Electrical Thumb Rules-Illumination-(Part-16)

 

Illumination Requirements per Building & Fire Codes

Walking Surface or AreaLighting Level (Lux)Lighting Level (Lux)
NFPA 1 & 101IFC/IBC / ICC 
New stairways10.810.8
Floors & other walking surfaces (not stairs)10.810.8
Assembly areas during performances2.22.2

 

Illumination Level

Lux LevelWork Activity and FunctionExample of User Area
20 – 80Public walkingPublic parks and open-air car parks
100 – 140Casual non-visual taskCorridors, changing rooms, office restrooms
150 – 180Some perception of detailWarehouses, stores, plant rooms, lift lobbies
200 – 240Continuous occupationEntrance halls, dining rooms
250 – 300Very easy visual taskPublic toilet, classrooms
300 – 400Moderately easy visual taskPrivate office, libraries, lecture theatres
500 – 600Moderately difficult visual taskOffices, laboratories, retail outlets
750 – 900Difficult visual taskSupermarkets, technical drawing offices
1000 – 1300Very difficult visual taskOperating theatres, polishing and painting plant
1500 – 1800Extremely difficult visual taskAssembly plants, inspection plants
> 2000Exceptionally difficult visual taskPrecision assembly, fine work inspection

 

Illumination Level

Australian Standard AS/NZS 1680.2.2 under Table 3.1

Areas and ActivitiesExamplesIllumination (lux)
Interiors rarely visited where lighting is only required to aid movement and orientationPass-though corridors and walkways; cable tunnels; indoor storage tanks40
Areas of intermittent use for tasks of coarse detailMovement, orientation and tasks of coarse detail in areas such as change rooms, storage rooms, loading bays etc.80
Areas that are continually used for tasks of coarse detailSimple tasks such as occasional reading of clearly printed documents for short periods or rough bench or machine work in areas such as waiting rooms and entrance halls etc.160
Continuously occupied interiors used for ordinary tasks with high contrasts or large detailFood preparation areas; counters for transactions; school boards; medium woodworking240
Areas where visual tasks are moderately difficult and include moderate detail with low contrastRoutine office tasks such as reading, typing and writing in office spaces or enquiry desks320
Medium level inspection work such as fine woodwork or car assembly400
Areas where visual tasks are difficult with small detail with lower contrastVisually difficult tasks including most inspection tasks such as proofreading, fine machine work or fine painting600
Areas where visual work are very difficult and involve very small detail with very low contrastVery difficult tasks such as fine inspection, paint retouching or fine manufacture800
Areas where visual work is extremely difficult with extremely small detail with very low contrastExtremely difficult tasks that may require visual aids such as graphic arts inspection; hand tailoring; inspection of dark goods; extra-fine bench work etc.1200
Areas where visual work is exceptionally difficult with exceptionally small detail with very low contrastExceptionally difficult tasks where visual aids would be of advantage such as the assembly of minute mechanisms and jewellery and watch making1600

 

Illumination Level

IlluminanceExample
Full moon overhead1 lux
Family living room50 lux
Hallway/toilet80 lux
Very dark overcast day100 lux
Sunrise or sunset on a clear day. Well lit office area400 lux
Overcast day, typical TV studio lighting
Full daylight (not direct sun)10000-25000 lux
Direct sunlight32000-130,000 lux

 

