What is BS EN 12464-2 – Lighting of outdoor workplaces about?
Adequate and appropriate lighting is essential when it comes to carrying out visual tasks with precision.
BS EN 12464 is a European Standard that discusses light and lighting. The main objective of BS EN 12464 is to ensure that the lighting facilitates higher productivity and performance, and higher quality work.
BS EN 12464-2 is the second part of BS EN 12464 series that discusses the lights and lightings in outdoor work places.
BS EN 12464-2 specifies lighting requirements for outdoor work places, which meet the needs for visual comfort and performance. All usual visual tasks are considered.
BS EN 12464-2 specifies requirements for lighting solutions for most indoor workplaces and their associated areas in terms of quantity and quality of illumination. In addition, recommendations are given for good lighting practice including visual and non-visual (non-image-forming) lighting needs.
Note 1: BS EN 12464-2 does not specify lighting requirements with respect to the safety and health of workers at work and has not been prepared in the field of application of Article 153 of the EC treaty, although the lighting requirements, as specified in BS EN 12464-2, usually fulfil safety needs.
Note 2: BS EN 12464-2 neither provides specific solutions, nor restricts the designer’s freedom from exploring new techniques nor restricts the use of innovative equipment.
Who is BS EN 12464-2 - Lighting of outdoor workplaces for?
BS EN 12464-2 on outdoor work place lighting is useful for:
- Outdoor lighting designers and architects
- Lighting equipment manufacturers
- Product design engineers
- Facility managers
Why should you use BS EN 12464-2 - Lighting of outdoor workplaces?
To enable people to perform outdoor visual tasks efficiently and accurately, especially during the night, adequate and appropriate lighting should be provided. The degree of visibility and comfort required in a wide range of outdoor work places is governed by the type and duration of activity.
BS EN 12464-2 specifies requirements for lighting of tasks in most outdoor work places and their associated areas in terms of quantity and quality of illumination. In addition, recommendations are given for good lighting practice.
To facilitate outdoor work place lighting, BS EN 12464-2 provides you with lighting design criteria and considerations, and the schedule of specific lighting requirements. Specified design criteria which are listed in BS EN 12464-2 need to be verified, and that verification procedure has also been provided.
Consideration should be given to the sustainability of the lighting installation. The choice of a specific design solution should achieve a reasonable balance between the various environmental aspects and other relevant considerations, such as safety and health, technical requirements for functionality, quality, and performance, and economic aspects.
BS EN 12464-2 also makes considerations to ensure lighting solutions are energy efficient and at the same time do no compromise on its visual effectiveness.
Hence, using of BS EN 12464-2 guidelines can help in maintaining healthy outdoor work place practices, which further provides comfort to the workers so that they can work more efficiently.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN 12464-2:2014 supersedes BS EN 12464-2:2007. BS EN 12464-2:2014 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN 12464-2:2007. These include:
- The terms and definitions were deleted to avoid duplication with EN 12665
- Symbols were aligned with EN 12665
- Figure 1 was corrected
- 4.4.2 “Glare rating”, the reflectance has a default value of ρ = 0,15
- 4.7.3 “colour rendering”, aligned with EN 12464-1
- 4.10 “energy considerations”, aligned with EN 12464-1 and extended
- Subclause 5.1, insertion of requirements regarding routine cleaning of work spaces
- Table 5.1 “General requirements for areas and for cleaning at outdoor work places”, title changed and new activity added
- Table 5.12 “Railways and tramways”, updated and extended
- Clause 6 “Verification procedures”, revised and harmonized with EN 12464-1
