What Is Hazardous Location Lighting?

What Is Hazardous Location Lighting?

Simply put, hazardous location lighting is a light or fixture that’s placed in a location where a fire could start after hazardous materials come into contact with lighting fixtures. These materials can be flammable, combustible, or ignitable, and could be fibers, gasses, dust, or vapors. Electrical equipment could also create a fire risk in certain situations.

Hazardous areas are defined by a number of classifications. There are divisions, classes, and groups that have certain rules and regulations based on the use of the space. Understanding the differences helps lighting distributors offer LED lighting options made specifically for hazardous locations within buildings.

What Industries Need Hazardous Location Lighting?

Some examples of hazardous locations are obvious — think facilities that process chemicals or gasses, pulp and steel mills, and public utility treatment plants. These are the locations that emit harmful gasses and handle chemicals that could quickly become a fire risk with the wrong lighting in place.

There is a long list of examples of facilities that have hazardous lighting locations, but these are the most common examples:

• Petroleum and gasoline refineries
• Gas storage and dispensing areas
• Spray paint booths and finishing areas
• Paint shops and facilities
• Utility gas or chemical plants
• Alcohol production facilities
• Textile dyeing and printing plants
• Wastewater treatment plans

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) have established industry standards and codes to regulate hazardous locations.

LEDs in Hazardous Locations

Not only do specialty LED lights and fixtures help mitigate the risk of fire in hazardous locations, but they can also greatly reduce energy consumption. There are also some additional benefits of choosing lighting fixtures

One of the most obvious benefits of LED lighting upgrades — especially for hazardous locations —?is the reduction of energy consumption. When traditional lighting is replaced with LED lighting at the same brightness, facilities can see savings that would pay for the LED investment over the course of two or three years. LED lighting for hazardous locations is versatile as well, and le.