Illumination Level

IS 3646 (PART-1) 1992

Types of interior or activityilluminance (lux)
GENERAL BUILDING AREAS
 Entrance
Entrance Halls, Lobbies, Waiting Rooms150-200-300
Inquiry desks 300-500-750
Gatehouses 150-200-300
 Circulation Areas
Lifts50-100-150
Corridors, Passageway, stairs50-100-150
 Escalator, travellators100-150-200
Medical and First aid Centers
Consulting Rooms, Treatment Rooms300-500-750
Rest Rooms100-150-200
Medical stores100-150-200
 Staff Rooms
 Changing, locker and cleaner Rooms, Cloakrooms, lavatories50-100-150
 Rest Rooms100-150-200
 Staff Restaurant
Canteens, cafeterias, dining rooms Mess rooms150-200-300
Servery, vegetable preparation, washing-up area200-300-500
Food preparation and cooking300-500-750
 Food stores, cellars100-150-200
Communications
Switchboard rooms200-300-500
Telephone apparatus room100-150-200
Telex room, post room 300-500-750
Reprographic room 200-300-500
Building Services
 Boiler houses General50-100-150
Boiler front100-150-200
 Boiler control room200-300-500
Control rooms200-300-500
Mechanical plant room100-150-200
Electrical power supply and distribution Room100-150-200
Store rooms50-100-150
Car Parks
 Floors5 to 20
 Ramps and Corners30
Entrances and Exits50-100-150
Control Booths150-200-300
 Outdoor Car Parks 5-205 to 20
TRANSPORT
Airports
Ticket counters, checking, desks And Information desks300-500-750
Departure lounges, other waiting Areas150-200-300
 Baggage reclaim150-200-300
 Baggage handling50-100-150
 Customers and immigration halls 300-500-750
Concourse150-200-300
Railway Stations
Ticket office300-500-750
Information Office300-500-750
Parcels office, left Luggage Office General50-100-150
Counter 150-200-300
Waiting rooms150-200-300
Concourse150-200-300
Time table150-200-300
Ticket Barriers 150-200-300
Platforms (covered)30-50-100
Platforms (open)20
 Ticket offices300-500-750
Information offices 300-500-750
Concourse 150-200-300
Loading Areas100-150-200
EDUCATION
 Assembly Halls
General 200-300-500 3
Teaching Spaces
General 200-300-500
 Lecture Theatres
 General200-300-500
Demonstration benches 300-500-750
Seminar Rooms 300-500-750
 Art Rooms300-500-750
 Needlework Rooms 300-500-750
 Laboratories 300-500-750
Libraries200-300-500
Music rooms 200-300-500
 Sport halls 200-300-500
 Workshops200-300-500
PLACES OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY
Public rooms, Village Halls, Worship Halls200-300-500
 Concert Halls, Cinemas and theatres
 Foyer150-200-300
Booking Office200-300-500
Auditorium50-100-150
Dressing Rooms200-300-500 
Projection Rooms100-150-200
Churches
 Body of church100-150-200
Pulpit, Lectern200-300-500
 Choir Stalls200-300-500
Alter, communion table, cancel100-150-200
Vestries 100-150-200
 Organ200-300-500
Hospitals
Anesthetic Rooms-General200-300-500
Anesthetic Rooms-Local750-1000-1500
 Consulting Area- General200-300-500
 Consulting Area-Examination750-1000-1500
Corridors-General100-150-200
Ward corridors-Day, screened from bays 150-200-300
Ward corridors- Day, open to natural light150-200-300
Ward corridors- Morning/evening100-150-200
Ward corridors- Night5 to 10
Cubicles- General 200-300-500
Cubicles-Treatment750-1000-1500
Examination- General200-300-500
Examination- Local inspection 750-1000-1500
 Intensive therapy-Bad head30-50
 Intensive therapy- Circulation between bed ends50-100-150
 Intensive therapy- Observation200-300-500
 Intensive therapy- Local observation750-1000-1500
 Intensive therapy- Staff base(day)200-300-500
 Intensive therapy- Staff base(night)30
 Laboratories-General200-300-500
 Laboratories-Examination300-500-750
Nurses stations- Morning/day/evening200-300-500
Nurses stations- Night desks30
Nurses stations-Night, medical trolleys50-100-150
