Workplace Lighting Regulations – Standards and Atmosphere

Sabine de Schutter6 OctoberTips and Laws4 Min
Written By Sabine De Schutter

Light is no side issue. It determines whether we can concentrate in the office, work safely in the workshop, or achieve precise results in the lab. And it is not just a matter of well-being, it is clearly regulated by workplace lighting regulations. As lighting designers in Berlin and Antwerp, we combine these legal frameworks with atmospheric design, turning compliance into identity and quality.

👉 In this article you will learn which rules apply, which standards you need to know and why great lighting is more than just meeting minimum requirements.

📜 Legal Framework
Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV)
The ArbStättV forms the basis of all requirements. It stipulates that workplaces must be illuminated in such a way that employees do not suffer any harm. This is where the workplace lighting regulations are clearly anchored.
➡️ https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/arbst_ttv_2004/BJNR217910004.html

Further information from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA):
➡️ https://www.baua.de/EN/Topics/Work-design/Hazard-assessment/Handbook-Hazard-assessment/Expert-knowledge/Work-environment-conditions/Lighting-Light/Lighting-Light_node.html

ASR A3.4 "Lighting"
The technical rule ASR A3.4 specifies the ArbStättV. It defines minimum values for illuminance, uniformity, glare and flicker-free operation. Employers must comply with these points to meet the workplace lighting regulations.
➡️ https://www.baua.de/DE/Angebote/Regelwerk/ASR/pdf/ASR-A3-4.pdf

DIN EN 12464-1
The DIN EN 12464-1 regulates the lighting of indoor workplaces – from lux levels to glare limitation. It applies throughout Europe as a standard and is part of the workplace lighting regulations.
➡️ https://www.licht.de/en/lighting-planning/standards-and-regulations/standards/details/2-din-en-12464-12021-11-light-and-lighting-lighting-of-work-places-part-1-indoor-work-places

Other regulations:
DGUV Information 215-442 (Office lighting)
➡️ https://www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/DGUV-Informationen/215_442/215-442_BG_BAU.pdf

DGUV Information 215-210 (Natural & artificial lighting)
➡️ https://cdn.vbg.de/media/5700d8e36d2d4243ba73fe7c27afad8b/dld%3Aattachment/DGUV_Information_215-210_Beleuchtung_von_Arbeitsstaetten.pdf

DIN SPEC 67600 – biologically effective light
➡️ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_SPEC_67600

🔎 Technical Requirements at a Glance
✔️ Illuminance: Office workplace min. 500 lux, surrounding area min. 300 lux
✔️ Glare & UGR value: UGR ≤ 19 for screen workplaces
✔️ Colour rendering & light colour: Ra ≥ 80, 3,000–5,000 Kelvin
✔️ Daylight & view connection: include daylight, ensure view to the outside

🛠️ Practical Examples
Screen workplace: 500 lux
Precision assembly: 1,000–1,500 lux
Workshop: 300 lux

✅ Checklist for Employers & Planners
ArbStättV – integrated? ✅
DIN EN 12464-1 – fulfilled? ✅
Illuminance – ≥ 500 lux at workplace? ✅
UGR value – ≤ 19? ✅
Daylight – view to the outside available? ✅
Maintenance – regularly scheduled? ✅

🌍 Conclusion – Regulation + Atmosphere
Workplace lighting regulations ensure safety and health protection. But only great lighting design – created by experienced lighting designers in Berlin and Antwerp – transforms spaces into places where we can focus, be creative or relax.

💬 “Light is not just regulation – it is identity, atmosphere and culture.”

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Sabine De Schutter

Founded in Berlin in 2015 by Belgian born Sabine De Schutter, Studio De Schutter reflects the strong belief that architectural lighting design is much more than just lighting up the built environment.

As independent lighting designers, the studio's focus is on user-centred design, because design is about creating meaningful spaces that positively affect people's lives. Studio De Schutter work focuses on creative lighting for working spaces, custom fixtures for heritage buildings to workshops and installations for public space.The studio's motto = #creativityisourcurrency

Sabine teaches at the HPI d.school, Hochschule Wismar, is an IALD member and the ambassador for Women in Lightingin Germany.

Studio De Schutter wurde 2015 von der in Belgien geborenen Sabine De Schutter (*1984) in Berlin gegründet. Die in Berlin lebende Designerin studierte Innenarchitektur in Antwerpen und Barcelona, hat einen zweiten Master-Abschluss in architektonischem Lichtdesign (HS Wismar) und studierte Design Thinking an der HPI d.school in Potsdam.

Das Studio De Schutter zeigt, dass es beim architektonischen Lichtdesign darum geht, Wahrnehmung zu formen und Erfahrungen zu schaffen. Für Studio De Schutter geht es beim Lichtdesign darum, eindrucksvolle Umgebungen zu schaffen, die das Leben der Menschen positiv beeinflussen. Der Benutzer steht im Mittelpunkt ihres Ansatzes und deshalb lassen sie und ihr Team sich nicht durch konventionelle Beleuchtungsstandards einschränken. Sie arbeiten eng mit ihren Kunden zusammen, um die Vision des Projekts und die Nutzerbedürfnisse zu verstehen und sie mit Licht zu akzentuieren. Das Studio De Schutter hat kreative Lichtlösungen für Arbeitsumgebungen, Lichtkunstinstallationen und kundenspezifische Leuchten in seinem Portfolio. Heute ist es ein vierköpfiges Team von internationalen Power-Frauen, die sich alle leidenschaftlich damit, wie Licht den Raum, die Erfahrungen und Emotionen formt, beschäftigt.

Sabine De Schutter lehrt an der Hochschule Wismar und ist Botschafterin für Women in Lighting (https://womeninlighting.com) in Deutschland.

https://www.studiodeschutter.com
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