Light Level Guideline – ELECTDESIGN.CA

IES Recommended Lighting Levels

Application	Task	Recommended Light Level Range (fc)- Horizontal	Recommended Light Level Average (fc)- Horizontal	Recommended Light Level Range (fc)- Vertical	Recommended Light Level Average (fc)- Vertical
Airplane Manufacturing	Drilling, riveting, screw fastening	75
Airplane Manufacturing	Final assembly, hangar	100
Airplane Manufacturing	Inspection	50-200
Airplane Manufacturing	Welding	50
Assembly	Rough easy seeing	20-50
Assembly	Rough difficult seeing	50-100
Assembly	Medium	100-200
Auditoriums	Social Activities	5-10
Auditoriums	Assembly Only	10-20
Auditoriums	Exhibitions	15-25
Automotive	Showroom	25-100	50	5-20	10
Automotive	Service Area	25-100	50	15-30	30
Automotive	Sales Lot (Exterior Urban)	10-40	20	10-40	20
Automotive	Sales Lot (Exterior Suburban)	7.5-30	15	7.5-30	15
Automotive Manufacturing	Frame Assembly	50
Automotive Manufacturing	Body & chassis assembly	100
Automotive Manufacturing	Body parts assembly	100
Automotive Manufacturing	Final Assembly, finishing, inspecting	200
Banks	Lobby General	10-50
Banks	Writing Areas	20-70
Banks	Teller Stations, Posting & Keypunch	50-150
Barber Shop	Beauty Parlors	50-100
Chemical Works	Chemical Works	30
Clothing Manufacturer	Receiving, storing, shipping, winding, measuring	20-50
Clothing Manufacturer	Pattern making, trimming	50-100
Clothing Manufacturer	Shops, Marking	50-200
Clothing Manufacturer	Cutting, Pressing	100-500
Clothing Manufacturer	Sewing, Inspection	200-500
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	Impregnating	20-50
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	Insulating coil winding, testing	50-100
Exterior	Covered Parking	5-10	5
Exterior	Uncovered Parking; Urban Areas	0.75-3	1.5	0.4-1.6	0.8
Exterior	Uncovered Parking: Suburban	0.5-2	1	0.3-1.2	0.6
Exterior	Gas Station Canopy	10-15	12.5
Exterior	Building Exterior	0.5-2	1
Food Service Facility	Dining areas, cashier	20-50
Food Service Facility	Cleaning	10-20
Food Service Facility	Dining	5-20
Food Service Facility	Food Displays	30-100
Food Service Facility	Kitchen	50-100
Foundries	Annealing Furnaces	20-50
Foundries	Cleaning	20-50
Foundries	Core Making	50-200
Foundries	Inspection Fine	100-200
Foundries	Inspection Medium	50-100
Foundries	Molding	50-200
Foundries	Pouring, Sorting	50-100
Garages-Motor Vehicles	Storage	5
Garages-Motor Vehicles	Service Garage	10-20
Garages-Motor Vehicles	Entrances	50
Garages-Motor Vehicles	Repair Area	50-100
Grocery	Circulation	10-40	20
Grocery	General	25-100	50
Gymnasiums	Assemblies	10
Gymnasiums	General Exercise & Recreation	30
Gymnasiums	Exhibitions, Matches	50
Hospitals	Rooms	10-30
Hospitals	Corridors	5-30
Hospitals	Emergency Rooms	50-100
Hospitals	Operating Rooms	100-200
Hotels	Bathrooms	20-50
Hotels	Bedrooms for Reading	10-20
Hotels	Corridors, elevators and stairs	10-20
Hotels	Front Desk	50-100
Hotels	Linen Room: Sewing	100-200
Hotels	Linen Room: General	10-20
Hotels	Lobby: General Lighting	10-20
Hotels	Lobby: Reading and working areas	20-50
Iron & Steel Manufacturing	Stock, hot top, checker, cellar, calcining	10-30
Iron & Steel Manufacturing	Building, slag pits, Stripping yard	20
Iron & Steel Manufacturing	Control platform, repairs, mixer building	30
Iron & Steel Manufacturing	Rolling mills	30-50
Iron & Steel Manufacturing	Shearing	50
Iron & Steel Manufacturing	Tin Plate	50
Iron & Steel Manufacturing	Motor Room, Machine Room	30
Iron & Steel Manufacturing	Inspection	100
Library	Ordinary Reading, Stacks	20-50
Library	Book Repair and Binding	20-50
Library	Study & Notes, Cataloging	20-100
Library	Card Files, Check Desk	20-100
Laundries	Washing	20-50
Laundries	Ironing	20-100
Machine Shops	Rough Bench	20-50
Machine Shops	Medium Bench, Rough Grinding, Buffing	50-100
Machine Shops	Fine Bench and Work	200-500
Materials Handling	Loading Trucking	10-20
Materials Handling	Picking Stock Classifying	20-50
Materials Handling	Wrapping, Packing, Labeling	20-50
Offices	Corridors, Stairways	20
Offices	Drafting	50-200
Offices	Open Office : Desk	30-50	40
Offices	Private Office : Desk	30-50	40
Offices	Conference Table	15-60	30
Offices	Whiteboard: Reading			7.5-30	15
Offices	Whiteboard: Presenting			15-60	30
Offices	Presentation Sceen			1.5-6	1.5
Offices	Lunch & Break Room			5-20	15
Offices	Lobbies, Lounges, & Reception Areas	5-20
Paint Shop	Spraying, Rubbing	20-50
Paint Shop	Hand Art, Stencil	20-50
Paint Shop	Fine Hand Painting & Finishing	50-100
Paper Manufacturing	Beaters, Grinding	20-50
Paper Manufacturing	Finishing, Cutting	50-100
Paper Manufacturing	Hand Counting	50-100
Paper Manufacturing	Paper machine reel, Inspection	100-200
Paper Manufacturing	Rewinder	100-200
Printing	Welding	50
Printing	Color Inspecting	100-200
Printing	Presses	50-100
Printing	Proofreading	100-200
Printing	Composing Room	50-100
Retail	General Retail		50
Retail	Department Store	20-80	40
Schools	Reading	20-100
Schools	Typing	20-100
Schools	Demonstrations	100-200
Schools	Sewing	20-100
Sheet Metal Works	General	100
Sheet Metal Works	Tin Plate Inspection	100-200
Sheet Metal Works	Galvanizing, Scribing	100-200
Stores	Circulation Area Stockroom	10-30
Stores	Merchandising, Servicing	30-100
Stores	Merchandising, Self-Servicing	200
Textile Mills	Cotton Picking, Carding, Roving, Spinning	50
Textile Mills	Beaming & Slashing	150
Textile Mills	Drawing	200
Textile Mills	Others	100
Warehouse & Storage	Inactive	5-10
Warehouse & Storage	Active Rough Bulky	10-20
Warehouse & Storage	Active Medium	20
Warehouse & Storage	Bulky Items /Large Labels		10		5
Warehouse & Storage	Small Items/Small Labels		30		15
Warehouse & Storage	Cold Storage	10-30	20	5-15	10
Warehouse & Storage	Open Warehouse	10-30	20
Warehouse & Storage	Warehouse Aisles	10-30	20	5-15	10
Warehouse & Storage	Active Fine	20-50
Welding	General	20-50
Woodworking	Sizing, planning, rough sanding, medium quality machine and bench work, gluing, veneering, cooperage	20-50
Woodworking	Fine bench and machine work, fine sanding and finishing	50-100
Woodworking	Rough sawing and bench work	20-50