When the word “ergonomic” is mentioned, people immediately think of comfortable and safe furniture that immediately renders the workplace more pleasant for those working there. But ergonomics isn’t just about the chairs, desks and other materials that help minimise muscle strain. Ergonomics are also about about lighting too! To ensure that your office fitouts in Melbourne are as ergonomic as possible, the lighting should also be adjusted in order to provide a wholly comfortable environment for the staff.
A significant chunk of the information we process daily comes from visual cues. For this reason alone, it’s important that we work someplace that is well lit, helping to reduce the strain our eyes endure.
There are increasing cases of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) amongst workers nowadays, especially those with jobs that require sitting in front of a desk for hours staring at a screen. Symptoms of CVS include headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision, light sensitivity and pain in the shoulders, neck and back, most likely a result of being hunched over a computer for long periods. Poor lighting hinders productivity too. Not only does it obviously make it harder to see details but also causes people to tire and get stressed much more easily.
Incorporating ergonomic lighting in your office will make it more conducive to productive work. Your employees will also enjoy a better environment where there would be less errors and accidents caused by poor lighting.
Dual-source lighting
Dual-source lighting, simply put, means that there are two sources of light: one overhead and one task light. The overhead light is for the large space, while task lights, such as desk lamps, are available in each workstation. This allows employees to decide whether they need more light or less without having to directly affect their colleagues who might not require the same. For instance, the overhead light may be enough for those using monitors, but for someone reading through stacks of paper documents, a task light may be needed.
Dual-source lighting also allows you to strike a balance between “too dim” and “too bright”, either of which are harmful to the eyes.
Careful lighting placements
Computer screens not only project their own light but also reflect other light sources, creating a computer glare. This should be taken into account in lighting placements. As a general rule, avoid putting your monitor near the windows. If it can’t be helped, change the direction your monitor is facing instead or put in the necessary drapes to block the light bouncing off the screen.
Yellow-toned lights
Yellow-toned lights are generally more pleasing to the eyes than bright white lights. They also create less eye strain and are more psychologically appealing.
Hopefully this has inspired some ideas for you to choose the lighting that will most benefit your office fit out. For further design ideas, you can contact us and we’ll be sure to point you in the right direction.
Get started on your construction projects now!
Our commercial builders in Melbourne are here to help make your office ergonomically sound! Pirotta Services Commercial is dedicated to providing you with a total solution for your fitout requirements. As one of the trusted office fit out companies in Melbourne, we have been delivering a high standard of quality and uncompromising focus on project delivery for the past three decades.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have also put certain measures in place to guarantee the health and safety of our staff.
To find out more our services, call us on (03) 9363 6176 today.
