Illumination is a factor that significantly affects people's eyesight and helps to recognize potential hazards. It is through visual perception that people see the environment and environment in a healthy way. What is important in visual perception, that is, providing a good field of vision and seeing all the details of the work, makes the right lighting. With appropriate lighting, accident-related accident factors are eliminated and the risk perception of the employees is kept high when possible risks can be perceived visually. Proper lighting has a high share in preventing occupational accidents.

The first condition of proper lighting is to provide an adequate level of illumination. Nearly 90 percent of people's perception of objects and events around them occurs with the sense of sight. Therefore, the importance of adequate light level and proper lighting, especially in the life of the employees, is clear.

The Regulation on Health and Safety Measures to be Taken in Workplace Buildings and Attachments issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in 2013 determines the minimum health and safety conditions that should be present in the premises buildings and attachments. This regulation is based on the directive 89 / 654 / EEC issued in the European Union.

According to the said regulation, enterprises should be adequately illuminated by daylight. If sufficient daylight is not provided due to the nature of the business or the construction of the business facility, or if night work is required, adequate and adequate illumination may be provided by artificial light.

According to the Regulation, TS EN 12464-1 standard must be followed in the workplace lighting. This standard covers the lighting criteria that meet the comfort and performance requirements of people with normal vision in work places in closed environments.

The working environments and the lighting systems on the access roads to these areas must be of such a kind and that they do not create an accident hazard for the employees. If there is a danger for the employees in case of failure of the lighting system in terms of their activities, there must be an emergency lighting system connected to a separate power supply in order to ensure adequate lighting in these places.

Founded in 1913, the International Commission on Lighting (CIE) is defined as a lighting application for viewing lighting, objects and their surroundings. A light source emits light in different directions and with different force. The light energy emitted by this light source in a certain direction is called light intensity. The amount of light per unit area of ​​a surface is called the level of light. On a sunny summer day, the intensity of the lighting is on average 100 thousand lux. On a cloudy winter day, the intensity of the lighting is on average 3 thousand lux. In order to make effective and accurate lighting, the color, direction, distribution and amount of light are the factors to be considered.

Scope of Lighting Measurements

Lighting types vary according to the illuminated area. Interior lighting is the illumination of indoor areas. Interior lighting is provided in workplaces, residences, offices, government offices, schools, hospitals and so on. In areas such as streets, streets, parks, squares, gardens and highways, external lighting is provided.

Lighting also varies according to its source. The lighting obtained by using daylight is natural lighting. In cases where the daylight is not sufficient, illumination is artificial lighting.

The conditions of the lighting in the workplaces are explained in the Regulation on Health and Safety Measures to be Taken in the Buildings and Attachments of the Workplace. As explained above, this regulation does not provide the level of brightness. Instead, reference is made to the TS EN 12464-1 standard. This standard specifies the light level values ​​that should be present in the general areas of the buildings, production areas, buildings providing health and education services and public places.

EN 12464 and ISO 8995 standards are used for the light level values ​​required in the enterprises in European Union countries. In our country, the following standards are taken as basis for lighting measurements performed in authorized test and inspection laboratories:

• TS EN 12464-1 Light and lighting - Lighting of workplaces - Part 1: Closed workplaces
• TS EN 12464-2 Light and lighting - Lighting of workplaces - Part 2: Outdoor workplaces
• TS EN 12665 Light and lighting-Basic definitions and criteria for lighting rules
• ISO 8995-1 Workplace lighting - Part 1: Closed work areas
• ISO 8995-3 Workplace lighting - Part 3: Open workplaces
• COHSR-928-1-IPG-039 Measurement of lighting levels in the workplace - Canadian occupational health protection, policies and guidance

According to the current regulations and relevant standards, a proportional and uniform distribution of illumination levels must be provided in the workplaces. In general lighting, homogeneous distribution of light in the environment should be ensured. Priority should be given to natural lighting in the workplace. However, if the illumination level obtained by natural lighting is not sufficient, it should be supported with artificial lighting. In addition, if more lighting is required in terms of activity, local lighting is also utilized. In these studies, it is necessary not to pose a risk for the employees and to take into consideration the effects in terms of occupational health and safety.

In order for the employees to be aware of the dangers and not to experience visual disability, lighting should be sufficient. A significant part of the workplace accidents in the workplace is due to the lack of adequate lighting. Therefore, lighting values ​​in workplaces should not be below the minimum levels specified in the standards. The more adequate the level of illumination, the clearer the details of the work. According to a study by the American National Security Council, 5 was responsible for poor lighting in a percentage of occupational accidents. Increased eye fatigue increases this rate up to 20 percent.

The COHSR-928-1-IPG-039 method is used to assess employee exposure in the lighting measurements performed by the competent authorities in the workplace. This method, which originates from Canada, is aimed at measuring lighting levels in workplaces and includes policies for the protection of occupational health of employees.