Electrical Thumb Rules-Illumination-(Part-16)
Illumination Requirements per Building & Fire Codes | ||
Walking Surface or Area | Lighting Level (Lux) | Lighting Level (Lux) |
NFPA 1 & 101 | IFC/IBC / ICC | |
New stairways | 10.8 | 10.8 |
Floors & other walking surfaces (not stairs) | 10.8 | 10.8 |
Assembly areas during performances | 2.2 | 2.2 |
Illumination Level | ||
Lux Level | Work Activity and Function | Example of User Area |
20 – 80 | Public walking | Public parks and open-air car parks |
100 – 140 | Casual non-visual task | Corridors, changing rooms, office restrooms |
150 – 180 | Some perception of detail | Warehouses, stores, plant rooms, lift lobbies |
200 – 240 | Continuous occupation | Entrance halls, dining rooms |
250 – 300 | Very easy visual task | Public toilet, classrooms |
300 – 400 | Moderately easy visual task | Private office, libraries, lecture theatres |
500 – 600 | Moderately difficult visual task | Offices, laboratories, retail outlets |
750 – 900 | Difficult visual task | Supermarkets, technical drawing offices |
1000 – 1300 | Very difficult visual task | Operating theatres, polishing and painting plant |
1500 – 1800 | Extremely difficult visual task | Assembly plants, inspection plants |
> 2000 | Exceptionally difficult visual task | Precision assembly, fine work inspection |
Illumination Level | ||
Australian Standard AS/NZS 1680.2.2 under Table 3.1 | ||
Areas and Activities | Examples | Illumination (lux) |
Interiors rarely visited where lighting is only required to aid movement and orientation | Pass-though corridors and walkways; cable tunnels; indoor storage tanks | 40 |
Areas of intermittent use for tasks of coarse detail | Movement, 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 detail | Simple 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 detail | Food preparation areas; counters for transactions; school boards; medium woodworking | 240 |
Areas where visual tasks are moderately difficult and include moderate detail with low contrast | Routine office tasks such as reading, typing and writing in office spaces or enquiry desks | 320 |
Medium level inspection work such as fine woodwork or car assembly | 400 | |
Areas where visual tasks are difficult with small detail with lower contrast | Visually difficult tasks including most inspection tasks such as proofreading, fine machine work or fine painting | 600 |
Areas where visual work are very difficult and involve very small detail with very low contrast | Very difficult tasks such as fine inspection, paint retouching or fine manufacture | 800 |
Areas where visual work is extremely difficult with extremely small detail with very low contrast | Extremely 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 contrast | Exceptionally difficult tasks where visual aids would be of advantage such as the assembly of minute mechanisms and jewellery and watch making | 1600 |
Illumination Level | |
Illuminance | Example |
Full moon overhead | 1 lux |
Family living room | 50 lux |
Hallway/toilet | 80 lux |
Very dark overcast day | 100 lux |
Sunrise or sunset on a clear day. Well lit office area | 400 lux |
Overcast day, typical TV studio lighting | |
Full daylight (not direct sun) | 10000-25000 lux |
Direct sunlight | 32000-130,000 lux |
Illumination Level | |
IS 3646 (PART-1) 1992 | |
Types of interior or activity | illuminance (lux) |
GENERAL BUILDING AREAS | |
Entrance | |
Entrance Halls, Lobbies, Waiting Rooms | 150-200-300 |
Inquiry desks | 300-500-750 |
Gatehouses | 150-200-300 |
Circulation Areas | |
Lifts | 50-100-150 |
Corridors, Passageway, stairs | 50-100-150 |
Escalator, travellators | 100-150-200 |
Medical and First aid Centers | |
Consulting Rooms, Treatment Rooms | 300-500-750 |
Rest Rooms | 100-150-200 |
Medical stores | 100-150-200 |
Staff Rooms | |
Changing, locker and cleaner Rooms, Cloakrooms, lavatories | 50-100-150 |
Rest Rooms | 100-150-200 |
Staff Restaurant | |
