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Table of Contents

The Effects of Bad Lighting

Naomi Vogel
Table of Contents

Bad lighting can be a safety and health hazard in the workplace. If you are managing a business, you will need to be aware of the proper safety procedures for lighting. There are different kinds of bad lighting involving glare, flicker, not enough light, too much light, contrast issues and poor light placement.

Office lighting

Low Productivity

Tired employee

Bad lighting will not only have a negative effect on employees but on your business as well. Bad lighting will cause workers to feel sluggish and tired, which will create all sorts of problems in the work environment. The amount of work, the quality of work and the accuracy of work will all decline when the lighting is bad. If you provide better lighting for your employees, they will also in turn reward you through the productivity, accuracy and high quality of their work.

Eye Strain

Strained eye

Bad lighting causes constant eye strain, which can cause other issues. If your employees are consistently straining their eyes due to the poor lighting, they will be uncomfortable and suffer from burning, irritated, tearing, red or dry eyes. Eye strain will also cause unnecessary fatigue and stress. Proper vision will also suffer from eye strain. Employees with eye strain due to poor lighting may experience sensitivity to contrast, reduced vision sharpness, lack of vision focus, bad depth perception, and double vision.

Headaches

Woman suffering from headache

Bad lighting can cause frequent and severe headaches. Not only will this be a health issue for your employees, but they will also not be able to work as well when suffering from headaches due to serious pain and discomfort.

Bad Posture

Man displaying poor posture

Bad posture and awkward body positions can be an effect of bad lighting. This can cause other health problems such as back pain, neck pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Frequent Accidents

Man slipping

Without proper lighting, it is hard to perceive the depth, closeness, shape, speed and proximity of objects and those around you. Accidents can become frequent problems because of poor lighting. Employees could become seriously injured due to poor lighting. As a manager or owner of a business, it is your responsibility to ensure safety to your employees, and lighting is a factor that needs to be considered.