Your Quick Guide To Hazardous Area Lighting

Your Quick Guide To Hazardous Area Lighting

Thursday 4 April

Good lighting is crucial in keeping your facility well-lit and safe, however electrical ignition sources are one of the most common causes of fire and explosion in hazardous areas. Every business is different, and with a variety of the types and quantities of hazardous materials present, there is no one-size-fits-all.

The solution? Hazardous area lighting which is bespoke to your workplace. Here is a quick run-through of this vast topic with guidance on what your site may require. 

• Classification of Hazardous Areas: The first step is to classify your hazardous areas as once you know the appropriate classification, you will be able to determine the correct lighting for that particular area.
• Degree of Protection (IP Rating): Fixtures must have a suitable level of ingress protection from dust, moisture and other contaminants. This will depend on the activities and substances present at your facility.
• Temperature Class: You must ensure that any lighting fixtures have a maximum surface temperature below the auto-ignition temperature of flammable substances present.

Key Types Of Hazardous Area Lighting

• Bay: Both high and low bay light fixtures are designed to illuminate areas with high ceilings, ideal for warehouses and factories.
• Linear: Linear shaped luminaires designed to create a straight light profile which is optimal for narrower spaces.  
• Bulkhead: Particularly durable fixtures which are sometimes caged and usually fitted to walls or surfaces.
• Floodlights: Used both outdoors and indoors, they offer high illumination for specific areas and are commonly used in manufacturing plants, construction sites and more. 

Lighting For Efficiency And Sustainability

While safety is the key driver of hazardous area lighting, advancements in technology mean that fixtures now also provide improvements in operations and energy efficiency. LED technology is now an increasingly preferred light source in comparison to more traditional fluorescent or halogen lights. 

One reason for their popularity is due to the fact that they reduce energy costs and improve a business’s carbon footprint. Secondly, they are long-lasting and reduce the likeliness of costly repairs or replacements.

How To Guarantee Safe Hazardous Area Lighting

With many areas to consider, hazardous area lighting is not an area of your business which should be approached lightly. It’s always essential to work with accredited installers and manufacturers to reduce any associated risks.

By working with a good electrical contractor such as ourselves, you will benefit from:

• Expert design solutions.
• Thorough installations completed to high standards.
• Reliable, ongoing maintenance to extend service life.

Here at SR Electrical, our CompEx engineers are experienced in all aspects of hazardous area lighting, whether you need a small replacement fixture or a full installation. Not only this, but we are also at hand to offer any professional advice such as zoning queries or hazard identification. 

If you would like more information or have a project in mind, then please contact us and a member of our team would be happy to help.