Canteens, cafeterias, dining rooms Mess rooms | 150-200-300 |
Servery, vegetable preparation, washing-up area | 200-300-500 |
Food preparation and cooking | 300-500-750 |
Food stores, cellars | 100-150-200 |
Communications | |
Switchboard rooms | 200-300-500 |
Telephone apparatus room | 100-150-200 |
Telex room, post room | 300-500-750 |
Reprographic room | 200-300-500 |
Building Services | |
Boiler houses General | 50-100-150 |
Boiler front | 100-150-200 |
Boiler control room | 200-300-500 |
Control rooms | 200-300-500 |
Mechanical plant room | 100-150-200 |
Electrical power supply and distribution Room | 100-150-200 |
Store rooms | 50-100-150 |
Car Parks | |
Floors | 5 to 20 |
Ramps and Corners | 30 |
Entrances and Exits | 50-100-150 |
Control Booths | 150-200-300 |
Outdoor Car Parks 5-20 | 5 to 20 |
TRANSPORT | |
Airports | |
Ticket counters, checking, desks And Information desks | 300-500-750 |
Departure lounges, other waiting Areas | 150-200-300 |
Baggage reclaim | 150-200-300 |
Baggage handling | 50-100-150 |
Customers and immigration halls | 300-500-750 |
Concourse | 150-200-300 |
Railway Stations | |
Ticket office | 300-500-750 |
Information Office | 300-500-750 |
Parcels office, left Luggage Office General | 50-100-150 |
Counter | 150-200-300 |
Waiting rooms | 150-200-300 |
Concourse | 150-200-300 |
Time table | 150-200-300 |
Ticket Barriers | 150-200-300 |
Platforms (covered) | 30-50-100 |
Platforms (open) | 20 |
Ticket offices | 300-500-750 |
Information offices | 300-500-750 |
Concourse | 150-200-300 |
Loading Areas | 100-150-200 |
EDUCATION | |
Assembly Halls | |
General | 200-300-500 3 |
Teaching Spaces | |
General | 200-300-500 |
Lecture Theatres | |
General | 200-300-500 |
Demonstration benches | 300-500-750 |
Seminar Rooms | 300-500-750 |
Art Rooms | 300-500-750 |
Needlework Rooms | 300-500-750 |
Laboratories | 300-500-750 |
Libraries | 200-300-500 |
Music rooms | 200-300-500 |
Sport halls | 200-300-500 |
Workshops | 200-300-500 |
PLACES OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY | |
Public rooms, Village Halls, Worship Halls | 200-300-500 |
Concert Halls, Cinemas and theatres | |
Foyer | 150-200-300 |
Booking Office | 200-300-500 |
Auditorium | 50-100-150 |
Dressing Rooms | 200-300-500 |
Projection Rooms | 100-150-200 |
Churches | |
Body of church | 100-150-200 |
Pulpit, Lectern | 200-300-500 |
Choir Stalls | 200-300-500 |
Alter, communion table, cancel | 100-150-200 |
Vestries | 100-150-200 |
Organ | 200-300-500 |
Hospitals | |
Anesthetic Rooms-General | 200-300-500 |
Anesthetic Rooms-Local | 750-1000-1500 |
Consulting Area- General | 200-300-500 |
Consulting Area-Examination | 750-1000-1500 |
Corridors-General | 100-150-200 |
Ward corridors-Day, screened from bays | 150-200-300 |
Ward corridors- Day, open to natural light | 150-200-300 |
Ward corridors- Morning/evening | 100-150-200 |
Ward corridors- Night | 5 to 10 |
Cubicles- General | 200-300-500 |
Cubicles-Treatment | 750-1000-1500 |
Examination- General | 200-300-500 |
Examination- Local inspection | 750-1000-1500 |
Intensive therapy-Bad head | 30-50 |
Intensive therapy- Circulation between bed ends | 50-100-150 |
Intensive therapy- Observation | 200-300-500 |
Intensive therapy- Local observation | 750-1000-1500 |
Intensive therapy- Staff base(day) | 200-300-500 |
Intensive therapy- Staff base(night) | 30 |
Laboratories-General | 200-300-500 |
Laboratories-Examination | 300-500-750 |
Nurses stations- Morning/day/evening | 200-300-500 |
Nurses stations- Night desks | 30 |
Nurses stations-Night, medical trolleys | 50-100-150 |
Operating theatres- General | 300-500-750 |
Operating theatres-Local | 10000 to 50000 |
Pathology department- General | 200-300-500 |
Pathology department-Examination | 300-500-750 |
Pathology department- Pharmacies | 200-300-500 |
Pathology department-Reception/ inquiry | 200-300-500 |
Pathology department-Recovery rooms | 200-300-500 |
