INTERIOR LIGHTING

10-95
Cleanliness. Industry has found that cleanliness pays. Poor illumina-
tion makes it difficult to see into corners or under machinery and these dark
areas collect dirt and waste that would otherwise be cleaned out. Where
dirt can be seen it is more likely to be removed. In a well-lighted plant
dingy areas do not exist and much more sanitary conditions prevail.
Light and safety.
Engineering for safe plant operation consists es-
sentially of preparing a safe working environment. The environment
should be designed to match and to compensate for the limitations of human
capability. However, as revealed by an analysis of accidents and their
causes, this is but one phase of the safety problem. Most personal injury
accidents involve a combination of personal and mechanical causes. The
chain of circumstances or series of causes which has led a workman to a
potential injury frequently can be broken only if be can see quickly and
accurately the causes and act to prevent the accident.
Factors of Good Illumination
There are many factors involved in good illumination. These can be
summed up under the headings quality, which includes the direction and
diffusion of light, its color, etc., and quantity. Separately and in conjunc-
tion they have significant effects on the ability to see easily, accurately,
and quickly.
Quality
of
illumination: light diffusion and distribution. Some directional
and shadow effects are desirable in general illumination for accentuating
the depth and form of solid objects, but harsh shadows should be avoided.
(See Fig. 10-67.) Shadows are sof-
ter and less pronounced when many
wide-distribution diffusing lumi-
naires are used. Alternate light
and dark areas in strong contrast
are not desirable because the adapta-
tion of an observer's eye to first
one and then the other of the two
brightnesses is fatiguing. For this
reason, purely local lighting re-
stricted to a small work area is
unsatisfactory; there should be suf-
ficient general illumination through-
out the room. High (30 to 60 per
cent) reflectance surfaces serve
several purposes. They reflect light
toward the working areas, they
reduce contrasts between walls,
ceilings, windows, and luminaires.
Machinery with a high-reflectance FIG. 10-67. Uncontrolled shadows
finish reflects light to otherwise sha-
usually interfere with vision. How-
, ,
ever, in some cases shadows may be
dowed areas.
utilized also to simplify seeing tasks.