Lighting at computer workstations

The visual conditions for computer work are complex and include several factors that need to be well controlled. These factors include the lighting system, the design of the computer and screen itself, the screens position and orientation within the room, the surface reflectances and colours of the room, and the visualability of the worker.

The objective was to review the literature (including standards) on lighting for computer work in an accessible summary. This contribution focuses on lighting for computer work, but the reader is reminded of the fact that lighting continuously interacts with the other factors mentioned above.

The combined visual conditions shall enable the worker to see and perform the work task without causing unnecessary strain for the eyes or the other parts of the body. The main lighting-related factors in the visual environment to evaluate are: illuminance, luminance, direction of light, glare, correlated colour temperature of the light source (CCT), colour rendering of the light source, and the non-visual effects (such as non-visual flicker). A visual ergonomics checklist is presented as a guide to analyse the visual environment.