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Control rooms can be complex, having many operators with their often extensive arrangement of screens around them and perhaps large overview screens on walls in front of them. Many rooms operate 24 hours a day, some monitoring and controlling safety-critical operations. For these reasons establishing the geometry between operators, their screens, larger remote room displays, and the lighting and any windows is crucial.
Designing the lighting, daylight admission, sunlight control and lighting control systems require discussion and cooperation between the lighting designers and others involved in the design of the room. In control rooms monitoring life- or safety-critical operations if the power to the normal lighting fails full or partial standby lighting will normally be needed throughout the room. As this will be supplied from UPS and/or standby generators, early discussion with the electrical designers is vital. These issues need to be decided upon as early as possible in the design process.
Once all building, electrical and display screen/user parameters are established the design of the lighting, and possibly daylight control, can be carried out. As well as making sure no bright images are visible to the users on any of their screens, the room lighting needs to provide a constant minimum level to ensure the operators remain alert — this is most important during the night shift where there may be an increased risk of operators becoming sleepy if the room lighting is dim.
Authors: Paul Ruffles (Lighting Design & Technology), David Watts (CCD Design & Ergonomics) and Richard Caple (Thorlux Lighting)
1 Introduction
2 Human factors
2.1 The effect of lighting on control room operators
2.2 People characteristics
2.3 Seeing information: contrast, size, visual acuity, sight lines
2.4 Screens on workstations
2.5 Larger screens/displays for shared information
2.6 Viewing angles
2.6.1 DSE vertical viewing angles
2.6.2 Viewing angles for remote screens
2.6.3 Horizontal viewing angles
2.7 Screen type
2.8 Issues with 24-hour working: alertness and shift work
3 Approach to designing control room lighting
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The visual task
3.3 Mock-ups and trial installations
4 Electric lighting
4.1 Ceiling height
4.2 Surface finishes
4.3 Avoiding direct and reflected glare to users or screens
4.3.1 Room lighting
4.3.2 Task lighting
4.4 Lighting recommendations
4.4.1 Illuminances
4.4.2 Maximum luminance
4.4.3 Colour quality of the light
5 Daylighting
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Controlling the effects of daylight
5.3 Alternative means of getting daylight into a space
6 Control of lighting
6.1 Room lighting
6.2 Local task lighting
6.3 Emergency control
7 Emergency and standby lighting
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Standby light levels
7.3 Process control rooms and high-risk task areas
7.4 Illumination of safety signs
7.5 Emergency lighting and signage for escape routes
Authors: Paul Ruffles (Lighting Design & Technology), David Watts (CCD Design & Ergonomics) and Richard Caple (Thorlux Lighting)