A properly lit workspace is important for any industry, but it’s especially crucial for those in construction. A construction lighting plan can mean the difference between a safe worksite and a downright dangerous one.
In fact, over 38% of workplace deaths in the construction industry in 2022 were due to slips, trips and falls. Research also shows that missteps and the loss of footing, especially when exiting machinery, are likely due to reduced visibility. Improving the lighting throughout your worksite can help your teams stay safe and productive.
But how exactly can you improve lighting, especially on construction sites? If you’re wondering if your standard lighting plan will be enough for your next project or are looking for simple ways to help crews work more efficiently and safely, you’re in the right place.
In this construction lighting guide, you’ll learn why adequate lighting is important, when and where you may need extra light, and explore the types of lighting solutions available. By the end, you’ll be ready to create the best lighting plan and find the right equipment solutions provider for your construction site.
What Is Construction Lighting, and Why Does It Matter?
Construction lighting is more than just a single light tower or floodlight. It is a system of lights put in place specifically to fully illuminate a worksite, reduce shadows and make the area safer and easier to work in. A construction lighting plan can include many types of light sources, from permanent light towers to temporary rental lights to portable, hand-held lights.
While every construction site is different, they all will need additional lighting at some point. Not only is adequate lighting required by law, but it will also help keep your operation running smoothly.
Let’s start by taking a look at the top three benefits of improving the lighting plan for your construction site.
Improve Project Efficiency
Construction projects are often under tight deadlines or need to meet strict metrics for achieving efficiency. Improving the lighting throughout a worksite can reduce errors by 30% and increase productivity by 10%, according to the International Labor Organization.
Plus, modern lighting solutions, such as solar-powered LED lights, can help from an energy efficiency standpoint, too. Solar-powered LED lights don’t produce emissions like diesel-powered incandescent lights would.
Ensure Worker and Site Visitor Safety
Work sites are dynamic and potentially dangerous places. On any project the safety of workers and site visitors is paramount. Inadequate lighting can increase the chance someone will slip, trip or fall because they can’t see potential hazards. Dim light or too many shadows can also make it harder to use equipment safely, especially if the equipment (like a power saw) requires keen attention to detail or requires good depth perception (like earthmoving equipment as operators dig).
Adding more lights, such as task lights or hazard warning lights, can help keep your crews and the public safer, minimizing the chances of costly or deadly errors and injuries. On cloudy days or at night, the need for additional lighting is even more critical.
- Learn More: 7 Safety Tips for Nighttime Construction
Prevent Equipment Accidents and Damage
Proper lighting is also essential for reducing the risk of accidents and damage to equipment and property. Providing a variety of lights will help drivers and operators navigate their jobsite more easily, minimizing the chances that they will run into something or someone. Additional lighting can also make stationary hazards, structures and equipment easier to see so people can navigate around them.
What Are Some Tips for Creating a Construction Lighting Plan?
Walk the Site and Talk to Workers
Before you can select the right lighting equipment for your project, you need to understand the details of the construction site and the needs of everyone who will be working or visiting the site.
Walk the site and get input from your teams to be sure you can answer the following questions.
- When and where will each task be performed? Evening or night work will have more lighting requirements than work done during the day. Likewise, indoor tasks performed in darkened areas such as tunnels or hallways will need more light than sunny, outdoor work.
- Is a power source accessible on the site? How long will the project take? Multi-year projects or sites with access to the city’s electrical grid can allow you the option to install more permanent lighting. Short-term construction or work areas without access to power will need temporary lighting options powered by battery, generator or diesel engine.
- What happens if the primary lighting fails? Are there combustible or corrosive materials on site? Dangerous materials or the potential for emergency situations may require you to add an emergency light and/or hazardous location light that is designed to be safer to use around combustible materials. These lights can help keep people safe in the event of a power outage or fire.
- What will help workers do their jobs effectively and safely? Portable lighting or adding small artificial light sources in key locations can help crews stay mobile when they need to move and cut down on dangerous glares and shadows.
Know the Rules
In addition to knowing how much illumination your teams need, be sure to check all federal, state and local guidelines for construction lighting requirements. These requirements will guide you on exactly how much illumination is needed at specific areas of the site and how to keep the additional lighting from bothering nearby residents, drivers or businesses.
- View OSHA standards for illuminating construction sites
- View OSHA standards for lighting in shipyards
Consult a Lighting Expert
Site managers don’t need to be electricians to create an effective construction lighting plan. However, you may find it helpful to consult with a trusted lighting expert or lighting equipment provider to make sure you’ve considered all the necessary details. Doing so can help you identify if it’s better to purchase or rent lighting equipment and which products will be best for the specific needs of your worksite.
Lighting Terms You Need to Know
- Lumens: The amount of visible light a light source produces, often called brightness. A 60-watt incandescent bulb produces about 800 lumens.