Ward circulation-Day | 50-100-150 |
Ward circulation-Morning/evening | 50-100-150 |
Ward circulation-Night | 3 to 5 |
Ward bed head-Morning/Evening | 30-50 |
Ward bed head- Reading | 100-150-200 |
Night- Adult | 0.1-1 |
Night-Pediatric | 1 to 5 |
Night-Psychiatric | 5 |
X-ray Areas-General | 150-200-300 |
X-ray Areas-Diagnostic | 150-200-300 |
X-ray Areas-Operative | 200-300-500 |
X-ray Areas- Process dark room | 50 |
Surgeries-General | 200-300-500 |
Surgeries-Waiting rooms | 100-150-200 |
Dental Surgeries- Chair Special lighting | Special lighting |
Dental Surgeries-Laboratories | 300-500-750 |
Consulting rooms- General | 200-300-500 |
Consulting rooms- Desk | 300-500-750 |
Consulting rooms-Examination | 300-500-750 |
Consulting rooms-Ophthalmic wall & nearvision | 300-500-750 |
Hotels | |
Entrance Halls 50-100-150 | |
Reception, cashiers and porters Desks | 200-300-500 |
Bars, coffee base, dinning rooms, grill, rooms, restaurants, lounges | 50-200 |
Cloak room | 50-100-150 3 |
Bed room | 30-50-100 |
Bathroom | 50-100-150 |
Libraries | |
General | 200-300-500 1 |
Counters | 300-500-750 |
Bookshelves | 100-150-200 |
Reading rooms | 200-300-500 |
Reading tables | 200-300-500 |
Catalogues- Card | 100-150-200 |
Catalogues- Microfiche/visual display units | 100-150-200 |
Reference libraries- General | 200-300-500 |
Reference libraries-Counters | 300-500-750 |
Reference libraries- Bookshelves | 100-150-200 |
Reference libraries- Study tables, carrels | 300-500-750 |
Reference libraries- Map room | 200-300-500 |
Display and exhibition- Exhibits insensitive to light | 200-300-500 |
Library workrooms- Book repair and binding | 300-500-750 |
Library workrooms- Catalogue and sorting | 300-500-750 |
Library workrooms- Remote book stores | 100-150-200 |
Museums and Art Galleries- Exhibits insensitive to light | 200-300-500 |
Museums and Art Galleries- Light sensitive exhibits, for e.g., oil and temper paints, undyed leather, bone, Ivory, wood, etc | 150 |
Museums and Art Galleries- Extremely light sensitive exhibits ,For e.g., textiles, water colors, prints and drawing, skins, botanical specimens, etc | 50 |
Museums and Art Galleries- Conservation studies and workshops | 300-500-750 |
Museums and Art Galleries- Multi-purpose sports hall | 300-750 |
AGRICULTURE AND HORICULTURE | |
Inspection of farm products where Color is important | 300-500-750 |
Other important tasks | 200-300-500 |
Farm workshops | |
General | 50-100-150 |
Workbench or machine | 200-300-500 |
Milk premises | 50-100-150 |
Sick Animal Pets, Calf Nurseries | 30-50-100 |
Other Firm and Horticulture Building | 20-30-50 |
ELECTRICITY GENERATION TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION | |
General plant | |
Turbine houses (operating floor) | 150-200-300 |
Boiler and turbine house basements | 50-100-150 |
Boiler house, platforms, areas around Burners | 50-100-150 |
Switch rooms, meter rooms, oil plant Rooms, HV substations (indoor) | 100-150-200 |
Control room | 200-300-500 |
Relay and telecommunication rooms | 200-300-500 |
Diesel generator & compressor rooms | 100-150-200 |
Pump houses, water treatment plant Houses | 100-150-200 |
Battery rooms, charges, rectifiers | 50-100-150 |
Precipitator chambers, platforms, etc | 50-100-150 |
Cable tunnels & basements, Circulating Water culverts & screen chamber | 30-50-100 |
Coal Plant-Conveyors, gantries, junction towers, Unloading hoppers, ash handling plants, Setting pits, dust hoppers | 50-100-150 |
Coal Plant-Other areas where operators may be Attendance | 100-150-200 |
Nuclear Plants-Gas circulation bays, reactor area, boiler Platform, reactor charges and discharge | 100-150-200 |
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING | |
Structural steel Fabrication-General | 200-300-500 |
Structural steel Fabrication-Marking off | 300-500-750 |
Sheet Metal Works- Pressing, punching, shearing, stamping, spinning, folding | 300-500-750 |
