CS : Temporary Lighting

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Chapter : Construction Safety 

Temporary Lighting

Temporary lighting is essential in buildings under construction.

Areas where we work or walk on site, including exits and entrances, must be adequately lit.

A lighting level of 55 lux (5 foot candles) is recommended.

That means 150-watt light bulbs

1. Suspended 2.4 metres or 8 feet high and
2. 7.5 metres or 25 feet apart

OR

1. Suspended 3 metres or 10 feet high and
2. 6 metres or 20 feet apart.

With lower wattage bulbs we can reduce the space between bulbs. But bulbs lower than 100 watts are not recommended.


Bulbs should be installed so that they light as large an area as possible. They must be protected by cages to guard against accidental damage.

Branch lighting circuits that feed temporary lighting should be kept entirely separate from power circuits except for a common supply.

Branch lighting circuits should be protected by a breaker or fuse with a 15-amp rating. The circuits should be hard-wired directly into a distribution panel by a qualified electrician.

Make it your business to replace missing or burned out bulbs. To work safely, we must be able to see in stairwells, basements, and other areas

Temporary lighting can present hazards.

• Avoid contact with the wires strung for temporary lighting. Frequent relocation of circuits can loosen connections, break insulation, and create other hazards that may lead to shock or electrocution.
• Do not use temporary lighting circuits as extension cords. If a fuse blows, it can be dangerous to find your way to the panel in the dark.
• Make sure that exposed wires do not contact steel door frames. Temporary lines often pass through doors that may accidentally close on them.
• Be careful not to bump stringers with ladders, lengths of pipe, scaffold frames, or other objects that can cause electrical contact and shock.

[With team member, review the following checklist.]

• Are work areas well lit?
• Are burned-out bulbs promptly replaced?
• Are they replaced with new bulbs or bulbs merely taken from another location?
• Are stringers promptly relocated when bulbs are blocked by the installation of new ceilings, ducts, piping, and other equipment?
• Are lamp holders hard-usage type?
• Are electrical feed lines for sockets supported every 1.4 metres (4 feet, 6 inches)?

[Deficiencies should be corrected or brought to the attention of the general contractor.]