- Color Temperature (K): Measured in Kelvins (K), color temperature indicates if the light will appear “warm” (yellowish, like candlelight) or “cool” (bluish, like daylight). 2700-3000K = warm/yellowish, 5000K+ = cool/bluish.
- Foot Candle (fc): The amount of illumination per square foot of surface; 1 fc = 10.764 lux. OSHA requires 5 fc of illumination for general construction areas.
- Lux (lx): Similar to a foot candle, a lux is the amount of illumination per square meter of surface; 1 lux = 0.093 fc. This unit of measurement is often used for illumination requirements outside of the United States.
6 Examples of Construction Lighting You May Need
Once you’ve identified where and when artificial lighting is needed throughout your construction site, it’s time to select the type of fixtures that will meet your needs.
In general, when choosing temporary lighting in construction, look for equipment that is:
- Reliable yet mobile/adjustable enough to keep work areas illuminated without interfering with tasks or disturbing neighbors.
- Low maintenance (including how often bulbs will need replaced).
- Durable and designed for the weather and environment at the work area.
- Energy efficient and compatible with the power available.
Let’s explore six common types of construction lighting and when you might choose each.
Temporary and Mobile Light Towers
Light towers are one of the most common examples of construction lighting. A light tower features an extendable central mast that can extend 16 to 100 feet high or more with a powerful cluster of lights at the top. These temporary lighting solutions can be moved via a trailer or a skid, or they may have wheels of their own for greater mobility. Light towers are best for illuminating a large area from above and are at the heart of most construction lighting plans, especially for night work.
Permanent and Temporary Pole-Mounted Lights
Similar to a construction lighting tower, a pole-mounted light features powerful lights atop a central pole. Unlike light towers, the central mast is fixed, not extendable. They are designed to stay in place for long periods, such as a multi-year project or permanently. Permanent pole-mounted lights feature an underground concrete foundation, while temporary pole-mounted lights’ foundation stays aboveground. Pole-mounted lights are best for providing light to a large area, such as a parking lot.
Floodlights
Floodlights are bright lights that produce a wide beam of light to illuminate a larger work area. They are smaller than light towers and can be mounted to a structure or positioned with a tripod. They can also be angled easily, allowing you to target a specific work zone or counteract shadows caused by other lights.
Portable Work Lights
Portable work lights are small or hand-held lights, often powered by battery. A wobble light, headlamp or flashlight are good examples. Workers can carry the lights around the construction site to provide extra illumination exactly when and where they need it. For example, to eliminate shadows or see details or trip hazards in dimly lit areas.
Hazard Warning or Emergency Lights
A hazard warning light or emergency light is any specialized lighting fixture designed to make hazardous areas, objects, barricades or escape routes more visible. These lights can come in the form of strobe lights, beacons or flashing lights.
- Note: Hazard warning lights are not the same as hazardous location lighting. Hazardous location lights are any explosion-proof lighting fixtures rated for use in areas with combustible or corrosive materials where a spark or heat from the light could ignite a fire.
Solar-Powered Lights
Several types of artificial lighting, such as a construction light tower, now have eco-friendly solar-powered options. Solar-powered lights are powerful enough to provide adequate illumination. These lights use sunlight to charge their batteries, and they are emission-free. Solar-powered lights are great for remote locations without access to the power grid or for projects looking to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
When to Partner with a Trusted Lighting Rental Expert
While artificial lighting is needed on every construction site, it doesn’t always make sense to purchase all the lighting equipment you need. You need to ensure crews have the lighting they require to work efficiently and safely, but you also need solutions that fit with the financial and logistical needs of your company.
Each construction project will have different lighting needs based on its location, its timing, its teams and the scope of the project. Partnering with a trusted lighting expert can help you determine which equipment is worth the investment to buy and which solutions it makes more sense to rent.
Should You Buy or Rent Lighting Equipment?
In general, purchasing lighting equipment requires significant upfront and ongoing investment. You’ll need to factor in the cost and effort required of ongoing maintenance, storage and transportation, and eventual replacement of the equipment. This investment may be worth it for core pieces of lighting that you’ll use on every site, but it might be too restrictive if you need a different lighting scheme for each project or can’t keep up with maintenance.
Renting from a trusted lighting equipment expert like Herc Rentals, on the other hand, frees you from the hassles and costs that come with ownership. Renting construction lighting equipment gives you:
- Access to the latest technology.
- Flexibility to scale, adjust equipment quickly or meet the unique needs of each project.
- Financial flexibility and rapid deployment without being responsible for ongoing maintenance.
Rent Construction Lighting from Herc Rentals
Whether you’re looking for a few fixtures with energy-efficient LED bulbs or need a variety of lights to keep your construction site illuminated, the lighting experts at Herc Rentals are ready to help. They’ll help you understand the unique needs of your next construction project and guide you to the best construction lighting solution.
Explore Herc Rentals’ lighting solutions now or call us at 888-777-2700 to talk with an expert today.
