The 4 Foundational Basics of Great Warehouse Lighting

You might think that lighting a warehouse is  a simple affair. Just screw in as many light bulbs as possible and you’re good to go, right?

Not so fast. Whether you’re an operations manager, a custodian, or a property manager in [city] you know that keeping a warehouse well-lit is a must to ensure everyone and everything in the space is safe and secure at all times.

But how do you illuminate such a big indoor environment? Go through the tips below to learn how to do just that

Place Health and Safety First

Make sure that the lighting system produces enough light for workers to see all of what they’re doing. A workplace that’s too dim can cause trips, falls, and accidents. And contrary to what you might think, it’s not enough to just have bright overhead lighting. Warehouses, with their high ceilings, tend to be dim on the ground because the lights are so high up. To fix this problem, make sure work stations have generous task lighting for workers.

Use Instant-on Lighting

Make it a point to use light bulbs that give off their full brightness the second they’re switched on. Older lights like fluorescent lamps and incandescent bulbs can take several seconds before they generate their full brightness. In a warehouse, this simply will not suffice.

The good news is that there are better alternatives, like LED lights. LEDs are perfect for large indoor spaces like warehouses since they instantly produce their full brightness after being switched on. This is due to their microchip technology, which relies on a current of electricity to produce light. In contrast, an incandescent bulb uses a tungsten filament that it must literally heat to high temperatures to produce light—a process that can take time, depending on the bulb.

Install Emergency Lights

Again, safety is the number one priority in a warehouse.

Along with you general lights, you should also install high-quality emergency lighting near work stations, storage rooms, entrances, and exits. You should also have both emergency exit lighting and standby lighting. In fact, many building codes require you to have these.

Choose emergency lights that have great light quality and long battery life. Also, choose emergency lights that need as little maintenance as possible.

Don’t Forget Your Office Lights

Most warehouses have offices for staff. For this space, you don’t have to use the same lights used in the main warehouse area.

You can be a little bit more relaxed and creative when it comes to lighting your office. For example, you can place desk lamps or hang pendant lights over a table. If you have art or photos, install a track light on the ceiling to shine light on them. Basically, treat the space like an office you want to spend time in rather than an empty storage space.

Keep these tips in mind when lighting a warehouse and create a safe space for employees and your equipment or goods.