Lighting Tech Tip: Check Lighting Systems, Safely

You can stay open for business during this time of social distancing by proactively reaching out to your customers. Build a future pipeline of work while keeping your customers and employees safe, productive, and engaged. Regular maintenance of your clients’ lighting systems provides a safe environment for their employees and customers. If the site can be visited safely, here are three actions you can take now to help them clean up their current system to maintain optimal efficiency and safety:

• Exterior. Perform an exterior lighting inspection once the sun goes down. Look for dark spots, overgrown vegetation, trip hazards, and security camera fields of view. Make sure fixtures are off during daylight hours, and that photocell/timeclocks are operating as need. You can do this safely from your vehicle, with no need to interact with people on-site.
• Dark Sky–Light Trespass. At the same time you check the facility exterior, observe how existing light fixtures waste energy and create light pollution by illuminating the sky. Dark Sky codes are enforced more and more every year. Do fixtures provide cutoff so only the surfaces are illuminated? Do you see glare from light trespassing outside of property boundaries? Can this distract drivers or be a nuisance to neighbors? If you are able to do this safely, you may recommend that customers replace non-LED fixtures with efficient Dark Sky-rated LED fixtures. Consider occupancy controls to benefit from additional savings. You can do this safely from your vehicle, as well.
• Safety/Egress Lighting. A monthly inspection and annual test of all emergency and exit lighting systems is required by the National Fire Protection Agency, NFPA 101–Life Safety Code. When was the last time you mentioned this to your customer? Suggest that they perform a building walk-through and provide you with a list of items to inspect. You will be prepared to respond when facility access is no longer a barrier. At that point, test egress lighting to verify batteries are operating as required, all lamps are operational, and that people can safely exit the building in case of an emergency.

For more lighting tips and best practices, search the Trade Ally Network website or contact your regional field specialist.