Construction site lighting

Construction site lighting must take into account both the relevant laws and regulations and recommendations on the illuminance levels of different spaces. General lighting in outdoor areas requires very different lighting than lighting in indoor workplaces, especially if the workplace is performing tasks that require high precision. Inadequate construction site lighting is at worst a safety risk, as potential hazards or dangerous locations may go undetected. In addition, poor construction site lighting reduces the quality of work, as potential errors may not be detected with poor lighting. It also affects the employee's alertness and reduces work efficiency.

Reasons to invest in good, modern construction site lighting

• Occupational safety
• Employee alertness and coping at work
• Work equipment and safety in place - enhances the employer's image
• Energy efficiency (LED)
• Direct impact on the quality and efficiency of work

Check out Valostore's worklight selection here: WORKLIGHTS

Indoor lighting

When choosing indoor lighting, there are three types of lighting to consider: general lighting, and lighting of walkways and workstations. Indoor general lighting should be slightly higher than outdoors, about 50 lux, but depending on the accuracy and demand, the intensity of the lighting increases, and for example, for work requiring separate additional lighting, a brightness of about 100 lux is recommended. (1 lux = 1 lm / 1 m2).

General lighting

Indoors, the height of the ceiling limits the choice of the most suitable luminaire. While efficient floodlights outdoors can provide sufficient general and task lighting when the light is directed from high up, it is especially difficult to spread the light of individual floodlights properly in low (e.g. normal room height) indoor spaces. That is why LED strips are increasingly used today, in addition to lighting walkways, to create general and task lighting indoors. The strip can be placed at floor level, but the best lighting is achieved when it is hung from the ceiling, so that the light does not dazzle and spreads evenly throughout the space. You can find the strips here: 230V LED strips. In higher buildings, e.g. in various warehouses and halls, interior lighting can of course still be handled with so-called floodlights, or with bright and wide-beam general-purpose lamps designed specifically for lighting such spaces, which are also suitable for lighting finished warehouses and other high spaces: AGGE Ufo.

Passageways

Passageways must be provided with sufficient lighting for safe passage. Particular attention must be paid to dangerous areas, and for example, staircases must have sufficient light. Lighting confined spaces, such as staircases and elevator shafts, with individual lights can be difficult, but even in these cases, LED strips connected directly to the mains work excellently.

Workstations

As outdoors, so too indoors, especially in tasks requiring high precision, the lighting must be considerably higher than the amount required for general lighting (suitable intensity approx. 200-500 lux). For example, various painting jobs and other precise tasks, electrical and data connections, as well as welding and circular sawing (and other dangerous work) require a lot of light. In general, lighting, especially fixed workstations (e.g. circular sawing stations), is easiest to handle with a wide-beam spotlight. For example, a 20W model is sufficient for a workstation. If the workstation is not fixed, but e.g. installations are made in several places around the construction site and it is not reasonable or possible to illuminate every point with a fixed light, a mobile, battery-powered work light is usually the best solution. Our range includes battery-powered work lights for almost every need, but the model that works with the most common drill/power tool batteries has gained great popularity due to its ease of use, power source and light output: AGGE Workmate.

Outdoor lighting

The objects to be illuminated in outdoor areas are practically the same as in indoor areas, i.e. sufficient general lighting must be provided for outdoor areas used for work, walkways must be clearly illuminated and, in addition, if tasks requiring precision are performed outdoors, sufficient workstation-specific lighting must be provided for these workstations. A minimum of 5 lux is recommended for general lighting outdoors, and 50 lux for task lighting in areas where work is performed. For tasks requiring precision, the minimum requirement is 200 lux.

General lighting

For general lighting, an efficient floodlight/general light with a wide beam works best, allowing large areas to be illuminated with a single light. It is worth aiming to direct the light from top to bottom to avoid glare and shadows, and the higher the light can be placed, the better the light spreads and the fewer lights are needed in terms of quantity. If possible, it is a good idea to place the lamps on large construction sites, for example, on the crane boom (also works as a crane work light) or on the outer walls of the upper floors of an apartment building. For large yard areas, for example, a 200 or 300W AGGE Floodlight general lamp works great: AGGE Floodlight 200W, AGGE Floodlight 300W. For smaller construction sites or yard areas (e.g. single-family house construction sites), even one powerful lamp can often provide sufficient general lighting, as long as the light beam can be directed to illuminate the entire area.

The same Floodlight family also includes models equipped with a motion sensor, which are convenient for lighting areas with less use. This solution saves electricity, as the lights do not have to be constantly on and you do not have to forget to turn them off at the end of the work shift. Motion sensor models are available up to 100W: Agge Floodlight 100W or Floodlight 50W.

Pathways

In addition to general lighting, walkways in particular should be clearly illuminated. Pathways can be illuminated with similar general lighting or floodlights as the general lighting of the yard, but often, for example, under scaffolding or in otherwise cramped places, it is easier to illuminate walkways with LED strips intended for construction sites and outdoor use. The advantage of the strip is its even, bright and shadow-free light and a structure that fits even in very small spaces. In addition, the strip clearly marks the walkways, and high-quality light strips can be chained together to form units up to 100 m long. The strip is also very easy to install as it can be connected directly to the mains. Our selection of 230V LED strips can be found here: 230V LED strips.

Workstations

Especially in tasks that require high precision, the lighting should be significantly greater than the amount required for general lighting. Such tasks can include, for example, electrical connections, work tasks at the cutting point or finishing work. In general, it is easiest to light fixed workstations (e.g. a circular saw station) with a similar floodlight, which also provides general lighting. However, lower-power options, e.g. a 20W model, are sufficient for a workstation. If the workstation is not fixed, but, for example, electrical installations are carried out in several places around the site, a mobile, battery-powered worklight is usually a sensible solution. Our range includes battery-powered worklights for almost every need, but the model that works with the most common drill/power tool batteries has gained great popularity due to its ease of use, power source and light output: AGGE Workmate.

Additional lighting / Emergency lighting

In locations where workers are particularly exposed to danger in the event of a breakdown of general lighting, sufficient emergency lighting should be provided. Emergency lighting can be provided, for example, with battery-operated construction site lights or so-called battery-backed lights that operate on mains power, but can also be used with a battery in the event of a power outage. You can find battery-operated lights here: Rechargeable work lights.

A very common way to increase local lighting, e.g. in tasks requiring high precision, is to use a headlamp attached to a helmet. It is noteworthy that a headlamp must not be the only source of additional light in such tasks, but can support fixed lighting. At the same time, the lamp also functions as an emergency light, e.g. in the event of a power outage, and if there are unlit areas on the construction site, the helmet lamp can also provide personal lighting for people working in these areas. The absolute most popular option in our selection is the Lumonite Compass headlamp with work helmet mount: Lumonite Compass. This headlamp has a burn time of over eight hours with sufficient light output for comfortable close-up work.

A headlamp attached to a helmet also works well for various inspection tasks, as the light always follows your gaze. Another option is of course a traditional flashlight, which can easily be carried in your pocket. This way, the light is always available when needed, and it also serves as backup lighting. Flashlights can be found here: Flashlights.