repaint walls and ceilings and pay for a consultant to select the
right tones. Moreover, indirect lighting may be hard to install in
rooms with ceilings lower than nine feet. Used well, however, this is
one of the best solutions.
As a general rule, think about a lighting level between 300 and 500
=lux=—between 32 and 53 =footcandles=. A lux tells how much light is
hitting a certain area, and 9.5 lux would equal 1 footcandle. For rough
measurements you might borrow a good lightmeter from a photographer.
Don’t aim directly at the light. Sample, instead, desk and computer
surfaces, among others, though not the screens themselves. For more
detailed measurements and advice, hire a consultant or call your state
labor department. Make certain you‘re in touch with the consulting
rather than the enforcement branch. Yes, any contact with officialdom
has its risks. But they’re low here. And you’re strengthening your hand
in labor relations by documenting your concern for your workers’ eyes.
In fact, before you place your order for lighting, ask if your supplier
can run a test in your office. Or can you at least visit offices using
the product?
Also, all along, worry about glare as well as lighting levels. You might
try the mirror test suggested by a veteran ergonomics expert. Place a
mirror over the face of a computer screen. Then you can see where the
glare is coming from—which window, which lamp; for all you know, the
source could be a brightly colored painting or a glassed-in print.
Try to rid your office of glare instead of using a filter. “I believe in
avoiding a broken arm rather than putting a splint on it afterward,”
says Harry Snyder. If you need a filter, however, here are
possibilities: