© 2025 AusRehab
For Businesses
For Workers
• 6 min read
By
Suzzy at AusRehab
While it’s easy to focus on machinery, manual tasks, or workstation posture, the quality and placement of light within a workplace is one of the most overlooked factors in occupational health and safety.
Poor lighting in the workplace is a design flaw and a silent hazard that can lead to visual strain, cognitive fatigue, reduced alertness, and even increase the likelihood of physical injury. Whether on warehouse floors, in hospital wards, or in office cubicles, poor lighting silently contributes to preventable incidents and health outcomes that impact productivity, morale, and return-to-work outcomes.
Lighting may seem like a secondary concern in workplace design, but research consistently shows that it has direct physiological and psychological impacts. Workplace lighting hazards, such as poor illumination, glare, or uneven light distribution, can affect everything from visual clarity to mental focus. These conditions influence how employees feel, function, and maintain safety throughout the workday.
The human body is acutely sensitive to light. When lighting levels are too low, too harsh, or poorly positioned, the strain placed on the eyes and brain becomes more than just a mild inconvenience. Poor lighting is strongly associated with:
These effects are especially pronounced in environments that rely on detailed visual tasks or screen work. Over time, this low-level stress accumulates, contributing to higher error rates, decreased concentration, and increased risk of injury.
Slips, trips, and falls are often caused by poor lighting, especially in industrial or warehouse environments where walkways, stairs, or materials are difficult to see. Hazards are not always missed due to carelessness. They’re often simply not visible enough.
In these situations, a poor lighting risk assessment could be the difference between compliance and liability. Employers have a responsibility to ensure all areas of a workspace meet minimum safety visibility standards. These include considerations for contrast, brightness, shadows, and even task-specific lighting setups.
The lighting environment not only contributes to injury but can also hinder recovery. For workers returning after a musculoskeletal or neurological injury, lighting conditions can affect both comfort and healing. Bright, flickering, or high-glare lighting may intensify symptoms, while dim spaces can discourage movement and extend sedentary behavior. A poorly lit workspace can create barriers to return-to-work planning, ultimately delaying rehabilitation outcomes.
Subtle lighting flaws like glare, uneven illumination, or dim corners might seem minor, but their long-term effect on physical and cognitive health is important. In offices, warehouses, hospitals, and even mobile workstations, inadequate lighting can directly impact how employees see, think, feel, and perform.
One of the earliest indicators of lighting issues in the workplace is eye strain from poor lighting. Employees who constantly squint to see small details, read labels, or view screens under mismatched lighting may experience:
This is especially prevalent in screen-based roles where poor contrast and overhead glare compound the issue. Inadequate lighting not only strains the eyes but also often causes people to adjust their posture by leaning forward or tilting their heads, which can result in neck and upper back strain.
Lighting that’s too dim or overly harsh can lead to a range of health issues, including workplace headaches due to lighting. These headaches often stem from prolonged exposure to inconsistent light levels or harsh fluorescent bulbs, and may even trigger migraines in sensitive individuals.
In addition, mental fatigue from lighting becomes a concern when workers are forced to constantly adjust their vision and focus under poor lighting conditions. This ongoing cognitive strain can impair concentration, slow task performance, and affect emotional balance. Studies have shown that light-driven fatigue is a major contributor to productivity loss and presenteeism in sedentary roles.
Lighting doesn’t just affect what we see, but it also influences our circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Exposure to dim or flickering light during the day can disrupt alertness, while poor evening lighting may contribute to insomnia or poor sleep quality.
Workers in poorly lit environments often report feeling more tired, irritable, or even anxious. In contrast, well-lit, visually comfortable spaces support not just attention but mood stability, motivation, and resilience, which are key drivers of healthy work performance.
While eye strain and fatigue are common effects of inadequate lighting, the more immediate concern is the increased risk of injuries due to poor lighting. Poor visibility increases the chance of workplace incidents, especially in high-traffic, cluttered, or high-risk environments.
Ensuring adequate lighting is essential not just for comfort but for hazard detection. Proper illumination helps workers identify potential dangers before they escalate into incidents, making lighting a critical component of workplace safety.
Slips, trips, and falls remain one of the leading causes of injury across Australian workplaces, and poor lighting is often an unseen culprit. Inadequate illumination can hide:
These are especially heightened in warehouse floors, loading docks, carparks, or back-of-house corridors. Workplaces can reduce these risks through a lighting risk assessment, focusing on lux levels, shadow casting, and consistency of light coverage.
Poor lighting contributes to misjudged distances, awkward lifting angles, and reduced spatial awareness, all of which increase the likelihood of manual handling injuries. For workers required to lift, carry, or transfer loads, proper visibility is important for:
In warehouse, construction, or healthcare environments, poor lighting can turn routine handling into a serious injury risk.
When emergencies occur, such as evacuations, equipment failures, or medical incidents, lighting becomes critical for fast, safe decision-making. Insufficient lighting can:
Emergency lighting systems should be regularly tested and integrated into overall lighting safety inspections to ensure compliance with WHS standards and building codes.
Every workplace relies on lighting, but not every environment is affected equally by poor lighting. Certain industries face higher exposure to lighting-related risks, either due to the nature of the work, the spaces used, or the tools involved. Identifying where these risks concentrate helps tailor better safety interventions.
