Product Overview

Summary: This Lighting and Visibility Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear requirements for safe illumination in workplaces, trafficable areas, and task-specific environments. It helps Australian businesses control visibility-related risks, prevent incidents caused by poor lighting, and demonstrate due diligence under WHS legislation.

Poor lighting is a hidden but significant contributor to slips, trips, falls, vehicle collisions and eye strain in Australian workplaces. This Lighting and Visibility Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, practical framework for assessing, implementing and maintaining appropriate lighting levels across offices, warehouses, construction sites, car parks, loading docks and outdoor work areas. It addresses both normal operating conditions and high-risk situations such as night works, low-light environments, and adverse weather.

The SOP guides businesses through the full lifecycle of lighting management: from initial risk assessment and selection of suitable luminaires, through to installation controls, verification of lighting levels, and ongoing inspection and maintenance. It also covers visibility enhancement measures such as reflective and high-visibility clothing, signage illumination, emergency and exit lighting, and vehicle and plant lighting. By adopting this procedure, organisations can reduce incident rates, support worker wellbeing, and show compliance with Australian WHS legislation, relevant standards and client requirements—all while providing a safer, more productive environment for workers, contractors and visitors.

Key Benefits

• Reduce slips, trips, falls and vehicle-related incidents caused by inadequate or inconsistent lighting.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and relevant lighting and visibility standards for different work environments.
• Standardise how lighting risks are identified, assessed, controlled and reviewed across all sites.
• Improve worker comfort and productivity by minimising eye strain, fatigue and visibility-related errors.
• Support defensible decision-making with documented inspection, maintenance and verification of lighting and visibility controls.

Who is this for?

• WHS Managers
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Site Supervisors
• Facilities and Maintenance Managers
• Construction Project Managers
• Warehouse and Logistics Managers
• Operations Managers
• Electrical Contractors and Maintenance Electricians
• Event and Venue Managers
• Security Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Slips, trips and falls due to poorly lit walkways, stairs and uneven surfaces
• Vehicle and mobile plant collisions in low-light or high-glare environments
• Struck-by incidents involving forklifts, trucks or moving equipment in warehouses and yards
• Eye strain, headaches and fatigue from insufficient or excessive lighting and glare
• Inadequate visibility of emergency exits, evacuation routes and safety signage
• Reduced visibility during night works, tunnel works or confined space entry
• Security and personal safety risks in poorly illuminated car parks and perimeter areas
• Electrical hazards during installation, inspection or maintenance of lighting systems

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Lighting and Visibility Risk Assessment Procedure
• 6.0 Minimum Lighting Requirements by Area and Task
• 7.0 Design and Selection of Lighting Systems
• 8.0 Installation, Commissioning and Verification Controls
• 9.0 Use of High-Visibility Clothing, Reflective Materials and Signage
• 10.0 Vehicle, Plant and Mobile Equipment Lighting Requirements
• 11.0 Emergency and Exit Lighting Requirements
• 12.0 Inspection, Testing, Cleaning and Maintenance of Lighting
• 13.0 Managing Temporary, Portable and Task Lighting (including Night Works)
• 14.0 Glare, Shadowing and Screen-Based Work Considerations
• 15.0 Incident Reporting, Non-conformances and Corrective Actions
• 16.0 Training, Induction and Communication Requirements
• 17.0 Documentation, Records and Audit Trail
• 18.0 Review, Consultation and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• AS/NZS 1680.1: Interior and workplace lighting – General principles and recommendations
• AS/NZS 1680.2 series: Interior and workplace lighting – Specific applications
• AS/NZS 1158 series: Lighting for roads and public spaces
• AS 2293 series: Emergency escape lighting and exit signs for buildings
• AS/NZS 4501.1: Occupational protective clothing – General requirements
• AS/NZS 4602.1: High visibility safety garments – Garments for high risk applications