What Should You Consider When Choosing Warehouse Lighting

When setting up an efficient and safe warehouse, lighting is often overlooked. Proper lighting not only enhances productivity by empowering staff to work quickly but is also essential for their health and well-being. Choosing the right warehouse lighting is a decision that shouldn’t be rushed, so fully informed decisions can be made when planned and preventative maintenance is carried out on your existing warehouse lights.

In this article, we’ll look at how to light a warehouse effectively and the key factors you should consider to ensure you make a wise decision.

The Importance Of Colour Temperature

Colour temperature is a method to quantify different shades of light by determining their level of warmth or coolness. This measurement scale spans a warm, amber hue to a cooler, bluish tint. In Kelvins (K), the warmer red and yellow tones are situated at the lower end of the scale, while the cooler blue hues are found at the higher end.

The choice of colour temperature can significantly impact the warehouse environment. Excellent lighting with a colour temperature between 4000k and 5000k is often regarded as the best choice as it reduces eye strain and fatigue, thereby creating a more comfortable and productive workspace for staff. Also, it mimics natural daylight and enhances visibility, making it easier to locate items and spot hazards in the building.

Lighting Pattern

The lighting pattern within your warehouse is another essential consideration, as the right choice can contribute to a safe and efficient working environment.

For warehouses with tall shelving units, a type I formation is recommended, which ensures that light is evenly distributed and doesn’t get blocked or lost due to obstructions. It helps to maintain visibility across all storage areas, reducing the chances of accidents, mis-picks, or misplacements.

However, for warehouses with an open layout, a V formation is a more suitable choice. This ensures light is emitted from all sides, providing an even and balanced workspace illumination.

Even Light Distribution

One of the most critical aspects of warehouse lighting is the even distribution of light. There should be no dark spots or shadows that could restrict visibility or mask potential hazards, as these will prevent staff from carrying out their work effectively and may increase the risk of accidents that will cost your business in sick pay and, potentially, compensation. Properly positioned light fixtures and an even lighting pattern are essential to ensure that the distribution is optimised and dangerous dark spots are eliminated.

High-Bay LEDs For High Ceilings

Warehouses with high ceilings require a specific lighting solution to ensure adequate brightness and light distribution. High-bay LED lights are the best choice for these environments, as they are designed to provide high-intensity illumination at great heights. Warehouse LED lights offer bright and clear illumination without increasing energy consumption, so they are a cost-efficient and durable solution to challenging warehouse designs with high ceilings.

Find Out More

At Orion Technical Services, we can help you choose the best warehouse lights as part of your routine preventative and planned maintenance so that your staff can carry out their work safely and efficiently. To find out more, please send us a message, and one of our team will reply soon.