Warehouses often have high ceilings, racking systems, and limited natural light, making consistent, well-distributed illumination important. Poor lighting in these environments can:
Inconsistent lighting between zones (e.g., loading docks vs. aisles) creates visual strain and a higher likelihood of slips, trips, or lifting injuries.
Construction sites often involve temporary lighting, early morning starts, or confined spaces, all of which heighten the importance of lighting safety. Workers here:
Lighting must be sufficient not only for visibility, but for hazard identification and emergency response readiness. The risk escalates further during outdoor, night, or tunnel-based work.
In healthcare settings, lighting directly affects patient care and worker performance. Low lighting in aged care, hospital wards, or emergency departments can:
Lighting standards here should balance visibility, visual comfort, and minimise glare, especially in overnight and on-call environments.
Even well-lit offices can present lighting hazards, even when natural light isn’t evenly distributed or overhead lighting causes glare. Workers in these settings may experience:
The impact is often subtle but long-term. For these environments, solutions like ergonomic lighting set-up, anti-glare screens, and visual comfort assessments can significantly reduce fatigue and enhance performance.
To learn more about workstation optimisation and eye-friendly environments, read: Why Does Your Business Need Ergonomic Assessments?
To manage lighting hazards effectively, workplaces must consider not only whether lighting exists but also how well it supports safe, productive work. Australian lighting standards offer clear guidance for workplace environments, helping employers identify what “adequate” truly means.
According to workplace lighting standards in Australia, such as AS/NZS 1680, lighting must meet specific criteria for brightness, glare control, and uniformity to promote both safety and comfort. These standards help define what constitutes adequate lighting in the workplace, guiding employers to provide illumination levels that suit the nature of tasks being performed.
The standards specify:
For example:
Employers are expected to comply with these standards as part of their WHS obligations, especially when conducting a workplace lighting assessment or audit.
Even if lighting meets lux standards, it can still create hazards. Excessive glare, uneven light distribution, and reflective surfaces can cause discomfort, headaches, and postural strain. Lighting must:
Task lighting, such as adjustable lamps or under-shelf lighting, can enhance visual comfort when general lighting is insufficient, particularly for work that involves precision or long periods of focus.
For office-based and screen-heavy roles, lighting is a part of ergonomic workstation setup. Key factors include:
An ergonomic assessment can help identify visual strain triggers and recommend lighting adjustments tailored to the individual’s needs and work context.
Learn more about how we help create safer, more productive workspaces through our Ergonomic Assessments.
Addressing lighting hazards isn’t just about installing brighter bulbs but also the strategic evaluation, compliance, and adaptation to the real needs of the space and its workers. Assessments are important in identifying lighting-related risks before they cause harm and supporting recovery environments where injured employees can return safely and confidently.
A lighting risk assessment is a structured process used to evaluate how lighting conditions may contribute to workplace hazards. This assessment includes:
It also considers the specific visual demands of each job role, ranging from screen work to manual handling. This is often part of a broader Workplace Assessment conducted by WHS professionals or rehabilitation providers.
A lighting audit goes a step further by providing documented insights, benchmarking against safety standards, and delivering tailored recommendations. This may include:
Lighting audits help employers build safer environments and demonstrate proactive WHS compliance, not just reactive risk management.
Lighting assessments play a critical role during return-to-work planning, where injured workers may have sensitivities to glare, headaches, or fatigue. Ensuring that lighting supports recovery can:
Lighting is often part of broader environmental adjustments that contribute to successful recovery outcomes. To learn more, read Workplace Rehabilitation Providers.
Poor workplace lighting is more than just an inconvenience—it’s a serious health and safety risk. At AusRehab, we help businesses assess and fix lighting hazards before they lead to injury, fatigue, or lost productivity.
We offer professional workplace assessments that focus on:
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Common effects include eye strain, visual fatigue, headaches, and reduced concentration. Over time, inadequate lighting can also affect mood, alertness, and even sleep quality, particularly in indoor environments lacking natural light.
Yes. Poor lighting increases the risk of slips, trips, and manual handling errors. Dim or inconsistent lighting can make obstacles harder to see and impair depth perception, especially in industrial, healthcare, or mobile work environments.
Industries at higher risk include warehousing and logistics, construction and trades, healthcare, and screen-based office roles. Each faces different challenges, from physical navigation in low-lit areas to cognitive strain in glare-heavy environments.
The AS/NZS 1680 standard outlines recommended lighting levels (lux), glare control, and uniformity. Requirements vary by task and industry; for instance, offices need 320–400 lux, while technical work may require up to 800 lux.
Lighting assessments identify non-compliant or high-risk areas, enabling targeted improvements like better light placement, task-specific lighting, or glare reduction. These adjustments improve visibility, reduce fatigue, and prevent accidents.
Absolutely. During return-to-work planning, lighting can be modified to support recovery, especially for workers sensitive to brightness, glare, or fatigue. Environmental changes are often recommended by Workplace Rehabilitation Providers as part of recovery-focused planning.
A lighting audit typically involves:
It can also be integrated into a Workplace Safety Assessment or Ergonomic Assessment for a holistic approach.
Yes. Under WHS regulations, employers must ensure safe working conditions, and that includes providing adequate lighting. Non-compliance can lead to increased risk, injury claims, or legal consequences if lighting-related hazards are left unaddressed.
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