Bench work, scribing, inspection | 500-750-1000 |
Machine and tool shops-Rough bench and machine work | 200-300-500 |
Machine and tool shops- Medium bench and machine work | 300-500-750 |
Machine and tool shops-Fine bench and machine work | 500-750-1000 |
Machine and tool shops- Gauge rooms | 750-1000-1500 |
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 welding | 200-300-500 |
Welding and soldering shops-Medium soldering, brazing, spot welding | 300-500-750 |
Welding and soldering shops- Fine soldering , fine spot welding | 750-1000-1500 |
Assembly Shops- Rough work for example, frame and heavy machine assembly | 200-300-500 |
Medium work, for example , office Machinery assembly | 300-500-750 |
Fine work, for example, office machinery assembly | 500-750-1000 |
Very fine work, for example, instrument assembly | 750-1000-1500 |
Minute work for example, watch making | 1000-1500-2000 |
Inspection and Testing Shops | |
Coarse Work, for example, using go/on go gauge, inspection of large sub-assembly | 300-500-750 |
Medium work for example, inspection of painted surfaces | 500-750-1000 |
Fine work, for example, using calibrated scales, inspection of precision mechanism | 750-1000-1500 |
Very fine work, for example, inspection of small intricate parts | 1000-1500-2000 |
Minute work, for example, inspection of very small instruments | 2000 |
Points Shops and Spray Booths- Dipping, rough spraying 00 | 200-300-5 |
Points Shops and Spray Booths-Preparation, ordinary painting, spraying & finishing | 200-500-750 |
Fine painting,. Spraying and finishing | 500-750-1000 |
Inspection, retouching and matching | 750-1000-1500 |
Plating shops-Vats and baths | 200-300-500 |
Plating shops- Buffing, polishing burnishing | 300-500-750 |
Plating shops- Final buffing and polishing | 500-750-1000 |
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGG. | |
Electrical Equipment manufacture | |
Manufacture of cables & insulated wires, winding, varnishing & immersion of coils, assembly of large machines, simple assembly work | 200-300-500 |
Medium assembly , for example Telephones, small motors | 300-500-750 |
Assembly of precision components for e.g., telecommunication equipment ,adjustment, inspection and calibration | 750-1000-1500 |
Assembly of high precision parts | 1000-1500-2000 |
Electronic Equipment Manufacture | |
Printed Circuit Board | |
Silk Screening | 300-500-75 |
Hand insertion of components, soldering | 500-750-1000 |
Inspection | 750-1000-1500 |
Assembly of wiring harness, clearing Harness , testing and calibration | 500-750-1000 |
Chassis assembly | 750-1000-1500 |
Inspection and testing | |
Soak test | 150-200-300 |
Safety and functional tests | 200-300-500 |
FOOD, DRINKS AND TOBACCO | |
Slaughter houses | |
General | 200-300-500 |
Inspection | 300-500-750 |
Canning, Preserving and Freezing | 500-750-1000 |
Grading and sorting of raw materials Preparation | 300-500-750 |
Canned and bottled goods Retorts | 200-300-500 |
Automatic processes | 150-200-300 |
Labeling and packaging | 200-300-500 3 |
Frozen labeling | |
Process area | 200-300-500 |
Packaging and storage | 200-300-500 |
Bottling, Brewing & Distilling | |
Keg washing and handling, bottle Washing | 150-200-300 |
Keg inspection | 200-300-500 |
Process area | 200-300-500 |
Bottle filling | 500-750-1000 |
Edible oils and Fats Processing | |
Refining and Blending | 200-300-500 |
Production | 300-500-750 |
Mills-milling, Filtering and Packing | 200-300-500 |
Bakeries | |
General | 200-300-500 |
Hand decorating, icing | 300-500-75 |
Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturer | |
General | 200-300-500 |
Automatic processes | 150-200-300 |
Hand decoration, inspection, wrapping and packing | 300-500-750 |
Tobacco Processing | |
Material preparation, making and packing | 300-500-750 |
Hand processes | 500-750-1000 |
LEATHER INDUSTRY | |
Leather Manufacture-Cleaning, tanning and stretching, vats, cutting, fleshing, stuffing | 200-300-500 |
