Solving Common Warehouse Lighting Problems: Low Light and Uneven Lighting

The hidden dangers caused by poor warehouse lighting are far beyond imagination: US OSHA statistics show that 34% of forklift accidents are directly related to insufficient lighting, and the picking error rate will increase by 22% in areas with brightness below 200 lux. Today, let's discuss the common low light and uneven lighting problems in warehouses, and share practical LED upgrade solutions.

What is Warehouse Lighting？

Warehouse lighting refers to a lighting system designed specifically for a warehouse environment. In a warehouse, lighting is not only for visibility, but also involves the work requirements of different areas. For example, the lighting requirements of storage, sorting, loading and unloading areas may differ. With proper lighting, warehouses can improve work efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and reduce the risk of accidents.

Causes and Effects of Low Light

Causes:

• Aging of Traditional Lamps: Traditional lamps in warehouses (such as old high-pressure sodium lamps or fluorescent lamps) are often underpowered, resulting in low overall brightness and unable to meet actual needs. Besides, the brightness of traditional lamps decays quickly, and the light intensity may drop by more than 30% after 1-2 years of use. The luminous flux of the lamp decreases, so the entire warehouse naturally becomes dark.
• Improper Selection of Lamps: To save money, some warehouses choose lamps with insufficient power or that are not suitable for the warehouse, resulting in insufficient lighting. For example, a large warehouse is equipped with several low-power LED lamps, which is like using several candles to illuminate a large room, which is definitely not bright enough. Some warehouses do not select suitable lamps according to their own space height and area, resulting in limited lighting range.
• Improper Lighting Layout: The lamps in the warehouse are unevenly distributed, and some areas may have insufficient lighting.

Effects:

• Decreased Work Efficiency: Insufficient light requires employees to concentrate more when operating, resulting in increased fatigue and reduced efficiency.
• Increased Safety Hazards: Low light levels can easily prevent employees from seeing objects clearly, increasing the risk of accidents such as falls and collisions.

How to Solve the Problem of Low Light in Warehouses?

Regular Inspection and Replacement of Lamps

As time goes by, the brightness of lamps will gradually decrease. Regular inspection and replacement of lamps is the key to maintaining adequate lighting. Therefore, warehouses can establish lamp replacement plans and replace them in time when they expire. This ensures the lamps are always in the best working condition.

Reasonable Selection of LED Combination

Choose LED with appropriate power and type according to factors such as the area, height, and cargo stacking of warehouses. For example, for warehouses with higher floor heights, you can choose high-power LED mining lamps, which can provide more concentrated and powerful light. If the warehouse area is large and relatively open, you can consider installing more medium-power LED panel lights to avoid dark areas in some areas.

Suitable Configuration of Lighting Layout

Ensure that the lamps in the warehouse are evenly distributed to avoid blind spots. For high-shelf areas, high bay lights can be installed to ensure adequate lighting even at high altitudes.

Causes and Effects of Uneven Lighting

Causes:

• Irrational Installation of Lamps: A common mistake is to install them at uniform spacing and ignore the height of the shelves. For example, if the same type of lamps are used in the 6-meter-high shelf area and the 12-meter-high corridor, the ground illumination difference will be as high as 3:1 (the standard should be ≤1.5:1), forming a "bright and dark"  "zebra pattern" area.
• Improper Selection of Lamps: If lamps of different brands or models are used in the warehouse, their lighting effects may be inconsistent, resulting in uneven lighting. In addition, the beam angle of some lamps is too wide or too narrow to provide directional lighting according to the specific needs of the warehouse.
• Reflection and Occlusion Problems: The warehouse is full of goods, which may reflect light or block light. Some metal goods with smooth surfaces will reflect light to other places, causing chaotic light distribution. And some tall shelves, if placed unreasonably, will block the light emitted by the lamps, making the area behind the shelves dim.

Effects:

• Visual Fatigue: Uneven lighting requires employees to constantly adjust their vision in different areas, which can easily lead to fatigue and discomfort.
• Reduced Work Efficiency: Excessive brightness or darkness in certain areas may cause employees to lose accurate judgment when working, increasing the chance of operational errors.

How to Solve the Problem of Uneven Lighting in Warehouses?

Optimize the Layout of Lamps

Before installing lamps, make a detailed plan for the warehouse. Reasonably determine the installation position and spacing of the lamps according to the layout of the warehouse. You can use professional lighting design software to simulate the light distribution and find the best layout plan for lamps. Generally speaking, the spacing between lamps should be moderate, which can ensure that the light is evenly covered without causing waste.

Reduce Reflection and Shading

For goods that easily reflect light, some shading materials can be used to cover them to reduce light reflection. At the same time, reasonably adjust the placement of shelves to avoid shelves blocking light. In addition, some reflective materials can be installed on the walls and ceilings of the warehouse to reflect light to where it is needed.

Use Consistent Types of Lamps

Choose lamps of the same type and brand to ensure consistent lighting effects in each area. Avoid using lamps with large power differences to maintain the uniformity of lighting.

Introduce Intelligent Lighting Systems

Modern warehouses can install intelligent lighting control systems to automatically adjust the brightness and switching time of lamps. In addition, intelligent sensing technology can be used to set different light intensities for different areas. For example, the shelf area maintains high brightness, and the channel area maintains a moderate light level. Through motion sensing, the lighting system automatically turns off the lights in unmanned areas to reduce unnecessary energy consumption. All of these ensure that the warehouse lighting is always in the best condition.

Solving the problem of low light and uneven lighting is not as simple as changing the lights, but reconstructing the light environment so that every shelf, every device, and every employee is in a precisely controllable "light domain". Through the above simple but effective solutions, you can ensure that warehouse lighting is always in the best condition, allowing employees to work efficiently in a bright and safe environment.