Unshielded Fluorescent Tubes – Premature Ageing and Cancer
Important points arising from the Health and Safety Information Leaflet concerning the use of unshielded tubes:

Tests have shown that Actulite polarising panels prevent the emission of harmful U.V. A or B. radiation, and are suitable for use to light artefacts in museums.

Be Safe ~ Use Actulite Polarised Natural Light.
Recent research into premature ageing has indicated that unshielded fluorescent lighting may be a significant contributory factor. Since the implementation of the Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, most of the nation’s offices are using louvered fluorescent lighting. Designed to reduce reflections on VDU screens, this has also produced a dramatic increase in the ultraviolet radiation levels sustained by employees. Some busy areas still use bare fluorescent tubes.

Prior to the widespread introduction of this type of lighting, most office lighting in the UK was shielded by prismatic diffusers, which blocked out most of the harmful u.v. radiation emitted by the tubes. However, the interpretation of the regulations by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (actually issued some time prior to the regulations) and issued as a Code of Practice for employers of VDU screen users, has meant the widespread introduction of heavily louvered luminaires. Technically referred to as Category 1, Category 2 & Category 3 lighting, these units direct the light downwards, away from the VDU screen but are otherwise totally unshielded. Thus the concentrated UV spectrum emitted by the tubes is able to reach the skin.

The most prominent component parts of ultra-violet radiation are UV-A and UV-B, which are two wavelength groups of 320-400 nanometres 280-320 respectively. There is a generally held opinion amongst cancer specialists that UV-B is a major cause of skin cancers such as melanomas. The major factors in skin ageing are the ‘free radicals’ produced not only by normal metabolic processes but also by chronic cell damage initiated by UV radiation. This UV radiation deeply penetrates the whole of the dermis, affecting the collagen beneath the skin. The higher end of UV radiation wavelengths affects ageing. Exposure to the main range of UV-B wavelengths leads to wrinkling of the skin and collagen damage; while exposure to UV-A is a primary cause of sagging.

Although exposure to the sun is generally accepted as a cause of premature ageing, nevertheless recent studies have shown that the cumulative effect of prolonged exposure to unshielded fluorescent tubes is also contributory factor. Epidemiologist, Dr Stephen Walter of McMaster University in Canada published a paper in 1992, which suggested that “human exposure to fluorescent lighting may result in ultraviolet B doses much greater than the sun.” One investigation discovered that at “290 nanometres, fluorescent tubes had UV-B emissions up to 30 times the average annual solar emissions measured in Sydney, Australia” Dr Walter went on to say that increases in premature aging due to higher doses of UV were “certainly a contending model.” … “To the extent that cancer can be thought of as premature ageing then it could well be true”. The evidence suggests that, to the extent that tests on animals and other research has shown a link between melanomas and ultraviolet radiation, then removing shielding from fluorescents would be bad. If there are demonstrable benefits such as the removal of glare and reflections on computer screens, then you are trading off one risk for another risk and that’s a societal decision” Based on the results of nearly 600 cases of melanoma investigated in Canada, Dr Walter and four of his colleagues concluded that exposure from unprotected fluorescent lamps remains a “potential risk factor” for melanoma. Further studies undertaken at the University of New Mexico, using fluorescent sunlamps, induced melanotic tumours on over 20% of the small rodents used in the experiments.

In a report produced by the International Commission on Illumination it was suggested that the human mortality risk in the UK, arising from the use of unshielded fluorescent lighting is 30 deaths p.a.. Although a tiny figure, it is nevertheless almost “double those recorded for New Variant CJ.D.” The worry for anyone working under unshielded fluorescent lamps is that while sunlight is an avoidable risk, their working environment is outside their control. Workers, schoolchildren and students can spend 30/40 hours (or more) per week in a UV exposed environment. There is a growing awareness of the potential risk of unshielded fluorescent lighting and it is set to become a major health issue of this century. It is essential that all lighting specifiers and facilities managers are aware of this.

Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment Regulations) 1992
Contrary to popular belief, the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 did not make the installation of categorised louvres a mandatory requirement in computerised work areas. The regulations merely required ‘satisfactory lighting conditions and an appropriate contrast between the screen and the working environment’ and that ‘possible glare and disturbing reflections on the screen or other equipment shall be prevented’.
Categorised louvres were generally adopted as the answer to this regulation in recent years. However, as of January 2002, categorised louvres no longer meet the revised guidelines for any new installations and they have now been deleted from the CIBSE guide. These worked by directing light downwards, thus reducing the reflections on screens, but they did not reduce glare or harmful U.V. emissions. For the guidelines to function at all, a workstation needed to be situated directly below the louvre, which meant planning the lighting scheme to suit the office furniture layout, or vice versa, which afterwards could not be altered. This also concentrated the emitted light, glare and harmful U.V. on to the surfaces (and operatives) below, and caused veiling reflective glare from papers, and surfaces giving further visual problem for operatives. Categorised louvres created an unsatisfactory and uneven environment with high level of light on surfaces, and low levels elsewhere.

‘Actulite’ polarising panels create an even spread of glare free light across the working plane thus creating a visually stress free working environment. This is achieved by the emission of millions of "over lapping cones" of totally glare free polarised light, eradicating eyestrain, visual stress, and the general malaise, commonly known as ‘sick building syndrome’. Because Actulite polarising panels remove all glare from artificial light, disturbing reflections are not and cannot be created.

Tp(a) Compliance
Statement of Compliance With the Requirements of TP(a)
The ‘Actulite’ polarising panel consists of several layers of translucent materials, one of which contains a layer of prisms, which essentially redirects passing light to an angle of not more than 57.3 degrees to the vertical plane. (Brewsters angle). There is also a pre-tensioned layer of a specially formulated polarising material. This material is of a layered lenticular and elliptical cellular nature. The lower face of the panels, supplied for recessed modular luminaires, is manufactured from translucent clear polycarbonate with an average thickness of not less than 3mm which has a Class 1 rating in accordance with the provisions of BS 476: Part 7MedicalMoney saving / Productivity
For the Finance Director, Maintenance Manager or Facilities Manager the introduction of ‘Actulite’’ polarised lighting will result in a significant reduction in electricity consumption and lamp maintenance costs. Because of the improved levels of visual perception, average ambient lighting levels that would normally be designed to circa 500 lux in conventional lighting, need only to be designed to circa 300 lux when the ‘Actulite’ system is used, with a resulting 40% reduction in tube numbers/wattages. When retro fitting in place of existing conventional lighting, operational cost savings of over 80% can be achieved. Actulite produces a stress free working environment leading to a reduction in staff absenteeism and a measurable increase in productivity.
New Government Legislation. Enhanced Capital Allowance 2001.. 100% of your investment in Actulite in the current tax year set against profits for the previous year.
. Gives immediate tax cash-back of 30%* of your expenditure.
. Effectively, the government is paying one third of your expenditure on Actulite equipment.
. Even more benefits !
. Actulite saves at least 30% in running costs reducing your Climate Change Levy charges by 30%
. In refits, Actulite saves up to 90% in running costs, reducing your Climate Change Levy by the same.
. Actulite Triphosphor tubes have an effective life of 36,000 hours, compared to around 9,000 average.
. Actulite has a ‘feel good factor’. It reduces stress in the workplace and improves staff performance.

Also see the other benefits of the Actulite polarised natural lighting system:
- seasonal affected disorder
- visual acuity
- eyestrain
- productivity
- and finally - what our customers are saying about the benefits of our lights