Finishing, scarfing | 300-500-750 |
Leather Work General | 200-300-500 |
Pressing, glazing | 300-500-750 |
Cutting, splitting, scarfing, sewing | 500-750-1000 |
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR | |
Clothing Manufacture | |
Preparation of cloth | 200-300-500 |
Cutting | 500-750-1000 |
Matching | 500-750-1000 |
Sewing | 750-1000-1500 |
Pressing | 300-500-750 |
Inspection | 1000-1500-2000 |
Hand tailoring | 1000-1500-2000 |
Hosiery and Knitwear Manufacture | |
Flat bed knitting machines | 300-500-750 |
Circular knitting machines | 500-750-1000 |
Lock stitch and over locking machine | 750-1000-1500 |
Linking or running on | 750-1000-1500 |
Mending, hand finishing | 1000-1500-3000 |
Inspection | 1000-1500-2000 |
Glove Manufacture | |
Sorting & grading | 500-750-1000 |
Pressing, knitting, cutting | 300-500-750 |
Sewing | 500-750-1000 |
Inspection | 1000-1500-2000 |
Hat Manufacture | |
Stiffening, braiding, refining, forming, Sizing, pounding, ironing | 200-300-500 |
Cleaning, flanging, finishing | 300-500-750 |
Sewing | 500-750-1000 |
Inspection | 1000-1500-2000 – |
Boot and Shoe Manufacture Leather and Synthetics | |
Sorting and Grading | 750-1000-1500 |
Clicking, closing | 750-1000-1500 |
Preparatory Operations | 750-1000-1500 |
Cutting tables and pressure | 1000-1500-2000 |
Bottom stock preparation, lasting, Bottoming finishing, show rooms | 750-1000-1500 |
Rubber | |
Washing, compounding, coating, drying Varnishing, vulcanizing | 200-300-500 |
Lining, making and finishing | 300-500-750 |
DISTRIBUITION AND STORAGE | |
Work stores | 100-150-200 |
Unpacking, sorting | 150-200-300 |
Large item storage | 50-100-150 |
Small item rack storage | 200-300-500 |
Issue counter, records, storemans desk | 300-500-750 |
Warehouses and bulk stores | |
Storage of goods where identification requires only limited preparation of details | 50-100-150 |
Storage of goods where identification | 100-150-200 |
Automatic high bay rack stores Gangway | 20 |
Control station | 150-200-300 |
Packing and dispatch | 200-300-500 |
Loading bays | 100-150-200 |
Cold stores | |
General | 200-300-500 |
Breakdown, make-up and dispatch | 200-300-500 |
Loading bays | 100-150-200 |
COMMERCE | |
General Offices | 300-500-750 |
Deep plan General offices | 500-750-1000 |
Offices Computer Work station | 300-500-750 |
Offices- Conference Rooms, Executive Offices | 300-500-750 |
Computer and data preparation Rooms | 300-500-750 |
Filling rooms | 200-300-500 |
Drawing Offices-General | 300-500-750 |
Drawing Offices- Drawing Board | 500-750-1000 |
Print rooms | 200-300-500 |
Counter, office area | 300-500-750 |
Banks and building societies- Public area | 200-300-500 |
SERVICES Workshop Garages | |
(Garages)Interior parking areas | 20-30-50 |
(Garages) General repairs, servicing, washing, polishing | 200-300-500 |
(Garages) Workbench | 300-500-750 |
(Garages) Spray Booths | 300-500-750 |
External apron-General | 30-50-100 |
Pump area (retail details ) | 200-300-500 |
Workshop- General | 200-300-500 |
Workshop- Workbench | 300-500-750 |
Workshop-Counter | 200-300-500 |
Workshop- Stores | 200-300-500 |
Commercial laundries- Receiving, sorting, washing, drying, Ironing, dispatch, dry-cleaning, bulk Machine work | 200-300-500 |
Commercial laundries-Head ironing, pressing, mending, spotting, inspection | 300-500-750 |
Commercial laundries-Launderettes | 200-300-500 |
Commercial laundries-Walkways | 30-50-100 |
Commercial laundries-Process areas | 50-100-150 |
RETAILING | |
Small Shops with Counters | 300-500-750 |
Small Self Service shops with island displays | 300-500-750 |
(Supper-Markets) , Hyper-Markets)General | 300-500-750 |
(Supper-Markets) , Hyper-Markets)Checkout | 300-500-750 |
(Supper-Markets) , Hyper-Markets)Showroom for large objects, for e.g. Cars, furniture | 300-500-75 |
(Supper-Markets) , Hyper-Markets)Shopping precincts and arcades | 100-150-200 |