.../workplace-environment.doc
Queensland Work Health and Safety Act 2011.Workplace Health and Safety
Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General. Queensland
Government.
Guide to Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011. Workplace Health and Safety
Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General. Queensland
Government

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research

Paul Jacobs 8100334612 AS1 Industry Practice OH&S Research