Operating theatres- General300-500-750
Operating theatres-Local 10000 to 50000
Pathology department- General200-300-500
Pathology department-Examination300-500-750
Pathology department- Pharmacies200-300-500
Pathology department-Reception/ inquiry200-300-500
Pathology department-Recovery rooms200-300-500
 Ward circulation-Day50-100-150
 Ward circulation-Morning/evening50-100-150
 Ward circulation-Night3 to 5
Ward bed head-Morning/Evening30-50
Ward bed head- Reading 100-150-200
Night- Adult0.1-1
Night-Pediatric1 to 5
Night-Psychiatric5
X-ray Areas-General150-200-300
X-ray Areas-Diagnostic150-200-300
X-ray Areas-Operative200-300-500
X-ray Areas- Process dark room50
Surgeries-General200-300-500
Surgeries-Waiting rooms 100-150-200
Dental Surgeries- Chair Special lightingSpecial lighting
Dental Surgeries-Laboratories300-500-750
Consulting rooms- General200-300-500
Consulting rooms- Desk300-500-750
Consulting rooms-Examination300-500-750
Consulting rooms-Ophthalmic wall & nearvision300-500-750
Hotels
Entrance Halls 50-100-150
 Reception, cashiers and porters Desks200-300-500
 Bars, coffee base, dinning rooms, grill, rooms, restaurants, lounges50-200
Cloak room50-100-150 3
Bed room30-50-100
 Bathroom50-100-150
Libraries
General200-300-500 1
Counters300-500-750
 Bookshelves100-150-200
 Reading rooms200-300-500
 Reading tables 200-300-500
Catalogues- Card100-150-200
Catalogues- Microfiche/visual display units100-150-200
Reference libraries- General200-300-500
Reference libraries-Counters300-500-750
Reference libraries- Bookshelves 100-150-200
Reference libraries- Study tables, carrels300-500-750
Reference libraries- Map room200-300-500
Display and exhibition- Exhibits insensitive to light200-300-500
Library workrooms- Book repair and binding300-500-750
Library workrooms- Catalogue and sorting300-500-750
Library workrooms- Remote book stores100-150-200
Museums and Art Galleries- Exhibits insensitive to light200-300-500
Museums and Art Galleries- Light sensitive exhibits, for e.g., oil and temper paints, undyed leather, bone, Ivory, wood, etc150
Museums and Art Galleries-  Extremely light sensitive exhibits ,For e.g., textiles, water colors, prints and drawing, skins, botanical specimens, etc50
Museums and Art Galleries-  Conservation studies and workshops300-500-750
Museums and Art Galleries- Multi-purpose sports hall300-750
AGRICULTURE AND HORICULTURE
Inspection of farm products where Color is important300-500-750
Other important tasks200-300-500
 Farm workshops
 General50-100-150
Workbench or machine200-300-500
 Milk premises50-100-150
Sick Animal Pets, Calf Nurseries 30-50-100
Other Firm and Horticulture Building20-30-50
ELECTRICITY GENERATION TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
General plant
 Turbine houses (operating floor)150-200-300
Boiler and turbine house basements50-100-150
Boiler house, platforms, areas around Burners50-100-150
Switch rooms, meter rooms, oil plant Rooms, HV substations (indoor)100-150-200
 Control room 200-300-500
 Relay and telecommunication rooms200-300-500
Diesel generator & compressor rooms100-150-200
Pump houses, water treatment plant Houses100-150-200
 Battery rooms, charges, rectifiers 50-100-150
Precipitator chambers, platforms, etc 50-100-150
Cable tunnels & basements, Circulating Water culverts & screen chamber30-50-100
 Coal Plant-Conveyors, gantries, junction towers, Unloading hoppers, ash handling plants, Setting pits, dust hoppers50-100-150
 Coal Plant-Other areas where operators may be Attendance100-150-200
Nuclear Plants-Gas circulation bays, reactor area, boiler Platform, reactor charges and discharge100-150-200
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Structural steel Fabrication-General200-300-500
