Glare protection at work in spring

With the right lighting conditions, you protect your eyes, head and neck.

Spring: the sun shines into the office; the bright light is reflected on the screen and dazzles. The result: you narrow your eyes and the reading strains you. After a short time you will notice: It’s not like this. And now? Venetian blinds down? Then why build office buildings with windows? Graduate civil engineer Peter Krautwald has been one of the few sun protection experts to focus on this topic for 15 years. He explains how we can best protect ourselves from glare without creating other problems. We talked to him about some tips for optimal light in the workplace.

Mr. Krautwald, the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health calls for glare protection in the workplace in its report “Use of daylight and sun protection measures in office workplaces”. What requirements does such glare protection have to meet?

Anti-glare protection at the workplace is designed to protect against glare and the reflection of daylight on the screen. In addition, it should offer protection from heat and be individually adjustable so that everyone can set up the glare protection in the workplace as they need it. Very important - and often unfortunately ignored - is above all the fundamental requirement that glare protection at the workplace always has to "provide unobstructed visual contact with the outside world", so it is formulated there.

The employee on the screen must be able to look outside at all times - why is that so important?

The human eye is naturally distant. When we work on the screen, our eye muscles ensure that the image is brought into focus, but like every muscle, it tired after a certain time. To relax, we have to look into the distance - outside. If we cannot do this, the muscle performance deteriorates more and more, we can no longer see the screen in focus. In order to compensate for the loss of sharpness, we move our heads closer and closer to the screen - usually unconsciously - millimeter by millimeter until we sit in front of the screen like a question mark.

If we imagine this question mark attitude, it doesn't sound very ergonomic.

Correct. This posture can result in eye, neck and back pain. It can promote herniated discs and cataracts and means that we need glasses earlier. For this reason, Directive 90/270 / EEC on minimum requirements with regard to safety and health protection when working on screen devices states that everyone who sits in front of the screen must have effective, adjustable glare protection at the workplace.

But many companies are already paying attention to this. There is hardly a modern company building left that has no sun protection outside the windows.

I agree with you, but the external sun protection usually hinders the clear view outside. And even if a really effective anti-glare protection is attached to the outside of the workplace, which still allows a clear view, there is a weak point: it is exposed to the weather and starts up to protect against damage from a certain wind speed. That’s it with the glare protection.

But there is strong wind especially in winter. Glare protection at work is more needed in summer, right?

I would like to answer this question with a counter question: When does the sun dazzle you more when driving? In summer, when it is high, or in winter, when it is low and shines through under the sun visor?

I understand what you are trying to achieve: glare protection at work is not just a summer affair.

Correct. Glare protection at the workplace is important all year round. At the moment the sun is shining very deep into the buildings and is more dazzling than in the summer when there is natural shade. Now in the spring we have relatively strong winds, let us think of storm "Sabine" and hurricane "Victoria". No external sun protection can withstand such wind speeds.

Optimal lighting in the workplace with Attenzia space

Light has an enormous effect on people: if the sun shines more often in spring, your mood improves suddenly and motivation increases - both in your free time and at work. Biological research also shows that the vitamin D that our body forms under the sun's rays has a positive effect on well-being.

With the Leuchtenserie Attenzia space von Novus, which is available in two light colors with 3,000 and 4,000 Kelvin, optimal lighting conditions meet functionality: The table-top luminaires offer you numerous advantages for more well-being at the workplace. In addition to the filigree design, which comes from Georg Kaluza, the special Novus Attenzia space active HCL premium luminaire ensures increased effectiveness, better attention, health promotion and well-lit workplaces thanks to Human Centric Lighting Technology (HCL). Thanks to the equipment of the luminaires with panels that can be rotated by 270 °, daylight can be imitated: both direct and indirect light can be generated, giving the impression that the sun is shining on the desk from outside. Optimizes the lighting conditions at your workplace with the right lighting!

Advantages of the Novus Attenzia space series at a glanc

• flexible and individual adaptation to the workplace
• intelligent light control thanks to the biodynamic light in the Novus Attenzia space active HCL
• Presence and light sensors for better energy consumption (Attenzia space plus, Attenzia space XT, Attenzia space active HCL)
• Modern LED technology with 270 ° rotatable LED panels for better illumination of the workplace
• different light colors from cold to warm white
• modern, minimalist and excellent design
• Individual fastening options with clamp, cable hole fastening or pedestal - the correct installation depending on the space