Lighting is a crucial safety control. Adequate illumination helps vehicles and people navigate, keeps operators aware of hazards, and—in emergencies—guides everyone to exits and areas of refuge.
General Lighting
Lighting is a critical part of workplace safety. Proper illumination helps people and vehicles move safely, makes hazards easier to spot, and supports safe evacuation during emergencies.
Light levels are measured in foot-candles. OSHA 1926.56 outlines minimum lighting requirements for different types of work areas. Most general workspaces require at least 5 foot-candles, while more critical areas, such as first-aid rooms, may require up to 30 foot-candles.
Required Light Levels by Work Area
Visible, illuminated signage supports fast, safe evacuation
Exit and Emergency Lighting
Exit routes are a “continuous and unobstructed path…to a place of safety.” Emergency lighting must provide 1 foot-candle at any point in the building and at least 0.1 foot-candle along the egress path at floor level. Illumination should be automatic and continuous for at least 1 ½ hours during an outage.
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OSHA 1910.37(b)(6)
Each exit sign must be illuminated to a surface value of at least five foot-candles (54 lux) by a reliable light source and be distinctive in color. Self-luminous or electroluminescent signs with a minimum luminance of 0.06 footlamberts (0.21 cd/m2) are permitted.
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NFPA guidance recommends photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) markings for fire equipment and egress identification—highly visible in smoke and power-loss scenarios and not dependent on external power in an emergency.
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Inspect & Verify
Walk your facility to confirm fixtures function, required foot-candles are met and exit paths/signage are continuously illuminated.
