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Horticutral Lighting
When it comes to industrial applications, a catwalk isn't about fashion—it's a critical structure for maintenance, inspections, and daily tasks. Catwalks provide technicians and workers with safe access to conveyor systems, machinery, overhead areas, and high shelves in warehouses.
Proper lighting on catwalks is essential for ensuring clear visibility and safety. However, because catwalks are narrow and only allow access from the sides, it can be difficult to achieve effective and efficient lighting.
In this blog, we will introduce our innovative solutions, ST68 LumiBelt and our concept product, telescoping light poles. Read on to see how we can help make catwalks more efficient and safer than ever before.
Challenges of industrial catwalk lighting
Catwalk lighting in industrial settings poses several unique challenges. Poor lighting can cause accidents like slips, trips, and falls.
A major issue is the limited space on the catwalk. Catwalks have narrow walkways and platforms, making it hard to place lights properly. To provide even lighting along the entire catwalk and avoid dark spots, the lighting needs to be carefully designed. In indoor industrial environments, overhead obstructions like pipes and ducts further limit mounting options, adding to the complexity.
Another challenge is the tough environment. Catwalks may face extreme temperatures, exposure to chemicals, and high levels of dust, moisture, or vibration, all of which pose a threat to lighting fixtures. It’s essential to use durable and reliable fixtures that can be strong and reliable to last long in such environments.
Ultra-wide light distribution: less fixtures, more efficiency
As mentioned, long and narrow catwalks pose challenges when it comes to achieving adequate and even illumination. The minimum required illumination of the catwalk is about 40 lux. Traditional fixtures with IESNA Type I optics provide a narrow light distribution, making them suitable for catwalks, walkways, and conveyors. However, most fixtures with Type I can only deliver the minimum required illumination with a maximum spacing of 8 meters.
Our ST68 LumiBelt offers a more efficient solution for catwalk lighting. Equipped with advanced ultra-wide optics, it allows for increased spacing between fixtures without compromising on illumination or uniformity. With the LumiBelt, you can achieve over 40 lux with pole spacing of up to 14 meters and maintain 40 lux at a maximum distance of 16 meters between fixtures.
What does this mean? Fewer fixtures are needed to achieve the desired lighting effects, leading to lower upfront costs and greater energy savings over time.
Telescoping light pole: enhancing safety and flexibility
Installing and maintaining lights on elevated catwalks is often complex and costly, posing significant risks to worker safety. OSHA/HSE regulations require fall prevention equipment whenever a worker is exposed to a fall risk of six feet or more. While personal protective equipment helps mitigate this risk, the danger of injury from a fall still remains, especially in industrial applications.
A safer alternative is to eliminate the risk altogether. Safely lowering poles offers a more effective solution by transitioning from worker protection to risk elimination. Our concept product, the telescoping light pole, is designed to meet OSHA/HSE fall protection regulations while maximizing worker safety and efficiency. The telescoping, spring-assisted design simplifies lighting installations and maintenance, making them faster, easier, and most importantly, safer.
Built with durable materials like hot-dip galvanized steel, aluminum, and 316 stainless steel, the pole can withstand corrosive environments, vibrations, and extreme temperatures. With a maximum height of 2.2 meters and a compressed height of 1.4 meters, it adapts to a range of applications. Additionally, the pole is suitable for harsh and hazardous environments, being cULus listed for Class I, Division 2 when paired with our explosion-proof lighting fixtures (such as the HA05).