 Structural steel Fabrication-Marking off300-500-750
 Sheet Metal Works- Pressing, punching, shearing, stamping, spinning, folding300-500-750
Bench work, scribing, inspection500-750-1000
 Machine and tool shops-Rough bench and machine work200-300-500
 Machine and tool shops- Medium bench and machine work300-500-750
 Machine and tool shops-Fine bench and machine work 500-750-1000
 Machine and tool shops- Gauge rooms750-1000-1500
 Die Sinking Shops-General 300-500-750
 Die Sinking Shops-Fine Works 1000-1500-2000
 Welding and soldering shops-Gas and arc welding, rough spot welding200-300-500
 Welding and soldering shops-Medium soldering, brazing, spot welding 300-500-750
 Welding and soldering shops- Fine soldering , fine spot welding750-1000-1500
Assembly Shops- Rough work for example, frame and heavy machine assembly200-300-500
Medium work, for example , office Machinery assembly300-500-750
 Fine work, for example, office machinery assembly500-750-1000
Very fine work, for example, instrument assembly750-1000-1500
 Minute work for example, watch making1000-1500-2000
Inspection and Testing Shops
Coarse Work, for example, using go/on go gauge, inspection of large sub-assembly300-500-750
Medium work for example, inspection of painted surfaces500-750-1000
Fine work, for example, using calibrated scales, inspection of precision mechanism750-1000-1500
 Very fine work, for example, inspection of small intricate parts1000-1500-2000
 Minute work, for example, inspection of very small instruments2000
Points Shops and Spray Booths- Dipping, rough spraying 00200-300-5
Points Shops and Spray Booths-Preparation, ordinary painting, spraying & finishing200-500-750
 Fine painting,. Spraying and finishing 500-750-1000
Inspection, retouching and matching750-1000-1500
 Plating shops-Vats and baths200-300-500
 Plating shops- Buffing, polishing burnishing300-500-750
 Plating shops- Final buffing and polishing500-750-1000
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGG.
Electrical Equipment manufacture
 Manufacture of cables & insulated wires, winding, varnishing & immersion of coils, assembly of large machines, simple assembly work200-300-500
 Medium assembly , for example Telephones, small motors300-500-750
 Assembly of precision components for e.g., telecommunication equipment ,adjustment, inspection and calibration750-1000-1500
Assembly of high precision parts1000-1500-2000
Electronic Equipment Manufacture
Printed Circuit Board
 Silk Screening300-500-75
 Hand insertion of components, soldering500-750-1000
 Inspection 750-1000-1500
Assembly of wiring harness, clearing Harness , testing and calibration500-750-1000
Chassis assembly750-1000-1500
 Inspection and testing
 Soak test150-200-300
Safety and functional tests 200-300-500
FOOD, DRINKS AND TOBACCO
 Slaughter houses
 General200-300-500
 Inspection300-500-750
Canning, Preserving and Freezing500-750-1000
Grading and sorting of raw materials  Preparation 300-500-750
 Canned and bottled goods Retorts 200-300-500
Automatic processes150-200-300
 Labeling and packaging200-300-500 3
 Frozen labeling
 Process area200-300-500
Packaging and storage200-300-500
 Bottling, Brewing & Distilling
Keg washing and handling, bottle  Washing150-200-300
Keg inspection200-300-500
Process area200-300-500
 Bottle filling500-750-1000
Edible oils and Fats Processing
Refining and Blending200-300-500
Production 300-500-750
Mills-milling, Filtering and Packing200-300-500
Bakeries
 General200-300-500
Hand decorating, icing300-500-75
Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturer
 General 200-300-500
Automatic processes150-200-300
 Hand decoration, inspection, wrapping and packing300-500-750
Tobacco Processing
