Maintaining proper lighting in an industrial building or area is key to ensuring employee safety and OSHA compliance in Utah. Flickering or burned lightbulbs present a workplace safety hazard, and it is necessary for you to get the bulb replaced immediately. But what if your facility’s lights keep on burning out too quickly?
Frequent bulb burnouts can indicate a fire hazard brewing in your factory and can be a sign of poor connections, electric surges, transformer issues, or more. You should absolutely get the help of an electrical contractor immediately to see what the issue is.
So let’s discuss some reasons why your factory lights may be burning out too quickly and what you can do about it:
Why Are Your Factory Lights Burning Out Too Quickly?
Some common reasons why you may experience flickering lights or damaged light fixtures include:
- Improper fixture installation. Just like a loose connection can lead to sparks and overheated fixtures, screwing bulbs or other fixtures in too tightly can also compromise the connection between the light bulb and fixture. I can also damage the connection point. The overheated circuit, along with the poor connection, can lead to corrosion and eventually, the need for electrical repair.
- Old wiring. The problem was fairly common a few years ago and has been rectified in many of Utah’s industrial areas through the use of Electrical Code requirements and inspection. Some smaller warehouses or facilities may still have aluminum wires. Electrical service providers may have left them when overhauling the structure’s wiring. These wires aren’t as efficient during the summer and can overheat, leading to burned lightbulbs.
- Wrong light fixtures. Before installing a light fixture, you need to check the wire’s current capacity and compare it to what the light needs. Even LED lights run hot, especially in 24/7 industrial plants. An electrical contractor can help you plan your lighting structure while ensuring the wiring is upgraded accordingly if you require an overpowered light somewhere.
- Industry-specific side effects. Heavy machinery creates ground vibrations that can often be felt quite far away. These vibrations can kick intertwined, sleeveless, or unwelded connections lose. Not only do they become a fire hazard, but these loose connections can very easily short circuit the entire electrical system, taking expensive machinery with it as well.
The problems a factory may face also vary concerning the work it does and the type of machinery it has. For example, a manufacturing plant with humid work conditions may need electrical services very often, as the connections may corrode relatively quickly. Corroded connections mean increased resistance, which means burned factory lights.
Burned-out factory lights can be more severe than just an inconvenience. To get your electrical system looked at by experts and verified electrical contractors in Utah, give Skyline Electric a call today! Let us help you create a safer environment for your employees and ensure facility safety.
