Lighting in workplaces is intended to create conditions that meet the standards for visual and work purposes and prevent eye strain as well as accidents at work. These lighting effects are known as visual lighting effects.

However, there are indications that light intensity, spectral composition and light distribution can have non-visual lighting effects as well. Consequently, lighting is not only important for carrying out work assignments; it can also have a strong impact on behaviour, experience and physiological processes.

The sector of visual lighting effects is already well regulated and there is a great number of sources of information on setting up and operating workplaces with lighting. In contrast, up to now there have been few standards or technical reports considering non-visual effects of light.

Current state of knowledge

A scoping review by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health summarises the state of scientific knowledge on lighting in the context of work. On the one hand, it considers the impacts of the effect of light on visual comfort, visual fatigue, visual discomfort, cerebral complaints, eye and visual strains. On the other hand, it focuses on the impacts of visual light effects on attention, executive functions, memory performance and physiological parameters. Further, it reveals research gaps and discusses options for designing this factor.

The project "Mental Health in the Working World"

The scoping review on lighting in the context of work is part of the project "Mental Health in the Working World - determining the current state of scientific evidence". The project assesses mental load factors by means of the state of scientific knowledge.

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