Material preparation, making and packing300-500-750
 Hand processes500-750-1000
LEATHER INDUSTRY
Leather Manufacture-Cleaning, tanning and stretching, vats, cutting, fleshing, stuffing200-300-500
 Finishing, scarfing300-500-750
 Leather Work General 200-300-500
 Pressing, glazing 300-500-750
 Cutting, splitting, scarfing, sewing500-750-1000
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR
Clothing Manufacture
Preparation of cloth200-300-500
 Cutting500-750-1000
 Matching 500-750-1000
 Sewing 750-1000-1500
 Pressing300-500-750
 Inspection 1000-1500-2000
 Hand tailoring 1000-1500-2000
Hosiery and Knitwear Manufacture
Flat bed knitting machines300-500-750
Circular knitting machines 500-750-1000
 Lock stitch and over locking machine750-1000-1500
Linking or running on750-1000-1500
 Mending, hand finishing1000-1500-3000
 Inspection1000-1500-2000
Glove Manufacture
Sorting & grading500-750-1000
Pressing, knitting, cutting 300-500-750
Sewing500-750-1000
Inspection1000-1500-2000
 Hat Manufacture
Stiffening, braiding, refining, forming, Sizing, pounding, ironing200-300-500
 Cleaning, flanging, finishing300-500-750
 Sewing500-750-1000
 Inspection1000-1500-2000 –
Boot and Shoe Manufacture Leather and Synthetics
 Sorting and Grading750-1000-1500
Clicking, closing 750-1000-1500
Preparatory Operations750-1000-1500
Cutting tables and pressure1000-1500-2000
Bottom stock preparation, lasting, Bottoming finishing, show rooms750-1000-1500
 Rubber
Washing, compounding, coating, drying Varnishing, vulcanizing200-300-500
Lining, making and finishing300-500-750
DISTRIBUITION AND STORAGE
 Work stores 100-150-200
 Unpacking, sorting150-200-300
 Large item storage 50-100-150
 Small item rack storage200-300-500
Issue counter, records, storemans desk300-500-750
Warehouses and bulk stores
Storage of goods where identification requires only limited preparation of details50-100-150
 Storage of goods where identification100-150-200
 Automatic high bay rack stores  Gangway20
Control station150-200-300
 Packing and dispatch 200-300-500
 Loading bays100-150-200
 Cold stores
 General200-300-500
Breakdown, make-up and dispatch200-300-500
 Loading bays100-150-200
 COMMERCE
General Offices 300-500-750
Deep plan General offices500-750-1000
Offices Computer Work station 300-500-750
Offices- Conference Rooms, Executive Offices300-500-750
 Computer and data preparation Rooms300-500-750
Filling rooms200-300-500
Drawing Offices-General 300-500-750
Drawing Offices- Drawing Board 500-750-1000
Print rooms200-300-500
 Counter, office area 300-500-750
Banks and building societies- Public area 200-300-500
SERVICES Workshop  Garages
(Garages)Interior parking areas20-30-50
(Garages) General repairs, servicing, washing, polishing200-300-500
(Garages) Workbench300-500-750
(Garages) Spray Booths 300-500-750
 External apron-General 30-50-100
Pump area (retail details ) 200-300-500
 Workshop- General200-300-500
 Workshop- Workbench300-500-750
 Workshop-Counter200-300-500
 Workshop- Stores200-300-500
Commercial laundries- Receiving, sorting, washing, drying, Ironing, dispatch, dry-cleaning, bulk Machine work200-300-500
Commercial laundries-Head ironing, pressing, mending, spotting, inspection300-500-750
Commercial laundries-Launderettes200-300-500
Commercial laundries-Walkways30-50-100
Commercial laundries-Process areas50-100-150
 RETAILING
Small Shops with Counters300-500-750
Small Self Service shops with island displays300-500-750
 (Supper-Markets) , Hyper-Markets)General 300-500-750
(Supper-Markets) , Hyper-Markets)Checkout300-500-750
(Supper-Markets) , Hyper-Markets)Showroom for large objects, for e.g. Cars, furniture300-500-75
(Supper-Markets) , Hyper-Markets)Shopping precincts and arcades100-150-200