Why Big Box Retailers are Safer with LED Lights

Big box retailers, such as Walmart, Costco or Target, have many concerns when it comes to safety. As they cater to members of the public, not all the people within the spaces have the strict codes and training of professionals working in other commercial and industrial properties. Here is why LED lighting can help reduce some these concerns while benefiting the business in other ways.

 

Light Quality Goes a Long Way

 

If you have ever been shopping and visited a store with poor lighting, the effect is stark. It can make shoppers depressed and want to make their purchases elsewhere. While this won't necessarily have a massive effect on the shoppers themselves (although it is likely to affect sales), your workers will have to spend a lot of time in this poorly lit environment.

 

With the advent of phosphor coating on LED lighting, bright white light from LED bulbs became possible. Not only that, but the quality of the light is greater than its competitors. This means workers are not subjected to poor quality light which can disrupt their circadian rhythm.

 

LED lighting in big box superstores allows workers to feel more energized and can sleep better at the end of a long shift. This in turn helps improve their mental health and makes work a safer, more enjoyable and more productive environment.

 



 

Aisles Can Be Dangerous

 

Big box retailers are huge, but they need to be to pack in all that product. Customers navigating these often quite narrow aisles need to see everything. This is especially so if there are customers with poor vision.

 

Some of the main competitors of LED lighting are high intensity discharge lamps such as metal halides and high pressure sodium bulbs. These bulbs are omnidirectional meaning they cannot properly direct their light. LEDs can direct their light more precisely even with high bay lighting requirements of big box retailers. With the use of lens angles this lighting is even more precise.

 

Well lit aisles lessen the risk of accidents. While HIDs can be used to light big box retail stores properly, they need more bulbs and much more energy to do so. Much of this energy is wasted by not being used for the intended purpose. LEDs save you money while doing the job better.

 

LED Lighting is Programmable

 

The programmability of LED means they can be used with brightness and color control units to adapt to different circumstances. If there are different areas of the stores which need new lighting (such as new displays or if there are particular sales events), the lighting can be programmed to suit this new circumstance without changing bulbs.

 

LED lighting also lasts much longer than HIDs without suffering lumen depreciation. The indirect effect this has on safety is that bulbs do not changed as regularly. With the high ceilings of big box retailers, the risk to worker safety on ladders and cherry pickers is reduced. You save money on bills, but you also save money on worker compensation or hiring professional electricians.