Review Paper: Fluorescent lighting and health

Abstract

Summary This review has been prepared to provide a perspective to a number of controversial views which have been voiced in recent years concerning fluorescent ia~nps as potential health hazards. Various influences are briefly considered and include the effects of fluorescent lighting on the skin, eyes, stress, the pineal gland and the ’sick building syndrome’. Consideration is also given to the effects of glare and flicker and passing reference is made to polychlorinated biphenyls and their role in lighting equipment. It is concluded that some of the so-called hazards from fluorescent lamps in normal use, such as skin cancer, although they cannot be totally discounted, have a very small likelihood of occurrence and that no symptoms of erythema, photoconjunctivitis or photakerautis are likely with ordinary use. The effects of other factors such as glare and flicker are known to cause distraction and discomfort for some people and sometimes headaches, but the causes of these effects need to be better understood. It is suggested that the absence of windows and lack of visual variety in interior design may exert a greater influence on complaints about lighting, especially in the ’sick building syndrome’, than any radiation from fluorescent lamps. 1