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Hazardous location lighting can sometimes be a catch-all phrase for any lighting that needs to operate and perform safely in areas with abnormal conditions. While this is true in a generic sense, there are more exact phrases that describe lighting for all sorts of abnormal hazardous locations.

Using the correct phrase will help you get the correct light (develop the correct project and product criteria) for your specific hazardous application, which, in turn, will keep your employees/equipment/facility safe and compliant with federal standards.clean room lighting

Below, we'll briefly define each of the specific terms that can sometimes be used interchangeably, but this is what they usually mean on their own:

  • Hazardous location: lighting in locations where fire, explosion, or combustion are a risk

    • Examples: waste water treatment plant, refineries, textile factories

  • High abuse: lighting that can withstand physical (vandalism is a good example here) and/or environmental abuse (often in a public space)

    • Example: correctional facility

  • Vandal-resistant: this is often the same as high abuse, but more specific, and has a more obvious meaning- lighting resistant to tampering in public areas

  • Public spaces lighting: again, this is pretty much synonymous with vandal-resistant and high abuse

    • Examples: public park, pedestrian bridge

  • Harsh environment: lighting that must withstand nature's elements

    • Example: a parking lot by the beach- think saltwater!

  • Clean room/containment: lighting for spaces that must be germ-free and prevent contamination

    • Example: food processing facility

While it's easy to just file each of these lighting applications under hazardous location lighting, and while they are all hazardous locations in their own ways, they each come with their own set of challenges and require particular light fixtures to withstand the hazards unique to their locations.

Whether in an industrial or commercial space, it's important to work with a lighting expert who can simplify these nuances for you and design a lighting package to meet your exact hazardous location lighting needs.