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The OSHA Standard for General Construction Area Lighting

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides guidelines regarding the minimum lighting requirements on a construction job site. This creates a safer situation for workers and bystanders.

  1. Measurement

    • OSHA's requirements are listed in foot-candles. According to YourDictionary.com, a foot-candle is equal to one lumen per square foot, which is about the amount of light generated by one candle.

    General Construction Area Lighting

    • A general construction site is required to have at least 5 foot-candles of light. This is also true of any indoor work area, such as a warehouse, corridor or tunnel. One exception to this rule is at the head of a tunnel or shaft during active drilling. In this case, the minimum requirement is 10 foot-candles.

    Construction Plants and Shops

    • OSHA states that a general construction plant must have 10 foot-candles of lighting. OSHA considers such areas as mechanical and electrical equipment rooms, carpenter shops, and indoor toilets and workrooms to fall under this category.

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