What Makes Some Lights Explosion Proof?

Cutting down on operational expenses is important no matter what industry your business is in, and an easy way to do that is to improve your lighting systems. After all, lighting accounts for about 11% of energy use in residential buildings and 18% in commercial buildings. However, when you're designing a lighting system for a commercial or industrial space, safety is just as important as energy-savings. Explosion proof LEDs can keep your workplace safe from potential hazards, but how exactly do they work?

How Other Lights Create Hazards

In order to fully understand why explosion proof LEDs are necessary, it's first important to understand the problems with traditional lighting options. Incandescent bulbs create light through heating a filament inside the bulb to the point where it glows bright enough to light a room. However, this heat can cause potential danger. If the bulb were to break, the filament could potentially ignite flammable materials found in many industrial and commercial environments. At best, these lights create unnecessary risk, and at worst, they could potentially cause explosions.

LED Alternatives

Most explosion proof lights use alternatives to filaments and heat, making them safer to use in industrial settings. Explosion proof LEDs, for example, pose virtually no risk of causing an explosion due to their lack of heat. LEDs do not create nearly as much heat as incandescent bulbs, meaning they won't reach a temperature high enough to ignite flammable material. This also makes them more energy efficient, as they reduce the amount of energy that is dispersed as heat.

What Industries Benefit?

A variety of work environments can benefit from the use of explosion proof lighting. Particularly, companies that work extensively with flammable chemicals, gases, fibers, and more should use explosion proof lighting in their places to reduce risk to employees. Check to see if the materials you use on the job are flammable under the right (or wrong) circumstances, and if so, you'll want to switch to explosion proof LEDs as soon as possible.

The right type of lighting, particularly explosion proof LEDs, can keep you safe on the job from flammable material. For more information or to stock up on these lighting options, contact Induction Lighting Fixtures today.