For manufacturing, commercial, and industrial facilities that produce and store hazardous (and possibly combustible) materials, lighting is a crucial factor. In fact, there are specialty LED lighting products and fixtures that are made specifically for hazardous location lighting.
What Is Hazardous Location Lighting?
Simply put, hazardous location lighting is a light or fixture that’s placed in a location where a fire could start after hazardous materials come into contact with lighting fixtures. These materials can be flammable, combustible, or ignitable, and could be fibers, gasses, dust, or vapors. Electrical equipment could also create a fire risk in certain situations.
Hazardous areas are defined by a number of classifications. There are divisions, classes, and groups that have certain rules and regulations based on the use of the space. Understanding the differences helps lighting distributors offer LED lighting options made specifically for hazardous locations within buildings.
What Industries Need Hazardous Location Lighting?
Some examples of hazardous locations are obvious — think facilities that process chemicals or gasses, pulp and steel mills, and public utility treatment plants. These are the locations that emit harmful gasses and handle chemicals that could quickly become a fire risk with the wrong lighting in place.
There is a long list of examples of facilities that have hazardous lighting locations, but these are the most common examples:
- Petroleum and gasoline refineries
- Gas storage and dispensing areas
- Spray paint booths and finishing areas
- Paint shops and facilities
- Utility gas or chemical plants
- Alcohol production facilities
- Textile dyeing and printing plants
- Wastewater treatment plans
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) have established industry standards and codes to regulate hazardous locations.
LEDs in Hazardous Locations
Not only do specialty LED lights and fixtures help mitigate the risk of fire in hazardous locations, but they can also greatly reduce energy consumption. There are also some additional benefits of choosing lighting fixtures like Shat-R-Shield, such as durability and energy efficiency.
Shat-R-Shield’s LED tubes are safety coated to contain virtually all glass and lamp particles if accidentally broken. The skin-tight plastic coating is guaranteed not to yellow, crack or flake for the rated life of the lamp and reduces light output by less than 1%. Easily identified by their trademark orange bands, safety inspectors know these lamps are covered by the ultimate protection and are UL & NSF certified, USDA approved, and meet FDA and OSHA standards.
One of the most obvious benefits of LED lighting upgrades — especially for hazardous locations — is the reduction of energy consumption. When traditional lighting is replaced with LED lighting at the same brightness, facilities can see savings that would pay for the LED investment over the course of two or three years. LED lighting for hazardous locations is versatile as well, and Shat-R-Shield has a range of lighting fixtures that can be strategically placed throughout a facility or plant. Their inherent designs allow them to be durable, explosion-proof, and even portable.
Other Uses for Hazardous Location Lighting
The same lighting (like Shat-R-Shield) that holds up under harsh conditions can also be used to maintain environmental standards in other industries. For food and beverage-related facilities, FDA regulations state that light bulbs “be protected, coated, or otherwise shatter-resistant in areas where there is exposed food; clean equipment, utensils, and linens; or unwrapped single-service and single-use articles.” Pharmaceutical and cosmetic facilities must also follow strict regulations set by the FDA and the US Department of health and human services.
Investing in the right hazardous location lighting means you’re protecting your best asset — your employees. Work with our team of experienced lighting professionals to determine the classification of hazardous locations and which LED lighting choices are the best options. We have experience working with facilities just like yours, and we’ll follow the process from design to installation and beyond. Don’t take chances with your hazardous location lighting!